Anatomy Studies Demo: "Figure Studies"

[KChen]

Here are some in class demos I did for my class and some old portrait studies.

80454

80456

80457

80458

80459

80461

80462

80463

80465

80466
cheers :)

[KChen]

Here are some notes that help me out when I draw the figure.
http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/imagewiz75210.jpg

The main thing that bothers me is the proportion of the upper torso, which I lengthen to about 4 heads long.

I included some other notes about drawing the leg too. Legs are hard to draw because of the many complex curves around them. If not done right, they will look like spaghetti.

What helps me out on legs, is to look for the bone structure first, starting with the great trocanter (top of the upper leg joint). From there I pay attention to the direction of the knee to see how much the leg is twisting. The upper leg bone is always bowed. The direction the upper leg bone bows toward is always the direction of the knee. Next I look for how the direction of the knee relates to the direction of the feet. This way I can see a clear twist in the leg gesture and have a solid bone underneath the muscles.

Planting the models feet to the floor is crucial for adding weight to the pose. I usually like to think of the feet as a box to help define perspective. The bottom of the feet are usually squashed by the weight of the body, where they are forced to match the shape of the ground surface. Hence, describing the floor for us.

I've included some notes on the breast to illustrate the pectorialis underneith. The breast(fat) sits under in a comma shape which hooks around to the ribs. It forms a distinctive two overlaping forms on the side of the chest.

Hope these will help, I'll try to go over other drawings as I find some time.

[KChen]

More Demos from head drawing class:

80470

80471

80473

80476

80478

[KChen]

Thanks Davi,

I use 2B or 3B. i like to have the charcoal soft enough so it feels more like painting when i apply the values.

Head/neck demos from this week...
80480

80481

80482

80483

80484

80485

[KChen]

Here are some class demo for the long pose class. The main point was to get the students to think in terms of sculpting planes with light.
80486

80487

80488

80489

80490

[KChen]

This is from a reply letter I wrote today for a possible student who wanted to know how I teach my class before they signed up. I think the info below will help answer questions about thoughts on learning priorities and procedures.
I break it down this way so the students will have a stepping stone to build and re-enforce their skills upon. Something to make the learning process more managable.
Each stepping stone is there to help you build your skills for the next. I think it is a good way to introduce the students to these ideas and see how they relate. My profession outside of teaching is Concept Design for games and films. I specialize in characters and creatures. What is important to me on my job is to be able to create out of my head and have the skills to make it interesting and believable. Another part of my job is to ensure quality control through production (style guides and critiques). That's why I need to break everything down to simple elements and language, that so everyone can understand, so we can improve the product.

If anything, I try to teach my students how break things down to basic visual elements and learn how to prioritize and use the elements to better communicate the idea.

Here are some of the things that I teach my students in the figure class:
(in order of things to learn first)

- perspective (learn how to think and draw in space. Learn how to draw a cube, cylinder, cone, and ball in perspective and scale)

- proportion (train your eye to see this, if proportion is off, placement, weight, and form and likeness is off too)

- Gesture (learn how to see relationship between things: how forms are tie together by action, thought, or weight)

- form (learn to see simple mass of the body and ignore the details. See the big idea)

- overlaps (learn to communicate spacial relationship between forms. What is in front of what?)

- planes (adding more information to a simple form (cylinder) by breaking it up into planes (example: Box - more 3D directional planes detail with top, sides, bottom planes).

- construction (able to trim and add smaller forms on top of the bigger structure with out losing your dominant perspective. Putting the details on "top" of the form, not through it)

- lighting (learn how light works and how to use light to better communicate your idea. What do I want to show? What type of lighting should I use?)

- Shapes (compose your image with the basic 2D elements of light and shadow shapes, page layout. How do I compose the image to better stage what I want to show? How can I communicated abstractly? how do I use contrast to communicate?)

- edge / texture (learn how the eye sees and focus. Learn atmospheric perspective. How to draw the space and air around the model)

each step is there to re-enforce and strengthen the previous. kevin

[KChen]

Class demo for the long pose class.

80492

80493

[KChen]

Class demo on laying in the figure for long pose.

