Bridgman cramping my style?

[bloodless]

Heya fellow CA's just needed some advice on G. Bridgman's book

I just bought his complete guide to life drawings today and when i tried to read it through and looked/drew some of his drawings on anatomy i could not help but wonder myself,

'can his style really cramp my drawing style?'

Ive been heavily focusing on learning anatomy and have several other realistic books that interperts the human anatomy and i also attended to alot of still life classes to supplement my knowlgde.

But now that i bought Bridgmans book, Not only do i have a problem understanding his anatomy distribution (length of the legs, arms etc) but can it maybe taint my current knowledge on anatomy and style of drawing?

In his book, his characters are way too broad and their arms are too short. in my drawings, i tend to draw them with longer arms and slender bodies.

most of my knowledge on anatomy comes from Joseph Sheppards books And i feels that his book seem to depict the anatomy abit more 'correct' than his.

anyone expirenced the same issues?

[Farvus]

I didn't experience such issue. To me Bridgeman is more about simplified structure than proportion. All anatomy is about structure. Proportions can be different for every person. You can draw arm in any thickness you want but what it's more important that you construct it with interlocking masses. His book is good in showing that.

You can't really cramp drawing style unless you limit yourself only to anatomy books. Life drawing is also necessary alongside with studying what's under the skin.

[Puck]

I felt the same way when I was draiwng from Burne Hogarth, until I realised he wasn't attempting to realistically portray the figure. Bridgman isn't primarily about anatomy - it's more about simplifying the structure of the figure so that you can visualise the forms (as far as I understand it).

I don't believe it should 'taint' your current knowledge as it's just a different approach to the figure - take what you find useful from it and disregard what you don't. There's a lot of really good information in that Bridgman book if you understand what to take out of it.

Every time you copy somebody else's drawing, you're probably introducing some incorrect information or artist's bias, so rely on drawing from life primarily and use these books as supplementary materials to help you understand the figure as you draw it. If you're worried about incorrect anatomy, draw from life, because nature always gets it right.

[Zazerzs]

not baggin on you but in general ...

The idea that learning something can "cramp" your style is pretty ridiculous. I love how people think their style is so good it can't be improved upon with actual structural and anatomical knowledge. The fact that you don't understand it just shows how much you need to learn whats in it.

[Derek the Usurper]

He didn't cramp Frazetta's style...

[bloodless]

not baggin on you but in general ...

The idea that learning something can "cramp" your style is pretty ridiculous. I love how people think their style is so good it can't be improved upon with actual structural and anatomical knowledge. The fact that you don't understand it just shows how much you need to learn whats in it.

I dont belive that my 'style' is good or better per say. The only problem is seem to have is that i looks sooo unfamiliar when i try to draw his stuff... Looking at how he describes the anatomy seems to be very useful and i can definetly learn from it. But im just not familiar with how he shapes them and presents them.

The problem is mostley when it comes to how he draws the hips, arms and abdomen.

[Kaycy is tanning]

I love his style, but that's just me. Which book are you talking about, Drawing from life?

I checked the book and his figures are "sturdy", you're right, but I wouldn't call them incorrect, he tries to show how to apply cubes and tapering to compose the body. His figure are still well inside the realm of reality, they're just very sturdy males with short limbs, not everyone is 6feet+.

Maybe you don't like the style, that's fine, I really don't like Burne's style for example. Bridgman and Loomis went to the same school btw and Bridgman taught Loomis.

[bloodless]

I love his style, but that's just me. Which book are you talking about, Drawing from life?

I checked the book and his figures are "sturdy", you're right, but I wouldn't call them incorrect, he tries to show how to apply cubes and tapering to compose the body. His figure are still well inside the realm of reality, they're just very sturdy males with short limbs, not everyone is 6feet+.

Maybe you don't like the style, that's fine, I really don't like Burne's style for example. Bridgman and Loomis went to the same school btw and Bridgman taught Loomis.

Its the complete guide to draw from life book

I guess thats more about taste issue for me. I could not respond to Loomis' books as well and when he recommended to read bridgman's book on anatomy issuses, i got skeptical.

i actually do like Bridgmans style and how his gestures are drawn, but it got akward when i was trying to pull the same stuff out by myself. I was like "no the upper arm should be longer" and "how can the torso be so squared?" while looking at his book.

hmm... maybe i might change my mind once i really work through it.

[Arshes Nei]

Aren't you supposed to use the books for learning, why are you concerned about style?

I mean if anything it's even just copying what is there, you should aim for accuracy. Now interpreting it in relation to the living human form is another matter too.

[Elwell]

How 'bout you give it more than one day?

[Xeon_OND]

I have several of Bridgeman's books but when I see how he draw the legs so short etc., I shuddered and returned to Loomis.

[Xeon_OND]

Every time you copy somebody else's drawing, you're probably introducing some incorrect information or artist's bias, so rely on drawing from life primarily and use these books as supplementary materials to help you understand the figure as you draw it. If you're worried about incorrect anatomy, draw from life, because nature always gets it right.
Fucking shit! Wisest quote ever!

Btw, I saw your SB. I hope to be as good as you one day!
Maybe even just 80% or so and I would be totally wild.

[Line]

How 'bout you give it more than one day?

Listen to this man, you'll benefit from it.

Oh and, don't worry about style...yet, I suppose.

[Jabo]

How 'bout you give it more than one day?

Thank you so much, that one made my day :P

This whole drawing and painting thing takes a life long to learn. You'll never learn it to the fullest. So just draw along. And style is not important. Actually, most people have drawn really good before anything like a style has emerged from it.Don't worry about that.

[Vertrucio]

On top of all this, the goal of drawing from masters, or studying from any other good works of art is to expose yourself to a variety of ways to draw, even ones that don't seem quite right at first. By exposing yourself to it, and copying it, you get a better idea of all the techniques and styles available to you.

The only way to cramp your style is to only take reference from one particular style of drawing, and nothing else.

[Jovian M]

You just have to know what to take from his books, and what to leave behind.

[Sphyzex_9]

You must be pretty good to have George Bridgeman cramp your style.

[armando]

Everytime you copy from a real artist's drawings you get to experience life through someone elses eyes. Their honest ideas, feelings, experiences in reaction to life, that is what realistic art is, not a collection of facts in a diagram, not an uninterpreted photographic surface.

[Leonor]

Learn and copy from artists that have a style you like and you aspire to. Bridgman doesn't hold an exclusive to the information.