Gesture

    Capture the movement of a figure with simple lines
    Imagine if the figure were to animate for a moment, how do you capture that

    Overview

    For the gesture pieces we will be using the following website for our references. Remember to follow any rules of the site. 

    Recommended Settings: Nude and Both Genders

    Before beginning take a good portion of your allotted time just to actually see your subject. Whether the exercise is 15 seconds or 30 minutes, this step is crucial so take your time.

    Use simple lines and tapered lined quality to capture the gesture. A gesture may be complete after a single line or fifty.

    We will do exercises using various techniques, even scribbling.

    1 - Scribble Gesture and Line of Action

    Materials:

    • (optional) Human Model
    • Graphite or Charcoal Pencil
    • 18 by 24 inch Newsprint or Drawing Paper
    • Large Drawing Clipboard Setup at Eye-level

    Duration: 10 minutes

    An explanation and demonstration of gesture. The idea behind it and how to find the line of action. From the back view the line of action usually follows the spine. Gesture is not about proportion or contour. It's about precise and deliberate movement. Look for the center line of the body or spine as a suggestion pulling and pushing the line of action. Find the weight of the figure and display that in one stroke.

    1 - Scribble Gesture: 5 Gesture for 30 sec/each

    1. Do a gesture drawing without lifting your pencil or worrying about lines. Represent the figures movement in a scribble.

    2 - Line of Action: 5 Gesture for 30 sec/each

    1. Represent the figure in less than 7 lines. You can use the previous five poses.

     

    IMG_0440.jpg

    2 - Figure Gesture

    Materials: Same as Above

    Duration: 65 minutes

    Use C and S curves to represent active and passive muscles. Show tension with sharp corners and weight with dark, thick, and sharp lines. Learn to communicate with the line through practice of rhythm, repetition, tapering, line quality, composition, and curves. Consider the side of the pencil for broad strokes. What influence would that have on the gesture? 

    Rhythm and repetition are great tools. for guiding the viewer's eye. Use proper compositional spacing between your lines to tell the viewers eye where it needs to be. The eye goes to contrast, use that predictability to your advantage.

    If your picture can't move and you need to cause movement, then you'll have to move the viewer.

    1 - Gesture: 5 Gesture for 5 min/each

    1. Take an unreasonable length of time to look at the figure without drawing despite the time limit
    2. Find the head and line of action, don't be afraid to exaggerate. Capture this line with one stroke.
    3. Work your way through out the body and motion until the time is up.
    4. I will alert you when it is time to stop.

    2 - Gesture: 1 Gesture for 15 min

    1. Repeat Steps 1-4

    3 - Long Gesture: 25 min

    1. Repeat Steps 1-4
    2. You'll find yourself exploring the gesture of line itself. Use broad and precise strokes. Compose the entire complete gesture. Explore.
    IMG_0014_2.jpg

    3 - Ink Gesture

    Materials:

    • Ink, Brush, Water, and Containers
    • (alternatively) Tone down acrylic paint with water
    • Pole, stick, and masking tape
    • Large Drawing Clipboard Setup at Eye-level
    • (optional) Human Model
    • 18 by 24 inch Bristol or Watercolor Paper
    • (alternatively) Whatever paper you have, be aware it may buckle

    Duration: 55 (25 and 35) minutes

    Using ink as the medium will train your percision and confidence.

    1 - 15 Stroke Gesture: 5 Gesture for 7 min/each

    1. Take an unreasonable length of time to look at the figure without drawing despite the time limit.
    2. Complete this exercise in only 15 Strokes. Consider it a complete stroke when you put down a line and manipulate it while its wet. Moving to another line would be a second stroke.
    3. I will alert you when it is time to stop.

    2 - Long Gesture: 2 Gesture for 25 min

    1. Take an unreasonable length of time to look at the figure without drawing despite the time limit.
    2. Complete the gesture.
    3. I will alert you when it is time to stop.

     

    Submit for Critique

    If you did not use the same reference we did on the stream, submit your picture. Include your Twitch name if you do this exercise on a different day after the stream as critiques will be exchanged for !Kokos. If you used a stock photo from a DeviantArt page be kind enough to drop them a link of what you did! Follow their Stock Rules.

    Submit via Google Forms

     

    OR

    Submit in #drawing_lessons on Discord