80494

80495

[KChen]

1st day of class for Head Drawing. Demos on Head Proportion and simple construction:

80496

80497

80498

80499

80500

[KChen]

Here are some of the students' in class drawings from last term:

80502

80503

80504

80505

80506

80507

80508

80509

80510

80511

80512

80513

80514

80515

80516

80517

[KChen]

Lay-in Demos from 2nd week of class:

Analytical Figure Drawing Class
80519

80520

80521

Head Drawing Class
80522

80523

80524

[KChen]

Some notes I wrote on how to locate the Gesture Line. Thought might be helpful to post it here:

80526

[KChen]

This week the class focus was on laying in the composition of the figure with simple 2 dimensional shapes.

With 2D shapes alone you can solve gesture, proportion, abstraction, weight, composition, eye flow and simple form indication. The more you can solve at this stage the more effortless and elegant your design will be. A good example would be Sargent's portrait studies: very little rendering but, excellent use of shapes.

here are some old class demos on making sure your drawings read with simple 2-D B/W Shapes (keep the comp simple). If the image looks good and reads well with just 2 values and flat shapes then you are ready to take it to the next level with rendering. If your drawing doesn't read at this simple level, no matter how much more rendering you place on top, it will not save it. Usually, a lot of the over-worked and ununified student drawings are the ones who rushed through this first crucial design stage.

Think about what do you want the viewer to see. Try staging and contrasting your details with small, medium, and large shapes for spacing details. How can you stage your image better? How can i lead the viewers eye with direction of my shapes (framing or pointing)? How can I get the action to read better with straights and curves (tension and relax)? How can I communicate the mood with my value proportion and shape? All these thinking and problem should be answered at this stage before you start your rendering. A good 2D lay-in is more than just a copy, it is the master blue print for your priorities and composition. It should read clearly and be able to state what you want to say without relying on rendering!!

It's a good exercise to do some master copies with this in mind and see how the masters manipulate your eye and feel with just simple shape contrast.

Here are some examples of laying for long poses:

80624

80625

80626

80627

red circle stands for focal point.
red line stands for eye flow.
green line stands for small, mid, big shape spacing.

80628

[KChen]

Some notes on Head and Drapery:

80629

80630

80631

[KChen]

New demo & notes :)

Light & Composition Demo
80634

80636

80637

Head Drawing Notes
80638

80639

80640

80641

80643

80644

80645

80646

Torso Demo
80647

80648

80649

[KChen]

Demo from Long pose class:
80651

80652

Demos from Head Drawing class:
80653

80654

80655

80656

80657

80659

[KChen]

Sunday Figure Drawing Class demo. This week we just review over torso structure...
80670

80671

80672

80674

[KChen]

Sorry for the late updates. My computer died and I am finally back on line again :P

To start, here is a catch up of the demos from the Gnomon figure drawing class.

5 min lay-in's with focus on laying down simple 2D placement:
80677

80678

Lecture on pelvis and legs:
80679

80680

80681

80682

80683

Torso breakdowns:
80684

80686

80687

[KChen]

Class Head demos:
80690

80691

80692

Eye Structure and Types:
80693

80694

80695

80696

Lip Structure & Types:
80697

80698

[KChen]

Didn't get to draw much in this class. End up spending more time with the students one on one to help them pace their drawings and correct their layin's for a long study.

Here is some class demo demostrating different ways to lay-in the figure. Painterly or with Construction:
80700

80701

80702

80703

Here is a comp study for the long pose:
80704

[KChen]

Hey Dooom,

Thanks, here are the links to the schools I am currently teaching at:

http://www.gnomon3d.com/ (Figure Drawing)

http://www.laafigart.com/ (head drawing, Analytical Figure Drawing)

http://www.artcenter.edu/ (Sat Figure Drawing Workshop)

hopefully I'll see you around :)

[KChen]

Here are some WIP photos taken by a gnomon student, patrick during the demos:

demo on foreshortened torso. Creating overlaps with ribcage/stomache/pelvis
http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/135124_kc_5-11_demo1.jpg

Demo on torso front view
http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/135125_kc_5-11_demo2.jpg http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/135126_kc_5-11_demo2a.jpg

Demo on back construction lay-in
http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/135127_kc_5-11_demo3.jpg http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/135128_kc_5-11_demo3a.jpg

Demo on how to lay-in poses with limbs in front of body: draw the body first then connect the limbs to a appropriate spots.
http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/135129_kc_june_1_leg_demo3.jpg http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/135130_kc_june_1_leg_demo3a.jpg

Thanks Patrick!!

