Sketchbook study

Recent life drawing sketches

As the weekly life drawing sessions that I attend have now finished up for the summer, I thought I would post a couple of better sketches from the past term;

Tips for successful life drawing (part two)

Getting away with it – I typically find that great life drawing has elements that have not even been drawn and/or have been purposefully omitted. When drawing a model from life I personally strive to capture only enough to allow the mind of the viewer to fill in the blanks and complete the illusion. It is not always an easy balance to strike and I certainly have a tendency to over-define my subject if I am not thinking clearly! I find that this method works particularly well in and around areas of highlight where the details are commonly blown out by the intensity of light. As long as the relationships to the surrounding areas of tone are correct, then areas with little or no visible information tend to take care of themselves in the overall composition. I have previously talked of finding efficiencies and this is the perfect example of it. This approach is akin to a great story – not everything is explained and some things are left open to interpretation. Therefore, when drawing I strongly advocate leaving the viewer space to use their imagination. ‘Less is more’ as my old college tutor would say.

Above: 'Figure 16' 60min study by Rhys Eggleton. See more life drawings here

 

Above: 'Figure 17' 15min warm-up sketch by Rhys Eggleton. See more life drawings here

Seeing Red – for quickly observing how subtle areas of tone relate and interconnect, I occasionally look at the model or subject through a red filter. Doing so basically strips away the distraction of colour, so that the tonal values can be accurately assessed. Also, this is a really good way to ‘pull back’ and see the broader shapes within the subject if I feel that my drawing is stalling or if I am losing my way with small details. This is similar to the well known technique of squinting to simplify the perception of masses, but has the distinct advantage of better clarity. I previously purchased a filter designed for a standard 35mm SLR camera from a popular online auction service. It only cost me a few pounds and its compact size makes it ideal for the task:

Be bold – and by this I do not mean reckless (although recklessness can sometimes produce intense results so I don't want to outright discourage it!). In my experience I have found that preciousness inevitably leads to a stale lifeless drawing, which although technically proficient can be uninspiring to behold. This can be really discouraging if you have invested considerable time in its production. Take chances with the flow of lines and try above all else to translate the visual rhythm of the models contours into the flow of the drawing hand. It is a good thing to get as loose as the mood takes you, so long as you are mindful of the relationships of all the elements that make up the character of the sitters body. This point really boils down to capturing the 'essence' of the model - something almost intangible that comes alive in our human perception and in my opinion eclipses absolute accuracy.

Tips for successful life drawing (part one)

I figured it would be a worthwhile exercise for me to explain some of the self-devised approaches to life drawing that have evolved in my subconscious over the years. I am aware that there is a rich abundance of tuition freely available on the internet regarding drawing methods and it is not my intention to repeat what has already been said so concisely before. What I want to outline instead is some of the insights that have surfaced in my experience and that continue to work for me. I cannot say if these approaches are right or wrong, but they may be of some help: 

Above: 'Figure 11' by Rhys Eggleton. See more life drawings here

Triangulate – whenever I need to accurately place an element in a drawing without an obvious nearby reference point, I visualise the points of a triangle to help me confidently place it.  This basically involves staring at the model and picking out two clear points that have already been drawn. I then superimpose an imaginary triangle that connects these two points to a third, which is the element I intend to add. I focus on the angles and proportions of the triangle and then translate the observation to my drawing by lightly marking where the third point of the triangle would fall.

Pull back – sometimes if what I am attempting to render is complex I tell myself to ‘pull back’. In doing this my concern shifts from the daunting task of depicting intricate detail to capturing the gestalt (the overall wholeness) of the subject. It is a way of zooming out and simplifying what I am observing. I make a conscious effort to avoid slipping into ‘tunnel vision’ which can occur when fixating on a small area for too long. This can lead to a massive disparity of quality within a drawing because other areas are usually neglected of attention or rushed as time runs out.

Shorthand – with the pressure of a timed pose efficiencies need to be found in order to have a resolved drawing at the end of the session. I commonly shade small areas to their approximately tonal value and then lightly indicate the boundaries of these respective areas which I can revisit and complete after the model has finished posing. It is like leaving a visual shorthand note for myself whenever I discover an area that does not necessarily require strict observation. This frees up precious time for me to focus on the more essential elements that add gravity to the piece, such as; the gesture, the features etc.

Ta Prohm, Angkor, Cambodia

To sit amongst the temple ruins of Angkor and draw has been a burning desire of mine for many years now. When I finally got the chance to visit last month I was smitten. The atmosphere and mood that this ancient place evoked was everything I hoped it would be. Within moments of arriving at the site I gravitated straight to this beautiful example of a giant strangler fig tree bursting through a temple opening and fusing together with the stonework to become an integral part of its structure. I estimate that the resulting drawing took about 5 hours to complete:

   

For the first part of the day I seldom glimpsed the doorway itself because of the sheer volume of people being herded into this small area by eager tour guides. So, I decided to focus my attention on the intricate root system which extends upwards and frantically sketched in elements of the doorway at every fleeting opportunity. Here is a ‘work in progress’ shot that I managed to snap during a brief moment when there were no other tourists posing in front of the iconic doorway:

 

In my experience of drawing on location, this was definitely the most mentally draining and it was not due to the complexity of the subject matter, no no! Instead it was the sea of camera lenses that were relentlessly pointed in my direction every time a large bus tour group came through. I am used to the curiosity of bystanders and typically relish the opportunity to speak to people that take an interest in what I am doing. This was different though - it was completely wild and never ending!

Despite feeling overwhelmed by the unsolicited attention at times, it actually turned out to be one of the most rewarding sketching experiences I have ever had and I hope to return someday to make some more studies.