Got some time... like 30 min?

Looks wonky, off, legs are too short, hips too high, head too big, body bends in a weird way... Some and more problems, I am fighting with drawing the human body. What's missing? Definitely fundamental knowledge of proportion, bones, muscles... etc. And lazy or unmotivated as I am, I did not actively seek out the scientific study of the human body yet. So, how to get to a productive and fun starting point?

Luckily, I stumbled about two YouTube video resources doing the trick for me. I realized, I concentrated too much on just copying parts of the body. The flow and movement of the entire figure, how parts are linked, how muscles interact and to portray the roundness of the form did not concern me much. But, being frustrated of things coming out strange, I started watching people, specifically looking for one detail... let's say the thickness of the neck and how it connects the head and upper body. But much more effective for me is having stills, where I have the time to study that particular part, different poses and also drawing under time pressure.

Nude or non nude-model sessions from the New Masters Academy YouTube Channel take half a hour to complete. Starting with one minute poses, where you just don't have the time to get into detail. Where you are forced to find the flow, the line and movement of the body. To more lengthy five minute sessions where maybe even shading is coming into play. It all is presented as pictures of models posing, male or female, displayed for a specific time.

Here Glenn Vilppu gives you a demonstration how he tackles these sessions... in great style.

Croquis Cafe is taking it a step further: Nude models are recorded on video. Also starting with quick sessions to help you loosen up.

Practicing with these videos helps me to see the figure in its' entirety. Even trains my memory. It is good, not having to look up too much, when you only have a minute to complete the pose. Connections are made and more than often, you will find yourself amazed by how realistic your drawing suddenly looks if you just get that bump on the shoulder, sorry: deltoid muscle, right.

Links:
New Masters Academy Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCliUF1c8m7MUspaCykJljSg
Croquis Cafe:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOq-SnwbtX9u231janaHRCo3tcTWshKML
Glenn Vilppu in action:
https://youtu.be/O0Sm4A17jec

Related:
First Live-Drawing-Session... Ever!
My Tuesday Live Drawing Session

The Generation Thingy - By Personal Experience

Really, it always has been there. But the older your kids get, the more obvious becomes the gap...

BirthDAY? Bah! Boooooring!!!

My very lucky wife got something special for her 40th Birthday (August last year). Not a BirthDAY... but BirthWEEK! A week... yes, that would keep her busy reminding her how special she is to me.

The Days were divided into themes and with those themes came a drawing. I wanted them to be perfect. So, it happened, that I shredded one at 1 am, sat in the bathroom (no idea, why that motivated me) and finished it by 3 am.

DAY 1 - The all mighty start of my wife's Birthweek

The gift was time. In advance I booked a cleaning help and we went off together on a wonderful day.

DAY 2 - It tends to take over a lot of day

So let's make the fitness torture a bit more pleasant with some pretty and useful sports gifts.

DAY 3 - All about the hobby

You geocachers might feel this situation. Well, it is the price to pay for not being prepared.

Common, run guys! Only 240 meters to the northwest! *Battery less than 10% left*

DAY 4 - When she is not busy working her bones

Relaxing and putting on something really nice & fancy after a warm bath. Cost me a fortune but worth it every penny...

The bar is set high now... buddy!

Guess... it is not all that bad.

Paddy 2015

My Tuesday Live Drawing Session

Lately, there are a couple of things I am aware of... which, on its' own, is a step forward for me.

1) 5 min. live-model-sketches can be stressful!
2) So, better think ahead, which art tool you prefer to use today and not switch from one to another at the session.
3) It really does make a difference thinking about composition, thinking about the space that is used up by the character and the space around.
4) You are at an advantage having reappearing models, because you get to know them by observing.
5) Which can lead to a more loose approach, not worrying so much about proportion or likeliness.
6) Which, in turn, might give you the freedom to let your imagination run wild... or, at least, letting it bounce around a bit.

There is a very interesting book about drawing characters from life. It is called 'The Drawing Club' from Bob Kato (link at the bottom). Just got a couple of pages into, so I will only say: You want to learn from some of todays masters of illustration and animation, you want to inhale those tips and exercises and, of course, enjoy the great drawings! ... from the book, that is.

THE DRAWING CLUB by Bob Kato - Link to Amazon
Also check out: First Live-Drawing-Session... Ever!

You don´t get a much better drawing app on iPad...

... and now it is for free. I do not doodle so much with apps or digitally altogether. Which does not mean I haven't tried a bunch of them. And 'Paper' by FiftyThree has, I think, the best hands-on-screen feeling. Going further, you don't even have to use your fingers. The company also sells a dedicated pen for its app, which is rather costly with 50 bucks. But given the success of this accessory, it seems to be the reason, why FiftyThree is handing out the app for free now, including all in-app purchases.

You never know

Those ten minutes before she closes her eyes, I do not find her more relaxed. And beautiful in many ways. Those were the reasons, I wanted to turn this image into a drawing. But I remember being frustrated over the outcome of this painting. The pencil drawing looked fine and I already figured out the technique. But the final transition from dark to light proved to be difficult. Plan was to try pointillism but I ended up using the black ink I started with on a dry brush and work my way into the light. I may not even have finished it before storing it for good in some drawer.

Yesterday, while cleaning and rearranging our living room, I found it. And it made me remember what I have heard and read now a couple of times from different artists lately: Keep your drawings out of sight at least for a year, no matter how terrible you find them. Either, you will be much surprised and wonder why on earth you ever considered it trash. Or you may use it to compare with your recent drawings, checking progress. Or... okay, now it is time to throw it in the dumpster.

'At bed' - Paddy 2013