[KChen]

Q: Pardon my noobness but what is that tool? Vine Charcoal?
A: I use either 2B conte sticks (large Demo) or 2B conte pencil for those demos. I also like to use stratmore Carbothello pencils (Black) too. I am just starting to try out hard vine charcoal, I seen Dan Thompson done some very beautiful soft renderings with them.

Here is a pic of my tools:
http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/136696_Kchen_materials.jpg

k

[KChen]

Demos from Analytical figure drawing, two model pose:

1 hr demo and comp studies
80838

80839

2 model quick block-in's
80840

80841

80842

80843

[KChen]

10th week: Last day of Head Drawing class at Laafa. Demo on facial anatomy and expressions:

3 min expression studies
80844

80845

Front/side view facial muscles. facial muscles are designed for funtion and movement. The most range of move ment on our face is our mouth and our eyebrows. As you can see most facial muscles are desgned for their movements.
80846

80847

facial muscles pulls on the face like strings. the flesh between the muscle connection points fold like a venetian blind when the muscle (string) flexes. the muscle connection and pulling point are consistant at the same place forming dimples, folds or wrinkles on the face. As we get older the flesh between the pulling points sag as the skin looses it's elastic quality.
80848

[Hermchen]

Hi, KChen.

First of all I want to assent to all these statements
that say thank you.

I came across this picture and wondered
what the use of the cutter is in drawing.
Explanation of other tools would be
appreciated, too! :rolleyes:

http://www.imagewiz.net/images/kchen/136696_Kchen_materials.jpg

[Treb]

Hermchen, I would imagine that the cutter is for sharpening his pencil. =) CarbOthello pencils are basically pastel pencils, and conte and conte pencils are just, well, conte. And of course he has his sander at the bottom for creating better points for his assorted mediums.

[pconsidine]

I came across this picture and wondered
what the use of the cutter is in drawing.

As Treb said, it's probably mostly for sharpening your tools. But I've known some people who also use a razor to scratch out highlights when they want a whiter white than an eraser can give them (or if they want a sharp edge instead of the soft edges an eraser usually gives). Of course, that only works if you're using really heavy-weight cotton rag paper like Stonehenge or Arches printmaking papers (I almost always draw on Arches or Rives BFK, whichever I can afford at the time; I've also worked on watercolor paper, but sometimes the surface texture can be too much).





(If you couldn't tell, I'm a bit of a paper fanatic. :) )

[fredflickstone]

are you talking about the blade? that is for sharpening the pencils. not for scratching. You use a blade like that on the art, and you are gonna kill the surface. It is formally for sharpening the pencils like a brush set. Big long tapering lead to the wood. These are used pencils. they dont show what that blade does for them.

[pconsidine]

Fred –

There are plenty of surfaces that can stand up to a little scratching out: heavy bristol boards, papermaking or watercolor papers and some illustration boards, to name a few. Yes, it chews up the surface a bit, but it's usually a final-stage thing anyway, so you wouldn't be going over it again anyway.

I'm sure you're right that the blade in the pic is for sharpening the pencils, but tools have many purposes. If someone wants to experiment with scratching out highlights, they'll find a way to make it work.

I'm just sayin'... :)

[BadMange]

You're all correct about the use, but if you look at KChen's life drawings, read his posts and look at the pic of his tools, he clearly uses the razorblade to sharpen the conte and pencil. And the original question was what KChen uses the razor for. And now, I believe that this part of the topic is quite dead. It is an ex-topic, it ceases to be. It is no more.

Now, back to posting how amazing KChen is until he posts more amazing drawings!!

-Bad Mange

[BadMange]

LOL. I myself am going through withdrawal, but have been working on my 3d forms like a good pupil. :D It's good to know about the different uses of the tools, but when people start posting "no, this tool is used only for this purpose," things tend to turn into a pissing contest. I myself can probably write my name in the snow in cursive by now. And in several languages, taboot.

