Thursday, May 26, 2016

Drawing Human Figures In Pencil

By Helen Baker


Drawing and sketching are often the two hardest aspects for a budding artist to learn. While some artists are born with inherit talent in these areas, these individuals are few and far between. For those drawing human figures in pencil, charcoal and ink, whether from a live art model, photograph or skeleton, the task can often seem even more difficult.

When it comes to drawing and sketching, terms used can vary widely. Most often when drawing from a live art model, the correct term is life drawing. Whereas, those drawing from figurines, photographs, skeletons and other items are considered to be figure drawing. In the latter, the form can include different colors, tones, shapes, sizes and postures all created with different mediums.

As life drawing has become quite popular, there are a now a number of courses offered at colleges and universities. For those not interested in attending college, or older artists, there are also a number of local, regional, national and international museums which offer classes and workshops. Whereas, there are also classes at these schools and museums which focus on figure drawing from objects, photographs, skeletons and other materials.

Different artists take different approaches when drawing the human form. For example, some may draw from photographs while others may use skeletal models. Whereas, some artist may draw solely from inspiration and memory. While this is case, most denounce drawing from photographs due to past comes which have often fallen flat in comparison to other mediums.

As with other areas of the art world, light and dark play an integral role in some aspects. Using light and dark when participating in life drawing can have majestic effects when used against body surfaces. Many artist also use this process to create various shadows in and among various artwork. One of the most popular areas of the art world in which this technique is used is in photography.

While some artists prefer to work with crayons, charcoal or black, white and colored ink, many artists prefer to use a graphite pencil. Being that graphite is most commonly used in figure drawing, pencils are often sold in various formulations of intensity. These formulations range from very soft to very hard with medium soft and medium hard formations also available. Like charcoal, pencil drawings can be manipulated and erased.

A number of well known artists of past and present begin with a pencil drawing then override the pencil sketch with ink. One of the most prominent of these artists is that of Picasso. In many different works, especially when it comes to cubism, Pablo used this technique as an outline before finishing the piece.

Artists have been taking note and drawing the human form since the earliest of times. Whether cave dwellers, or artists using crayon, charcoal, pen, graphite or ink, most have fun doing so. Although, while cave dwellers often painted a sequence of pictures which provided stories of the past, many artists working today have an eye on the future. Whether that future be having a piece in an art show, gallery, museum or selling original artwork at festivals and other venues.




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