Life Drawing – Figurative Art

Twisted figure pastel

Sampling of my Figurative drawings; 1999-2011.

Drawing the figure is one of the quickest ways to gain drawing proficiency, hand-eye coordination and develop a personal manner or style with a chosen media. Because models pose for short periods of time, the artist must learn to work rapidly to capture the “gesture” of the pose, while generating the structural form of the model’s figure. Highlights and shadows are essential components of structure and must be regarded to be equally important as the contour of the figure. Students need to learn to focus on this in drawing from the live model. The drawings on this post represent images made directly from a live model in under twenty minutes, however, some had been made during multiple poses. Drawings sizes are pictured roughly proportional with one another; the average size is 18×24″.

Clothed Figure-Class

sketchbook figure

sketchbook figure 2

five minute figure

The drawings above are sketches made with graphite or pencil in ten minutes or less. The drawings below are made with charcoal in five minutes or less.

one minute gesture2

two minute contour2

The drawings below have been made with charcoal and colored chalk from poses held for more than twenty minutes or multiple sessions.

Prone figure

Lying figure

extended figure study

Crayon figure study

721 thoughts on “Life Drawing – Figurative Art”

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