Beantown, eh? Are you talking about the Bastin Red Sax, or the Sout-siders team (White Sox)? Not a baseball fan, I prefer BBall and boxing. If I wanna watch fat guys all dressed the same and trying to hit a little ball with a stick, I'll watch golf! ;)

-Bad Mange

[KChen]

Wow, i guess I better start posting soon before this turns into a baseball thread :D

Hermchen,

I use the blade for sharpening the pencil only. And the pencils are used so they are usually at a much tapper point when they are freshly sharpened.

Sorry for the long wait. Here are some of the remaining demos from last semster's Gnomon class. Some breakdowns for arm and legs:
80849

80850

80851

80852

80854

80856

We are 4th week into the new semester. More updates on the demos coming soon :)

[KChen]

here are some Demos from the Analytical Figure Drawing class from the past 3 weeks:
80857

80858

80859

80860

80861

80862

80863

80864

80865

80866

80867

80868

[KChen]

Head Drawing demos from the first three week of class:
80870

80871

80872

80873

80874

80876

80877

80878

[KChen]

Art Center Workshop Demos:
80883

80884

80885

80887

[KChen]

Gnomon Figure Drawing Demos:
80893

80894

80895

80896

pew~!! that's all for now. I'll keep you guys updated as the semester goes :)

I might not post everything since some of the demos are are almost exact repeats from last semester.

did too many demos on the chalkboard this semester. Got to bring my camera with me next time :P

cheers!!

[KChen]

Thanks a lot for the kind words :) Here are some more recent demo from classes:
80897

80898

80900

80901

80903

80904

cheers!! :chug:

[KChen]

More demos from the Analytical and Head Drawing class:
80905

80906

80907

80908

80909

80910

[KChen]

Some demos for the Analytical class on ambient lighting and back light situations:
80911

80912

Head Drawing class Demo:
80913

Q: Can you give me a tip on how to capture quick 10-20 second gestures?
A: To do good quick sketches you really need a lot of mileage from doing longer studies. It will help you understand the pose better and allow you to know what to look for in such a short time. Another key part about doing quick sketches is how to short hand what you see, which is also based on your knowledge and mileage on designing shapes. There is really no short cut.

There are a couple tools I do use though to help me see the important parts of the gestures first and shorthand the drawing:

1) think of the body as 3 simple parts (head, torso, legs) and see how these three parts counter balance each other to support weight. They are the key weight factors of the body and the rest of the body will follow through to their action.

2) beware of the shape read of the figure. It is the first thing we see, even before form!! make sure it reads well to describe planes, action (stretch n' pinch) with just the flat shape)

3) think in contrast!! We perceive the world in contrast, the more contrast you use the clearer the statement. If you want to show stretch, you show pinch, if you want to show hard, you have to show something soft, if you want to show something right you need to show something wrong. Make your point clear.

These are some of the tools and principals I use often to communicate the pose in a short time :)

hope this will help!

[KChen]

Class demos from Gnomon figure drawing class:

Pelvis Structure
80915

80916

Knee Structure
80917

80918

80919

80920

80921

[KChen]

Here are some demos from the last day of the Analytical class:
80922

80923

I also posted some new stuff in the quick sketch thread.



Q: How large is the paper for your large demo?
A: As for paper, I usually work on 18" x 24" smooth newsprint.

Q: How small are the figures are for the 1-5 mins poses?
A: The 1~ 5 min figures are from 4 ~ 8 inches each (usually the images posted are in proportion to 18" x 24").

Q: Do you use a smaller tool for short poses or details?
A: I use the same type of charcoal pencil for the whole drawing. I switch between some firm and soft charcoal pencils for longer poses though. The pencils are sharpened to a taper point so I can both smear with its sides or draw with its tip.

I have a tip that might help you control the size of your drawing. Before you draw, mark off where you want the top & bottom of the figure to be. After that you can just break that distance in half and divide the top half into four units. That way you can figure out how big the head needs to be for it to fit in that desired space (based on 8 head proportion unit). I got that tip from the Andrew Lomis book and it was really simple & effective.

Kevin

[KChen]

Demo from Gnomon, 1st week of class:
80924

Thanks guys. I was originally posting these demos for my students so they can easily get a copy of the demo from the class to accompany their notes. I am glad these are of help to everyone :)

New term starting up again and I should have more soon!

kevin

[poly_cube]

Hiya

I’m taking a figure drawing class with keven and needless to say it rocks. Since I was taking pictures of how he draws (before and after) I figured everyone here would appreciate them.


