Figure Drawings

Figure drawings in art classes are usually done in vine charcoal on huge newsprint tablets. This is part tradition and part pedagogy, I think. The vine charcoal and large tablet size encourages looseness and large arm movements. That’s helpful, because gestural drawings help students understand the movement and dynamism in the human figure, rather than being bogged down by details. Also, the point of these classes is to learn to see the figure and understand it, not to create a finished product. Indeed, you can’t really display newsprint, since it deteriorates rapidly when exposed to light. So like most people, I usually threw away most of my figure drawings after a class was finished.

I did, however, keep a few drawings that I liked after each class. Twenty-some years later, I think it is about time to throw these away. But rather than just trash them, I decided to post a virtual copy of my best stuff. I can spot mistakes in all of these, but they were never meant to be finished pieces, so I’ve got a good excuse.

I also surprised my instructor by doing a few drawings in pen when I was taking classes in Arizona. I was working in pen a lot and I thought it made sense to have a go at a different medium. But it was just one class and I was the only one drawing on boards.

If you do take a figure drawing class, I highly recommend taking a class in human anatomy (or teaching yourself) at the same time. Drawing the body is a lot more interesting when you have a good idea of what’s happening with the bones and musculature under the skin.