[jizzpack]

Hi,

I am wondering if
Dhabih or anyone else has taken any university courses on how to draw realisticly proportioned etc. figures WITHOUT looking at a nude model (or read any books). Also, I am wondering on how you guys learned to accurately shade the human figure. Thanks a lot.

[Solitaire]

about the anatomy - now you only have to observe your environment and practice, but I can scan and send you some sheets I got from my prof about anatomy.
It's always good to practice how the skeleton and muscles work - if you understand these and connect that with your observations about typical movement - you shoul be able to draw every pose you wish

About shading - hmm the same as above and some reasoning about how light works, most of the shading I do is intuitive; so I am not sure how to get the right feel to it and I don't know if I am always right with my picks...

...think there're more competent ppl here to comment on that

[Jason Manley]

http://redqueendesign.com/manley/formexer1.jpg


ok...the pic is a simple way to make form based on the same ideas that michaelangelo and raphael used to make forms. This is a perfect example of the kinds of things you can learn from master paintings.

the easiest way to think of it is if it is facing the top...make it lighter...if it is on the side, it will be slightly darker than the top, if it is on the bottom, it will be darker...this is for overhead lighting on simple forms...just change the formula to the direction of your light.

1 there are 5 values to simple form lighting.
a. mass light
b mass shadow
c halftone transition light
d reflect light/fill light
e core shadow
f high light

this list shows six (if you count) but you will notice in the image that the halftone and the transition light are the same or similar value to the reflective light/fill light.

that makes 5 values

michaelangelo and many of the masters used this formula to create forms out of their head in order to set up studies. It does not matter which direction the light comes from..you just apply this formula (real life is much more subtle but this will work)

ok...

start with two simple middle values..one for the light and one for the dark (placement and shape of these value patches depend on light direction or the form that the light is wrapping around)

add your transition and your halftone where the form starts to turn away from the light.

the core shadow will always be where the form completely turns from the light(unless there is a fill light to lighten it)

add your reflect light (same value as your halftone.

add your higlight (lightest light closest to light source)

--------------------

if you want to invent form then you have to understand what you are drawing. you can make a simple line drawing that describes the form (see bridgemans figure drawing book and burne hogarths figure books). once you have a general sketch you mass in your light and dark shapes over the entire form to get the feel and look of your light (paying attention to the direction of the light)

then you add transition and reflect light and clean up all the shapes and push and pull your forms

soft edges can fall away from the viewer

atmospheric perspective(making values similar to each other) can push forms away from the viewer

sharper contrast can pull toward the viewer

sharper edges can pull toward the viewer

(these things are not hard and fast rules...and they are only a few of many that work. the rules can be bent and changed according to what you are doing...when you understand how to use value...YOU CAN MAKE ANYTHING!

the important thing about this is to understand what you are drawing...if you get photo reference you can strengthen the forms in the reference by applying these kinds of theories.

if you are doing figure work then this is the main reason you have to know all anatomy...in order to convincingly invent..you must know anatomy in order to understand what you are making.

keep up the hard work.

jason

[A.Buttle]

Jizzpack?! That's pretty foul... but then again maybe it means something different in Canada...

------------------
I wanna get with you, girl!...
And your sister, I think her name's Debra....

Joe Dillingham

[email protected]
Three Times A Day

[jizzpack]

Thanks jas and solitaire..your advice is appreciated. One last question: how do u create accurate lighting when the TEXTURE changes? (for example...light would change on a figure's face when it goes over a cheek bone that defines shape). Anyways thanks a lot for everything. To buttplug: no..my username does not mean something differently due to the fact that i'm from canada.

[Jason Manley]

that is a subtle thing ...texture specularity and surface reflectivity...either toy with it til it feels right or get reference...though light tends to strike surfaces with bone a little harder as there is often less flesh and more planes in those areas.