I’m seriously enjoying this part of the course, as I have mentioned about one hundred times. I have really surprised myself by showing skill that I didn’t even know I had when it comes to drawing the human form.

It’s been really interesting experimenting with the moving figure, finding ways to portray movement and to give life to something that doesn’t move. I’ve decided to jump out of the box and go down a route that I’ve been pretty reluctant to up until now. I want to add more and more of my own style into my work, and I’m starting to do that a bit more now that I’ve gained some confidence within my work.

In my head I think I have convinced myself that the brief is strict and that I’m not able to bend the rules, however, this isn’t the case. My tutor has advised me that the brief is simply a guideline and to branch out, which I have.

I sketched these from images online, and I’m really pleased with all of them, each for their own reasons.

The sketches display movement at very different levels; some moving quickly, some moving barely at all, but all of the figures partaking in something active. I originally sketched them in black ballpoint pen and was satisfied with the drawings. I felt like it was clear that the figures were moving, however, I didn’t feel that I’d truly captured that movement within the sketches. It didn’t feel like they were physically moving and I wanted that. I wanted them to be moving upon the page and not just drawings of people that were moving. I wanted them to still be moving.

I sat and pondered for a little while and then thought back to the previous task where I had used charcoal to draw (which I absolutely loveddddd). I wondered, could I add some charcoal? What would that do? So…

I used the charcoal to display movement in different ways, exaggerating the motion of each person.
For the first figure, I swept light charcoal markings behind her to show the movement of her walking. This seems to add speed to her, turning a simple stroll to a power walk. I was thrilled at the outcome. It was so brilliant to see that my decision to add simple sweeps of charcoal accentuated the movement further and really brought what I had drawn to life.

I then added some sweeping circular lines around the curvature of the next figures body, to really highlight the direction that her body is moving in. The figure is holding a yoga pose, twisting her body. I simply looped lines around the twists and turns of her torso and legs which seemed to, somehow, give the impression that she was not just holding that pose, but maybe transitioning from one pose to another. Super interesting how such a simple technique as this can cause such an impact.

The next, and maybe my favourite and most abstract, is the jumping figure.
I didn’t spend as much time on this one, and wasn’t as particular with the tonal range and bodily features. What I wanted to achieve with this one was complete movement, and in a way that I wouldn’t usually. I’ve sketched out the main figure, and I have then added an overlapping shadow of a previous (or future) movement. I think this is a really effective, if unusual, strategy in portraying movement, and, I have to say, whilst uncomplicated, it’s very impactful and, in my opinion, the strongest of the four.

The last sketch is the one that portrays the least movement. The figure is preparing for a sprint at the start of the track, therefore, there is not much motion. This is a strong sketch, but not a strong depiction of movement. If I had sketched this figure a minute or so later, whilst he was mid-sprint perhaps, it would have been a more successful movement piece. Still, I’m happy that I drew this one as it’s shown me how far I have come in creating the human form. Also how difficult, and important, the portrayal of action/motion within a piece is. Looking at this particular sketch next to the other three is fascinating. After the addition of charcoal on the other three, this one now looks very flat and a little dull. Previously, I thought this was the best of the four, but now, looking at the contrast, I feel differently towards it.

An interesting and eye-opening task!

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