APRIL-JUNE TERM, WEEK 5-6

I guess I really should finish recapping on week 4 before posting stuff from week 6 but  I wanted to get this up for anyone wanting to  fishing off the exercise.

I'll add some text later, for those who missed last night's class. Those who were there will only need the pics.

Before making a start on a final drawing , I like to have a quick warm up session of sketching to get a feel for the subject matter.

Below are the stages to help you sketch out the pose and composition

Step#1

I know some of you find using  breakdown shapes of spheres and cylinders helpful when constructing a figure ( so, continue to do so if it is working for you) but I  tend to approach a figure by feeling mt way around the shape with the pencil, loosely skeching the flow and dynamic of the pose. Notice how the sketch is  mostly made up of curves and swirls. 

When drawing the wings, it is always useful to have a point of reference if you cannot  imagin it clearly in your head.  A bats wings make a good point of reference.

If you notice how the bat's wings are actually an arm and fingers just like a human's , only with longer fingers, and that the limbs bend  in the same way, you are on your way to having an understanding  of what you are drawing. Having an understanding of what you are drawing enables you to produce a better drawing.

Step#2

Once I am reasonably hapy with the shape, composition, etc. I begin sketchig in the detail. At this stage you should stil be sketching very lightly, not applying too much pressure with your pencil, image shown here has been darkened so you can see clearly the develpment of the drawing. Keeping your prelinimary pencil work light enables you to adjust your drawing easily.

 From this point onwards the breakdowns are for producing the drawing in ink , pencil or marker etc on white paper. I quickly, and crudely, threw some  tone on in photoshop to demonstrate how I would create the lighting.

 I also produced a version of the sketch in  white pencil on black paper.

Remember what was discussed in class about working on black paper,  instead of applying the darker values of your drawing (because they already exist on the paper) you are applying only the lighter values and highlights that would  normally  be available on white paper. So, you are basically working in reverse.