Animation: Step by step demo of a Prud'hon study drawing

For this 1.5 hour sketch (animation extra) I followed my post on 14 steps to Figure Drawing. This is a study of a drawing by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon for an ongoing web forum project.

Conte on A3 size paper. Please allow the entire animation to download (821 kb) for smoother play. Frames change at 2 sec delay.

Standing pose studies

Quickish standing pose studies.....

A3, conte. Color pencil background for image on the left.
Ref images by Almudena_stock and Huitphotography in DA

A few more figure sketches from today

A3, compressed charcoal, watercolor
pencil for background.   Ref images
(pics 1 and 2) by Jon Mann in DA  

A3, conte. Pastel for background

A3, Derwent drawing pencils
  Ref image by Stateofundress in DA 

A3. Conte and compressed charcoal

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Updating last post - form study of Michelangelo's Ignudi

Continuation of this post... I used Staedtler's graphite and Conte carbone pencil for the shading.

Shape study of Michelangelo's ignudi

Michelangelo's ignudi in the Sistine Chapel... a breathless display of talent and wisdom bordering on  enlightenment. I've tried to only minimally indicate form (maybe I'll explore form in a later study), staying true to shapes through lines. I realized that every bump, every crease has a reason... a reflection of his deep knowledge of anatomy. I'd suggest (humbly) every aspiring figure artist (like me) to study these nudes... the experience is almost transcendental - its like you're transported across ages and geography to the nearness of that Master of masters, as if you're a mute witness, while his hands work through your clumsy limbs to describe these amazing shapes on paper.

All are on A3 size paper with Conte (water-color background for no. 2)

Studies of various versions of Venus

A3, conte

A3, Conte, water-soluble
pencil for background

Approx A3 size, conte.
Acrylic and conte for background

A3, conte drawing, light watercolor wash

Old Master Studies - post 3 (updated May 12, '13)

(UPDATED with an older acrylic study of sculpted torso - please see below)

After Leonard Kern's sculptural interpretation of Three Graces.

A3 size, conte

After Antonio Canova's Three Graces - study in Payne's Gray and Titatinum White

16" x 12" acrylic on canvas paper

Study of cast (image); artist unknown.

Approx A4 size, graphite.

UPDATED on May 12, '13, old image. Acrylic on paper | 55 cm x 35 cm
  (Ref image by Jessica in DA) 

Close up...

Old Master Studies - post 2

The first set of studies are posted here.

A3, conte, after Gerson Wojciech (Polish painter, 1831-1901)

Looking at Mona Lisa's smile...

Well, that's hardly a novel activity! Millions already have, and millions will in the future, whether the original painting stays up or crumbles to dust. Her smile has been familiarized almost to the point of boredom, and yet, while flipping though pics of old master works for study reference I thought... why not study her? So here's that sketch, and afterwards I made those graphics while responding to a query by a friend.

I realized that Leo has used a set of three curves, arranged in groups to get that particular expression. I found the same mechanism, albeit much less obvious in Dominique Ingres' Mademoiselle Riviere. Mona Lisa has a softer, melting expression, add to that the effect of the incident light, which makes the 'curves' more obvious in her case.

pic 1.

pic 2. The 'curves'...

pic 3. The areas affected emphasized

Old Master Studies (re-updated on 11.11.11)...

Mostly Conte stumps and pencils, on A3 size paper. UPDATED with Anders Zorn studies

1. Study of unknown master work

2. Canova's three graces

3. Study of unknown
Master work

4. After Zorn

5. After Zorn

6.  After Zorn

7. An older one, updating on May '12... Michelangelo's slave:

Just stacking up from older posts elsewhere

Apologies to those who have already viewed these... I needed to get this stuff organized.

These are ref image based studies mostly on A3 size pages, using conte/conte pencils. I haven't posted in a considerable while, so I thought I'd post these line studies here.

(I'm thankful to the photographers/model whose images I've used to advance my learning. Some are from stock accounts, some are used with permission. Others, I have no idea whom to seek user rights from ... still seeking. Needless to say, I'll gladly and fully credit if pointed out. These sketches are for non-profit, educational purpose, and only loosely based on the refs. In any case, I'm totally indebted to their creators.) 


Credits:

Still trying to locate ref sources for Nos. 1, 3 - 5, 10 - 12.
Refs for nos. 2 and 15 are probably from Dailymail.
No. 14 is from Domai.
No. 13 is from Rachastock in Deviantart.
No. 9 is from Cable9tuba in Deviantart.
Nos. 6 and 7 are from Lockstock in Deviantart.
Thanks again for your kind inspiration!

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8. From imagination.

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