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FUNKYMONKEY1945 In reply to MG-Sentinel [2019-02-04 15:26:05 +0000 UTC]

I hope you don't mind but I thought you had a great question so I made a journal entry to answer it

I thought I'd answer this question in a journal entry.  I think it's an excellent question

" Hey i have a quick question. i struggle right now with gesture and volume. for example, if i lay in a good or fairly decent gesture i cant find the volume of the masses im trying to draw. on the other hand, if i try to do a volume base lay in i cant seem to get the energy of the gesture. have you ever run into this problem if so what tips could you provided if you had the time? "

First, I'd like to say that the best way to address drawing issues is to resolve them one at a time.  Gesture is a very abstract word when it comes to drawing.  I ask students in class what they think gesture is and I'll get several different answers, and technically they're all correct.  So let me clarify the term first so that you know what I'm talking about.  When I use the word gesture, it means connections and relationships.  ( I go more in depth into this in class ) 

If you are having trouble with volume, it's probably not volume that is the problem.  Volumetric forms all start with a shape.  If you have an unclear shape, then your form will be unclear.  If the relationships between your shapes (gesture) is working, then creating volumes is fairly easy.  Weak shapes lead to weak form.

Yes, I've had this problem when I was starting out.  I strive to make relationships between shapes,forms, light patterns, etc. better.  

The best advice I can give is to be clear on what your intentions are when you draw.  I've been advocating conscious drawing for a long time.  By that I mean think about every line you make.  It sounds difficult but it's not as difficult as you may think.  You do this, subconsciously.  Don't just draw.  If you are working from a live model and you have only short poses.  There's no time to get everything.  So your goal needs to be very clear. 

For example, let's say that you're working on a 2 min pose.  Ask yourself, what am I working on?  2 min is a very short time to be thinking about Gesture, shape, proportion, design, anatomy, lighting, anatomy, etc.  It's a lot to juggle in a short amount of time. ( I'm not saying you can't do that, the better you get the more ideas you'll be able to juggle in a short amount of time. )  In the beginning it's a good idea to focus on one or two things at a time; just like juggling.  Let's say your goal is proportion and shape, with proportion being your primary concern.  If in two minutes, you have good proportion but the relationship/gesture between shapes are a little stiff, you still have a successful drawing. (Your goal was proportion)  You'll learn faster this way. When you get comfortable with proportion, you can focus more on gesture.  When you start getting comfortable with both, add another element.  Drawing and painting is a constant juggling act.

Hope this helps

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MG-Sentinel In reply to FUNKYMONKEY1945 [2019-02-05 18:48:56 +0000 UTC]

Thank you so much "Weak shapes lead to weak form." ill live an die by this rule. i'll start making sure that i have stronger volumetric shapes as i do notice that im never really thinking about how my gestures works and more about what made it appealing. now i can see my errors, but it'll take time to burn this bad habit of mine. cant wait to get back to work! much appreciated.

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