More Exercises from Bert Dodson's book
As I started 2010, I finally overcame my block in the chapter 2 exercises in the Bert Dodson book Keys to Drawing, and now I'm working on Chapter 3. This is a great set of exercises re: measurement since I often have trouble fitting figures onto the page.
Here are two figures drawn by marking the top, the bottom, and then the midpoint. Then a quick drawing was done and the actual midpoint measured by sighting before working further on the drawing. This is very different than my usual technique of starting with the head and then hoping that the feet fit on the page!
Comments
What a wonderful tip! I like your drawings very much - well done! nancy
Posted by: nancy t | January 11, 2010 7:15 PM
Yes - when I watch my art teacher start a sketch, he routinely does all these sorts of things - marking up, tiny value sketch etc - and then he does the sketch 'right' so confidently
Posted by: alison | January 12, 2010 5:42 AM
These are great sketches. I love the way you have designed the page with the red background.
Posted by: Margaret | January 12, 2010 5:55 AM
A great tool to add to your arsenal! These have turned out wonderfully!
Posted by: Raena | January 12, 2010 9:58 AM
The trick is in remembering this exercise which I had not and my figures keep going off the page. This was a good reminder! You draw very well.
Posted by: Timaree (freebird) | January 12, 2010 10:22 AM
Very well done, and I bet it is a very useful exercise! I have just recently bought the same book, and started the exercises, can't wait til I get to this one. I am very inspired by your progress, and yesterday I worked through my own block and did the pepper exercise (no 3 in first chapter). Very pleased by the way it turned out, and now I can't wait until the kids are asleep and I can go on to the next one!
Posted by: Johanna | January 14, 2010 7:59 AM
You inspired me to dig out my copy of Keys for Drawing. Funny thing, I think I got blocked at exactly the same point you did! You did great on this exercise.
Posted by: donna noble | January 14, 2010 10:43 AM
Love your model in 3A, what's his name? My model's name is Roscoe. During our first session, I started with the head and ran out of room before I got to his feet. The right way just seems so easy....
Posted by: Possum Patty | January 14, 2010 8:48 PM
Funny I should stumble across this post today. Last night I pulled my copy out of the bookshelf of art books I own. It left me a bit intimidated but I didn't put it back, rather left it on the couch to look at more closely today. I am inspired to know someone else out there is working through it.
Posted by: ``mARTa | January 19, 2010 11:45 AM
Your lines are amazing - so crisp with no ghost lines. Are you this sure when you lay down your lines or do you draw in pencil first and erase the lines. I would love to have crisp sure lines like this instead of drawing and redrawing them like I do!
Posted by: Deborah | January 23, 2010 11:34 AM
Thank you thank you for sharing this exercise. I get it! What a great and simple idea to make stuff fit! I've been struggling with how to accomplish that and now I know.
Posted by: Jana Bouc | February 7, 2010 3:16 AM