Thanks for letting me post these keven.

before:
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/P9260019.jpg

after:
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/P9260023.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/P9260029.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/P9260031.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/P9260037.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/PA030003.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/PA030006.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/PA030015.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/PA030025.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/PA030028.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/PA030031.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/PA030035.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/PA030045.jpg

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/P9260018.jpg

[poly_cube]

well this concludes the Kevin drawing (I won't be able to attend the last day of class so if any of the other students wish to post the pics that be great)

I apologies to any of the classmates who thought I was going to post these pics up last week- finals n all arrg.

actually Amadorl Kevin was my first life drawing class I have ever taken. I had one at digipen (non life drawing) but it was more of a "draw 50 pages/ I won't bother looking at it and well call it even". Kevin basically sits down with you while you draw from a model and give you pointers and critique during the whole class.

Kevin is really patient too. Anyways on with the his demo’s

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100101.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100102.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100103.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100106.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100111.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100112.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100114.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100115.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100116.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100117.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100118.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100119.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100121.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100122.JPG

[poly_cube]

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100123.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100124.JPG
http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100125.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100126.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100127.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100128.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100129.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100130.JPG

[poly_cube]

man i didn't notice how many pic I took haha

http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA100131.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA240001.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA240002.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA240003.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA240004.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA240005.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA240006.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA240007.JPG http://www.caffeineartist.com/drawings/new_kevin/new_kevin_update/PA240008.JPG

[KChen]

I have recently started a new full-time job at NCsoft. Because of the new work, I have taken a break from teaching. Currently, I am only teaching at Gnomon for the character design class and figure drawing class.

Maybe in the future I can start a thread from the character design class demos :)

Q: What does VHASP stand for?
A: VHASP is a quick abbrievation for:
- Vertical
- Horizontal
- Angles
- Shape
- Proportion

It is a list of things in order of priority for my students to double check what they see.

First how the object's place relates in terms of vertical measurement, then horizontal.
Once you figure out the placement, double check it with angle measurement and negative shapes.

At the very last, after you check all the 2d visual qualities of your object, you then double check it with your knowledge of proportion.

I placed proportion at the end of the list because I want the students to trust their observation more before they use their pre-concieved knowledge of the figure.

A lot of times, it is those preconcieved information that blinds us from seeing accurately.

I want the students to use proportion as a ruler to better see how the figure differs from it (to capture character).

Hope this helps :)
kevin

[jfrancis]

RefrigeratorCo, I try to remember those aspects of the anatomy that don't change from pose to pose, but that are the underlying facts of the construction of the body. The easiest way for me to remember the shoulders is to really learn the spine (http://www.digitalartform.com/assets/gfxArtist/WIP/spineTest1.jpg) (which I did by creating a 3D model based on the anatomy drawings of Dr. Paul Richer)

Then the rib cage (http://www.digitalartform.com/assets/gfxArtist/WIP/ribCollage1.jpg)

Then the placement of the scapula on the rib cage in back, the clavicles in front, and the humerus.

After that, I know the deltoids come off the spine of the scapula in back, and the outer third of the clavicles in front, and go halfway down the humerus. (as I have speed painted, below) The trapezius muscles do exactly the same thing, but they also go up to the base of the skull, and down to the 12th thoracic vertebrae.

To practice learning muscle origins and insertions, I use a Poser skeleton to speedpaint the muscles.

http://www.digitalartform.com/assets/gfxArtist/WIP/musclePaint1.jpg

Taking the time to do these exercises helps me learn the forms.

I also benefited a lot from studying anatomy with Glenn Vilppu. I feel these drawings organize information in a way that is similar to Vilppu's approach. Is he a former student of Vilppu's, or is this approach fairly widespread I wonder.

[Morbid]

Mirror: http://www.angelfire.com/art3/kchendemos/ Grab it while there is still some bandwidth left. :P
Thanks to maxetormer!

[PolinaH]

Okay heres K Chens stuff
http://raven.sixdot.net/Kevin%20Chen/

try not to download too much but it should be good =)