Life Drawing 12/11/15

Life Drawing 12/11/15

Introduction

This is another life drawing session where we challenge ourselves as animators and artists to capture the models action, emotion and gesture accurately and clearly. Within the session we created a series of drawings focusing on movement and observing the models movements rather than recreating the form of the model. This is a great challenge to portray movement in a series of static lines because movement is fluid and full of energy whereas lines cannot accurately portray this unless done correctly. 

Session 

Gesture Drawings

 We started with quick gesture drawings to warm up for the session. We only had about 30 seconds to draw these poses; therefore we would have to capture the models pose very quickly and couldn't focus on detail. [Pencil and Charcoal]

(1) Gesture drawings of model in a series of poses. I believe I took too long trying to accurately draw the proportions of the model and the perspective; therefore the drawings are incomplete. 

Competitive Drawing

 These next drawings are 'competitive drawings' where we had to draw the model in the same pose on the same page five times. (I only have four drawings because I left large gaps and drew too large). 

This was done to demonstrate that our drawing ability would be progressing as we drew the same lines and try to capture the models accurately and quickly. [Charcoal]

(2) Competitive drawing: I would draw closer together and smaller to fit all of the drawings on the page. I would also try to capture all of the model first before focusing on details. This is because these drawings are incomplete. 

Walking Piece: Motion Drawing 1

This piece is of the model walking in a circle around the space in the centre of the studio, we would then have to capture that movement on the page. We have done this before in the previous session, but Andy felt that we should do this task again as it is a challenging one that make us observe the model effectively. This task we had to capture the movement of the model as she moved around he room all on the same page. This didn't mean we would have to draw the model accurately because we were focusing on the motion and movement rather than the shape and form of the model. [Charcoal]

(3) Walking Piece: I felt that I was trying to capture the shape of the model more than the motion and this is why there could have been more motion on the page. I found this task difficult and the only way I can think of improving is continuing to repeat this same task until I improve. 

Coloured Walking Piece: Motion Drawing 2

This piece is of a similar task as the previous one where we had to capture the motion of the model as she walked around the space in the studio. However, this time we had to use colour to draw specific parts of the model's body. In my piece I used: blue for the torso and head, red for the left arm and left leg, and green for the right leg and right arm. again we would have to draw all of these drawings on the same page all together to create a composition of movement. [Sharpies]

(4) Coloured Walking Piece: I felt that I was again spending too much time trying to capture the shapes of the model rather tan the motion. This is frustrating because when i tried to capture the motion it would only be lines that I did not believe captured the motion of the model. With this I feel that i need further practice with the model in motion to improve both my skills and understanding of capturing motion. 

Flipbook: Model Walking Animation

These next drawings are of the final task where we would have a few minutes to capture the model in different poses representing the stages of a walk. We did eight drawings which we would then put together to be played as a video which would then create the illusion of movement. 

These poses included: The extended pose, passing position, anticipation, and contact position. 

(5.1) Extended Position_1: where the model is at one of the most extended position where the legs and arms are furthest apart. The only other position as extended is the mirrored version where the arms and legs are in the opposite places. 

 (5.2) Low Position_1: where the model is transferring the weight from her back leg to the front leg.

(5.3) Passing Position_1: where the model is passing her back leg back to the front of her body supporting her weight on the other leg. 

 (5.4) Anticipation Position_1: where the model was in a pose anticipating the contact of the foot touching the ground. 

 (5.5) Extended Position_2

 (5.6) Low Position_2

 (5.7) Passing Position_2

 (5.8) Anticipation Position_2

Videos

Playback frames on twos.

Playback frames on ones.

I feel that the arm closes to the 'camera' moves too much and swings too far forward and this makes the am movement feel unnatural and forced. i would also improve the motion of the model's head because it is moving backwards harshly when it should be 'bobbing' forwards and gently as a secondary action. 

Conclusion

In conclusion with this session I feel that I need to practice my observing and capture of motion because I found the tasks where the model is walking very difficult and my work is showing this. I will improve this by attending future life drawing sessions as well as research into how other artists capture motion in their creations.