By Adit J. Pinheiro
Figure drawing or life drawing refers to the method of representational art that many professional artists go through to heighten their senses and skill-set. This is often taught in art schools/colleges to give students a strong foundation on the art of drawing. It is, by far, one of the harder forms of drawing because of the patience and the level of intricacy required. With that being said, it has a very large and growing fan base and serves as a primary foundational course for those looking to get into the world of art.
Figure drawing improves observational skills and patience. It also heightens thinking and encourages deeper thinking. One of the other major benefits of figure drawing/life drawing is that it also encourages simplification. Artists are put in a situation where they have to observe a very complex design pattern and have to simplify it before putting it on paper. Lastly, it also improves the reconstruction skills. This is another benefit of figure drawing and is a crucial skill for any artist.
Drawing a nude artist may stretch your artistic skills a bit more than if you were drawing a model that is clothed. When a model is clothed the frame is invisible and this allows the artist to be more flexible when drawing the figure. When a model is nude, every detail needs to be addressed and the frame is very vividly clear, thus making it harder. Those drawing clothed models find it typically easier than those who have to draw nude models. This again returns to the point that the human body is a complex creation, and replicating it on paper is q.uite difficult.
When it comes to figure-drawing a nude model, the time required also increases dramatically because of the attention to detail that is required. Finally, imperfections in a clothed model are easier to ignore than those on a nude model.
How to train your eye when drawing a model? Here is a step-by-step list to follow.
Begin with studying your figures
Follow what your eyes see and not what your mind says.
Follow it up by drawing gestures
This helps eyes establish where the top and bottom of the figure is at.
Move on to the silhouettes
This adds information to the presently vague frame that you have.
Dive into the details
Now that your eye is comfortable with what’s going on, zoom in on a particular area and start to get detailed.
Focus on the highlights, contours and other subtle features
At this stage, your eyes are open to seeing what can be added, that gives life to your figure drawing.
But don’t get discouraged. You may be thinking, this is way too difficult. And you’re right. It’s difficult, but not impossible. Like anything else, it takes practice. Figure drawing unlike other forms of drawing requires much higher levels of patience and diligence. It also involves so many different concepts that it challenges artists to get outside their comfort zone. Drawing nude pencil sketch body shapes shadows involves taking into consideration proportion, colors, shadows, lines and angles, point-of-view, and most importantly, ensuring a two-dimensional artwork looks like a three-dimensional one.
Here are a few more tips and techniques to improve figure drawing.
Ensure that your setup is right
Newbies usually tend to forget about getting all the required tools before a drawing. Ensure that your easel is at a suitable height that’s comfortable for you. Also, hold the tool with a loose grip so that there is less tension on your arms and shoulders.
Do not focus too much on a single part
There are many different parts in a figure, each with its complexity. If you find yourself focusing too much on a single portion, learn to let go and come back to it later. This will give room for new perspectives and a fresher mind. Let the perfectionist in you take a back seat for a while.
Warm-up before a drawing
Experts suggest that warming-up with quick random sketches can help loosen up your muscles and get them ready for the long run. Similar to sports, choosing not to warm up will result in cramps, twitching, and in most cases reduce working time.
Although quite difficult, the art of figure drawing is very rewarding. The results of such long processes are wonderfully drawn figures of the incredible human body sketched down to the finest detail. With a market worth of over $67 billion, the art industry is booming and expanding exponentially. With that being said, the figure drawing niche within this market is finding its foothold in beautiful and intricate style.
