Week One, Starting with the Figure

We had a wonderful model this week to start our 2009 Sunday drawing class. Shannon brought her costume from a play she just preformed in. We talked first about different figurative approaches during the last 100 years. We started drawing with quick poses, looking for the overall gesture. We saw how we can use measuring points, such as the shoulders, knees or elbows, to compare side to side what is happening. We talked about drawing inside of the figure, and drawing outside the figure, or the negative shapes. Everyone really saw negative shapes, especially in a pose where the hands were on the hips, and a "hole" was created under the arm. We talked about setting the figure in an environment, and how just one line could not only indicate an environment, but contribute to the liveliness of the lines. We saw how a linear line works next to a curved line. Finally, we talked about different kinds of tools that people like to draw with, each one having it's own special characteristics.