10-06-2024, 10:47 AM
Looking at your figures, there has been some improvement in proportion and form. I don't think using an overall bounding box to practice starting the figure in is particularly useful a method, since it is so basic and rigid it doesn't really aid in the construction of the figure itself. Using basic 3d primitve shapes (cylinders, boxes, wedges, eggs etc) and practicing to orient those in space are probably much more useful since you can construct a basic mannequin out of these.
I would add a couple of pointers that may help. The first is the idea of cross contours. Your most recent drawings, start with a figure mannequin, and then you draw the contour outline around every form; I would suggest before jumping to outlining the silhouette of all forms, think about the forms as a surface and draw lines that trace over the surface itself, not just the silhouette. You don't have to trace every change like in some of these examples although it's not a bad excercise, but using a few basic well chosen cross contours is enough to describe a form.
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Not only will it help you analyse and show the form better, but also will help with visualising any foreshortening and feeling like the figure inhabits a space. The compression and stretch points in the figure also become much more obvious
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I also second ruthwood's suggestion of making less "chicken scratchy" lines. If you have a curved form for example try to practice the line in your mind first, or trial "ghost" it in above the paper/tablet first, and then try to draw the line in a fluid motion. Be calm, but decisive. You don't have to use a lot of pressure, so if it isn't right you can try again. Eventually your confidence and dexterity will improve, but you have to fail at it first.
One way also of learning to be bold with lines, is to sometimes draw in pen as it forces you to decide and commit when putting down a line.
Another basic thing I'd like to suggest is try to do some practice from life. Arrange some primitive objects with a single direct light and draw them. Nothing beats understanding how we see form, than using your own eyes to judge what is happening in front of you. For figures, life drawing especially is a wonderful thing to do regularly if you have access to sessions near you.
Keep up the practice
I would add a couple of pointers that may help. The first is the idea of cross contours. Your most recent drawings, start with a figure mannequin, and then you draw the contour outline around every form; I would suggest before jumping to outlining the silhouette of all forms, think about the forms as a surface and draw lines that trace over the surface itself, not just the silhouette. You don't have to trace every change like in some of these examples although it's not a bad excercise, but using a few basic well chosen cross contours is enough to describe a form.
Not only will it help you analyse and show the form better, but also will help with visualising any foreshortening and feeling like the figure inhabits a space. The compression and stretch points in the figure also become much more obvious
I also second ruthwood's suggestion of making less "chicken scratchy" lines. If you have a curved form for example try to practice the line in your mind first, or trial "ghost" it in above the paper/tablet first, and then try to draw the line in a fluid motion. Be calm, but decisive. You don't have to use a lot of pressure, so if it isn't right you can try again. Eventually your confidence and dexterity will improve, but you have to fail at it first.
One way also of learning to be bold with lines, is to sometimes draw in pen as it forces you to decide and commit when putting down a line.
Another basic thing I'd like to suggest is try to do some practice from life. Arrange some primitive objects with a single direct light and draw them. Nothing beats understanding how we see form, than using your own eyes to judge what is happening in front of you. For figures, life drawing especially is a wonderful thing to do regularly if you have access to sessions near you.
Keep up the practice