Continuous Line Drawing - Week 1 of 2

Continuous Line Drawings 

[Next week we will add atmospherics to this exercise.]

start by dividing your page in three horizontal sections (b/g, m/g, f/g)
draw a circle in the center (this is where our focal point, the model will reside)

1. Do a quick gestural expression inside the central focal point of the model
2. locate the end of the drawing horse (close one eye - find it in relationship with the model - draw it in)
3. do the same with your drawing board (find it in relationship with the end of the drawing horse and draw it in)
4. Line up your drawing stick with a point on the model and secure it in place so it doesn't move. 

5. Begin your continuous line drawing at the drawing stick. Move through the foreground into the middleground and continue drawing paying close attention to negative shapes and their locations to one another as well as their sizes in relationship to the objects. If a background object touches the edge of an object in the middleground begin to draw in the background. Make sure you come off the page on at least 3 or 4 sides. The composition should be balanced when you are finished and not feel that one side or the top or bottom is unfinished. 

In the studio, light is coming from the top. Details and contrast diminishes in the background but we should still be able to tell that the light is coming from the top. The values will tend towards the light side of the 9-tone grey scale. 

Here are a few photographs of the very first continuous line drawings done before break in Week 4.

I was so amazed again this week at how well everyone did on this very complex assignment ... so much so that while we were on break, I began to randomly shoot photos of the work that had been left out. 

Thanks everyone for allowing me to post these shots on the blog.

SOME SKETCHBOOK FIGURE DRAWING APPLICATIONS
based on these exercises

tweeted by Richard Johnson
@newsillustrator
26 Apr 2014

Also see Drawing D.C. Together, a Journal of Urban Sketches,  blog post, called The Trouble With Sketching People, written by Richard Johnson, here

STARTING to DEVELOP YOUR SKETCHBOOK

see here

Some CalArts Sketchbooks - Dig into your Drawing Kit. Start using the coloured pastels and pencils, begin to mix media (use markers and ink with coloured pencil) ...  apply what you're learning 

  

use of negative space to create Balance in the composition on these pages ... use of monochromatics (Colour Harmony), with a variety of quick poses (Rhythm).

... and another CalArts Sketchbook 

Sheridan Animation Student Blogs ... here  and here 

and 

Sheridan Illustration Work ... here  and some former drawing students using coloured pencil in their professional work here and here  some coloured pencil here  and pastels on pavement here

Sheridan Faculty Illustration Blog here