Beginning in graphite, students complete a 'cartoon'. This is a preliminary drawing that establishes proportion, body type, gesture and the correct grouping of light and dark. This important phase creates a solid structure. The instructor will assist students in choosing an area of the figure to fully render. Through the articulation of subtle plane changes and correct value assignments, the students work towards a naturalistic and volumetric drawing.
This class acts as a way for students new to the figure to learn about the complete process of figure drawing, seeing the whole process play out organically over a longer period of time. It also allows students who have more experience drawing figures to sharpen their skills and work more intuitively and organically, blending stages together that they already know.
The class will consist of two 6 week poses. Students will be working on toned paper with graphite and white chalk, allowing a larger range of values, and faster application. Students will begin by linearly laying in the major contour lines of the figure, then proceed to mass in values. Using comparative measurement, once the general proportions are correct, more values will be added working general to specific. Students can expect to have 2 completely rendered figure drawings by the end of the term, as well as an understanding of comparative measurement, and a systematic way of breaking up a figure drawing into separate stages.
PLEASE NOTE: The Figure Construct Class is a prerequisite for this class.
