01-27-2015, 02:33 PM
30 seconds is enough time to make 5 to 6 lines which is all you need to establish a gesture. Its not easy to simplify the whole body into its most basic rhythms so if you need to increase the time a little dont worry about it. Michael Hamptons book talks about it a little. Gesture is all about capturing the action of the body, not making a completed contoured line drawing of the figure with anatomy. If anything you want to use the least amount of lines possible to show what the person is doing.
Another book I recommend is Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators. I know you dont want to be an animator but the concepts in it are valuable for anyone drawing figures. Theres a website for it too http://www.drawingforce.com/ Its all about learning to see how forms flow into each other in "C" curves ,"S" curves and straights or "I". Thats why you'll hear people talking about gesture refer to "CSI".
Another book I recommend is Force: Dynamic Life Drawing for Animators. I know you dont want to be an animator but the concepts in it are valuable for anyone drawing figures. Theres a website for it too http://www.drawingforce.com/ Its all about learning to see how forms flow into each other in "C" curves ,"S" curves and straights or "I". Thats why you'll hear people talking about gesture refer to "CSI".