Figure drawing: Encyclopedia II - Figure drawing - Approaches

Figure drawing - Approaches

Artists take a variety of approaches to drawing the human figure. They may draw from live models, from photographs or other reference material, or from memory and imagination. Most instruction focuses on the use of models in "life drawing" courses. The use of photographic reference - although common since the development of photography - is often criticized or discouraged by experts. They argue that the inability to see the figure in three dimensions results in "flat" images that fail to capture the dynamic aspects of the subject. Drawing from imagination is often lauded for the expressiveness it encourages, and criticized for the inaccuracies introduced by the artist's lack of knowledge or limited memory in visualizing the human figure; the experience of the artist with other methods has a large influence on the effectiveness of this approach.

In developing the image, some artists focus on the shapes created by the interplay of light and dark values on the surfaces of the body. Others take an anatomical approach, beginning by approximating the internal skeleton of the figure, overlaying the internal organs and musculature, and covering those shapes with the skin, and finally (if applicable) clothing; study of human internal anatomy is usually involved in this technique. Another approach is to loosely construct the body out of primitive shapes, e.g., a sphere for the cranium, a cylinder for the torso, etc. then refine those shapes to more closely resemble the human form.

For those working without visual reference (or as a means of checking one's work) proportions commonly recommended in figure drawing are:

• An average person, is generally 7-and-a-half heads tall (including the head).
• An ideal figure, used for an impression of nobility or grace, is drawn at 8 heads tall.
• An heroic figure, used in the heroic for the depiction of gods and superheroes, is eight-and-a-half heads tall. Most of the additional length comes from a bigger chest and longer legs.

Note that these proportions are most useful for a standing model. Poses which introduce foreshortening of various body parts will cause them to differ.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Approaches", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki