Figure study using line – Seated model in an upright chair:
Preparatory Work:
I decided that I would approach the preparatory work for my first two drawings by drawing the model in both a seated position and a reclining position with four different mediums – pencil, thin charcoal, thick charcoal, and fine-point pen. Using these different mediums really narrowed down for me which one would suit each drawing the best. For the first study of a seated model in line, I decided that to express all I had learnt over this part of the course regarding line-work, the fine-point pen was the best option. As you can see, the scratchy, fine quality of the pen lines was really effective in depicting hair, fine details upon the face, and I just really liked the way that it felt to draw using this pen. The point of the pen upon the page was smooth and it was extremely easy to achieve an effective line drawing of the body, the facial features, the folds within the clothes, and markings on the sofa that the model was sat on with this medium.
Final piece:
With this piece, I started at the head and worked my way down, until finally, I added the sofa he was seated on and the areas/shading around him.
As mentioned above, I loved the feel of drawing with this pen, and the effect that I was able to achieve with it. The pen flowed easily against the paper, and, working quickly and not leaving too much time to consider what it was I was actually doing, it wasn’t long before I’d finished the piece.
I’m really pleased with this piece, and I can see that I’ve come a longggg way since I started this area of the course. There are areas that I’m not completely happy with, however, the overall sketch is a winner for me. I do think the shoulders of the figure are a little too low, but I’m not sure if that’s just the style of the t-shirt he was wearing – it’s a drop shoulder t-shirt, therefore, the seams of the top sit very low down the upper arms, which throws that area off a little bit. I also think his neck is ever so slightly too long, but I think that’s only noticeable when you really do look for flaws (which is definitely what I am doing).
One thing that I am really pleased with is the accuracy of the proportion. The length and size of the model’s body parts in comparison to others is mostly spot on, and I’m so chuffed with the form of his body in this piece. Often, I find when I have finished a piece that I haven’t depicted something as accurately as I thought, but I’m happy with how this one has turned out.
I’ve drawn this model many times over the past months, and, I think this drawing holds the most likeness to him. This wasn’t my aim for the piece, but I couldn’t be happier. In a lot of my drawings of faces, I haven’t been able to accurately depict the bone structure, shape of the face, or layout of the features, but in this piece, I’ve done pretty well with it. The positioning of his body parts and the folds within the clothes that he wears are drawn well too. I didn’t want to go too far, as I am prone to do, and I didn’t want the piece to become a mess of lines, so I kept it to a fairly simple line sketch, and I’m super proud of it.
I think I’ve shown all I have learnt to do with the human figure and depicting it through line really well here.
Figure study using tone – Reclining model
Preparatory Work:
Here, I did the exact same thing with the previous preparatory drawings. I quickly sketched out the position of my model using the charcoal, pencil, and fine-point pen. As this piece focused on the use of tone, I felt that charcoal would be the better option to create it. Charcoal is very movable and I’ve used it before in tone focused work, and I have managed to achieve really effective pieces with it.
Charcoal is soft and easily smudged, and as the brief encouraged me not to use strong line/outline, I felt that the charcoal would be best to depict the form as I would be able move the charcoal outwards towards the ‘edges’ of the model using cotton buds and my fingers/hands.
Final piece:
I don’t like this piece as much as I like the previous piece. I attempted this in line, and I much prefer it (will add at the end), but the charcoal/tone version of it isn’t as effective and I don’t enjoy looking at it half as much.
I added in the general areas of tone on the model, working the folds, lines and shadows into his clothes and arms and face. I think I’ve portrayed the areas of his body and the areas the light does and doesn’t hit well through the use of charcoal, however, there’s just something that I don’t like about it. The model’s face isn’t as defined as I’d have liked it to be, which is bothering me. I know that the face isn’t an important part of this task, but still, it puts me off it a bit.
One thing that I do think I’ve done well in is, again, achieving accurate bodily proportion. The body, arms, and legs are the right length, and I don’t notice anything ‘off’ with them at all, which thrills me. I think looking at the model reclining on the sofa and having the sofa as a length indicator was really helpful here.
The strong light source is coming towards the model from the right-hand side and I think I’ve shown this well. You can see that there are more darker tones the further up his body, as his form gets further away from the light. At the end I lightly went around the edges of the features of this piece to add vague outlines that would better define what I had drawn, and I liked it far more. That being said, it’s not my strongest piece, but I’m satisfied. I think it’s fair to say that charcoal is not my favourite medium and I am still more of a line girl.
Portrait combining line and tone:
This is my favourite of all the three pieces and I am so proud of it.
I decided to keep this piece light, and to create it using only pencils. It’s a depiction of myself using line and tone, without being excessive. This is the most accurate portrait piece I have created yet. It’s effective, it’s simple, and it bears a striking resemblance to me, which is something that I’ve struggled to achieve in the past.
I used a very posey photo for this. It wasn’t natural as I was pouting, positioning my head to the side, and I had a fair amount of make up on. I really like the way it looks and it’s the first time I look at a sketch and thought that it looks ‘pretty’.
I didn’t want to go too far, as I am prone to do, and I didn’t want to use any other medium than pencil. Yes, it may be useful to add some charcoal to better define the tone, however, I don’t want to. I have added tone using pencil, and I’m happy with how it is. The piece is mostly line, but you can see the use of tone along my cheekbones, on my neck, upon my nose, and around my eyes. It’s not excessive, but it’s there. The hair is also very subtle, but I love the way it looks. I’m really proud of this piece.
Additional drawings:
Originally, I got my wires crossed and drew the first two assignment pieces the wrong way round. Here is the seated figure in tone, and the reclining figure in line. I’ve decided to add these just to document my progress further. I’m not a huge fan of the first sketch. I think I’ve mucked up the proportion a little, and I just don’t like looking at it, however, one thing that I am proud of is the likeness it holds to my partner. That’s one thing I’m really beginning to nail.
The second piece is of my housemate reclining on the sofa, drawn in line. I’m extremely proud of this piece. I feel very proud of it and I think I’ve managed to depict the human form really well – the body, the head, the face all turned out great, and I’m super pleased with it.
Rework:
My tutor pointed out to me that the shading on the right-hand side of the face didn’t follow the curvature of the face, so I went back and adapted that area. I marked the the shadow cast by the hair upon the cheek in subtle, sweeping lines, and the effect that this slight change made was incredible. The bone structure and face shape seems to have been completely transformed through the use of this one alteration.
I need to remember to be mindful that, when drawing the human form, a lot of the realism comes from the direction in which the lines are drawn. After discussing this with my tutor and then returning to make small changes to this piece, this has become even more clear to me.
Jesy Gilkes 