I scored a fabulous book from the art gallery recently that I just had to purchase at a mere $40!
It contains 373 photos of figure illustrations by Auguste Rodin. This graphic work done in the early 1900's are mostly beautiful drawings rendered in graphite and watercolour or charcoal on paper.
These drawings were crucial to a full understanding of the great sculptor's work.
I just love the scribbley, sketchy way he pulls them together and especially the unusual angles and erotic positions he has captured. Many of them quite explicit, as in the couple of pages below that I photographed from the book.
I would never have considered drawing the human figure from these points of view!
Rodin's drawings challenge me to, at the least look closely at his observations and see what I can learn from re-creating them myself.
Following are some of my attempts. My greatest struggle is when the limbs are fore-shortened or only partially showing because of the position of the figure, hence the dis-proportionate parts of the body.
Using charcoal and paper I can sit under the air-con and work from home, especially when it is around 40 degrees outside!
How amazing are our bodies eh?
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how a so-called 'well proportioned' body can look so darn boring compared to a less than perfect body.....there is something very intriguing, maybe even consoling seeing fat bodies/lumpy bumpy bodies/disfigured bodies/lots of kinds of bodies. I wonder what sort of bodies you will feel compelled to draw in the future.
I guess at the moment you are exploring poses and noticing the flow and 'shape' of your figures? Looks like that $40 book is going to turn out to be a great investment in your ongoing exploration of the human body.
I look forward to seeing yr next batch of bods !
Cheryl