Rotation of the Spine Drawing

[Beth Barnard]

Am trying to draw more so that I can learn to internalize anatomy and hopefully eventually sculpt from imagination rather than from a model. We’ll see.

[elizabeth hone]

Hi Beth,

have you tried lots of long and short poses? Repetition helps. You’ll plateau but then you’ll have a break through. I really try to draw what I see not what I think I see, if you can understand that. I got a lot from Steve Houston’s figure drawing courses too.

lizzie

[Beth Barnard]

Hi, Lizzie,

Thank you! By long and short poses, I guess you mean in terms of time. This was definitely a long one. I’ve tried doing some of the one to five minute drawings and I find that I tend to hate doing them, but I know they will ultimately help me, so I’ve got to get back at it. Thanks for the recommendation about Steve Houston’s classes. I’ll definitely look him up. I’m having fun switching between a number of drawing courses, because I find that I pick different things up from different instructors. I have done some of the early Russian Academic Drawing courses and am now doing Glenn Vilappo’s course. I think I’ll go back to the RAD course when I have a little more practice under my belt. I had some initial resistance to starting from scratch in that course, but am starting to understand and appreciate why the course is taught in that way. It will be worth it in the end. It’s nice to be able to slowly integrate so much information from different instructors. Thanks again for the feedback and the recommendation of the class and keep up the good work yourself! I’ll definitely look for it!

Best,

Beth

[elizabeth hone]

hi beth,

yes, i meant in terms of time. Also, really spending the full practice time in the RAD course at the beginning is really important to help you improve your mark making, drawing forms, as well as light and shadow. sometimes it seems tedious but as you progress you understand why its important.

[Joshua Jacobo]

Beth, Great work. Drawing will indeed improve your sculpture. Here are some of my notes.

[Beth Barnard]

Hi, Joshua,

Thank you! Each of your comments are spot on.

1. The increase in the twist of the spine looks much better in your drawing. I knew that I was doing something wrong, but I couldn’t figure it out. Thanks!

2. So…question: do you mean that the breast should be above the ribs rather than on the ribs? I suppose that’s an important distinction in terms of the age of a woman.  Hopefully I’ll remember that going forward.

3. Yep, she’s way off balance and I even tried to photograph her a little more upright but it didn’t help.

 

Thanks for the cast shadow reminder. Hopefully I’ll remember to follow the form with it next time.

I really appreciate your feedback and all of the responses. It’s helping me grow. I’m finding that as I put energy into drawing right now, I seem to have less motivation to put toward sculpting, but I know that if I just hang in there, it will eventually all come together. I never thought that I’d be able to draw from imagination but I can now imagine that as I learn more about gesture and anatomy, it will become easier. Previously I thought people either “had it” or didn’t, not thinking that drawing from imagination was something that could be learned. Thanks for helping me see that.

[Joshua Jacobo]

You’re welcome.

2. The rib cage is a form and the breast is a form that rests on top of it. How the overlaps work in your drawing depends on the angle. I’m just trying to draw your attention to that. Think of like a water balloon laying on a large egg (weird I know). If you’re looking up at it the water balloon would be a curve pointing up following the curvature of the egg. Vice versa looking down.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Joshua Jacobo.

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