Form

This was a longer pose.  I used graphite.  I looked to reduce the subject to shapes to start with, relating one element against another and using the horizontal and vertical lines of the sofa.  I also used the head as a unit of measurement.  I am still not drawing from the middle - keep forgetting - but I got the whole figure in here.  The model was slightly leaning back and to one side, on the arm of the sofa.  This meant the central axis of the body was slightly to one side and curved up as it moved down towards the legs. There was foreshortening to take account of  due to the fact I was sitting in front of the model whose legs were raised up and pointing in my direction.  To draw the position of the legs believably I think it helped that one of knees was bent up and the legs were crossed.  By seeing and depicting where the knee of the bent leg was positioned in relation to the torso and the foot was further behind the other straight leg, all helped to give a realistic impression of the pose.

Check and Log

Have you managed to make a complete statment in this time?  What were your main problems?

I think I did manage to make a complete statement in the quick poses and the longer pose.  I did find it difficult to work fast though.  I tend to start by drawing the head, which is why I believe I lost the feet in a couple of the first drawings and shall try to draw from the middle in future to see if this helps.

How well have you captured the characteristics of the pose?

I think I have captured the characteristics of the different poses drawn. 

Do the proportions look right?  If not, how will you try to improve this?

I think the proportions look believable.  It didn't come naturally to me to establish a unit of measurement at the beginning of the drawing, particularly where we were asked to do quick drawings. But if I did only check at the proportions near the end or after the drawing was done, I was encouraged that I had achieved the '7 heads' theory.  It means I can achieve a well proportioned drawing by eye.

The Longer Pose

1 hour study - using graphite.  I began by lightly putting in all the shapes of the body, using lines such as those provided by the sofa to reference everything.  Then I went in with heavier lines, more pressure, and finally some shading to show dark and light areas and help give a better impression of form.  I used my thumb against the graphite stick to establish unit of measurement, to help judge the size/proportion of the rest of the body.

Part four - Drawing figures : Quick Poses

I found quick sketching hard in that I found myself looking at detail too much.  Also I tended to draw starting with the head and I have noted now that the exercise asks me to draw from the middle of the body out to the feet and head (so I will try that too and see if it helps).  Here are the first lot:

I think both of these are reasonably in proportion based on the measurement of the length of the head being about one 7th of the length of the body.  I used A4 sized paper and with both I lost the bottom of the legs!  I don't think it matters if it was intended, but it wasn't.  It may be why I was asked to work from the middle of the body outwards!





I think both these pictures are believably
proportioned.  This one on the right is the only one where I didn't put any elements in the background (the figure is actually sitting on a low wall) and I realise it therefore looks strange.
So, I added it in after the event (see below) though it would have been easier to do it at the time and I am not sure if the angle of the wall is correct.

10-minute drawings :

I used pencil here so the images are a bit feint to see.  I think they are well proportioned.  In all the drawings on this page, above and below, I judged the length of the head using my thumb against the drawing medium.  I then used this measurement to judge the relative proportions of the rest of the body.  Where the body wasn't standing upright, I still used the same theory - moving the measurement around the body even when it was twisted or sitting, imagining where things would be if it were stretched out straight.   I did attempt to see the different parts of the body as more geometrical shapes, in order to be able to lay down the various shapes quickly.  The background seat helped a lot, providing horizontal and vertical lines to work against.  As I drew I judged where the bit I was drawing was in relation to everything around it, to ensure it was in the right place.