The Practical Guide to Drawing Figures PDF
Preview The Practical Guide to Drawing Figures
This edition published in 2010 by Arcturus Publishing Limited 26/27 Bickels Yard, 151–153 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3HA Copyright © 2009 Arcturus Publishing Limited/Barrington Barber All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended). Any person or persons who do any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. Series Editor: Ella Fern eISBN: 978-1-78212-930-1 AD001175EN CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PROPORTIONS OF THE HUMAN FIGURE THE SKELETON MUSCULATURE DRAWING FROM LIFE FIGURES IN PERSPECTIVE THE TORSO LEGS ARMS HANDS FEET THE HEAD DIFFERING PROPORTIONS AGEING DIFFERENT APPROACHES COMPOSITION AND POSING DRAWING FRIENDS FIGURES IN INTERIORS AND EXTERIORS DIFFERENT MEDIA INTRODUCTION From the mid-1500s onwards, composition was considered to be the most prestigious area of art, which made it of primary interest to the greatest artists of the time. Of course they were skilled in all areas of drawing and painting, but when the great art workshops (bottegas) of the Renaissance period were in full swing it was the master painter who would often be the only artisan to put in the figures, leaving the rest of the composition to be completed by his pupils. So be prepared for the most interesting and most difficult subject you will tackle as a draughtsman – but don’t feel too daunted. I have found in many years of teaching that anyone can learn to draw anything competently, with the combination of a certain amount of hard work and the desire to achieve success. The aim of this book is to explore all the practices necessary to achieve a good level of drawing of the human figure. I shall first look at how the human body is formed, from its skeleton – the scaffolding that all figures are based on – down to the details of the limbs, the torso, the hands and feet and the head. It is always useful to have some idea as to the body formation beneath the skin, and some knowledge of how the muscles wrap around the bone structure and each other is of great use when you look at the shapes on the surface of the body. Without any knowledge of the underlying structure it is much harder to make sense of the bumps and furrows that are visible. I shall also look at the balance of the limbs when the body is in motion, and how the artist can produce the effect of movements that appear natural and convincing to the viewer of the picture. The techniques of drawing will also be examined, and the different ways in which different artists have made efforts to show us how the human figure can be portrayed, from the most detailed to the most expressive. Of course this book does not pretend to be exhaustive, as figure drawing has been developed and explored over centuries as artists sought new ways of portraying the human form. Nevertheless, enjoy this foray into the challenging but fulfilling task of portraying the human figure, and revel in the development of your own ability as an artist. Materials Any medium is valid for drawing figures. That said, some media are more valid than others in particular circumstances, and in the main their suitability depends on what you are trying to achieve. You don’t need to buy all the items listed below, and it is probably wise to experiment: start with the range of pencils suggested, and when you feel you would like to try something different, then do so. Be aware that each medium has its own identity, and you need to experiment before you can get the best out of it or, indeed, discover whether it is the right medium for your purposes. Take a look at here for more on different media. PROPORTIONS OF THE HUMAN FIGURE Generally, the female body is slightly smaller and finer in structure than that of a male, but of course sizes differ so much that you will have to use your powers of observation when drawing any individual. In the examples below, the man’s shoulders are wider than the woman’s and the woman’s hips are wider than the man’s. This is, however, a classic proportion, and in real life people are often less perfectly formed. Nonetheless, this is a good basic guide to the shape and proportion of the human body.
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