Tag Archives: figure drawing in Bruges Belgium

Figuur tekenen/Figure Drawing, June 19, 2024

Fifteen minute figure study. Charcoal pencil on toned recycling paper. 35 x 50 cm

I spent the afternoon out in the field working on a new landscape watercolor, so I was really tired but also artistically lubricated by the time the weekly figure drawing session rolled around. Nice. Thus, after a few warm ups – and getting a more or less intelligible figure down on paper – I felt inspired and ready to jump back into laying in the highlights quickly (the way I used to do) but now also (at least hopefully) more accurately.

Fifteen minute figure study. Charcoal pencil on toned recycling paper. 35 x 50 cm

The three minute poses were still too incomplete – I’m still too slow. That will come, but for now, nothing to see here. I’m far more interested in getting accuracy first.

Fifteen minute figure study. Charcoal pencil on toned recycling paper. 35 x 50 cm

Anyway, our model tonight was a fellow we had about three weeks ago. His body is remarkably easy to read. I found myself joyfully discovering, first and foremost, the thoracic arch and the pelvis, the two (fixed) bookends upon which the torso rotates. That’s basic Bridgman – and I really appreciate it. From those landmarks the rest can follow: abdomen, external oblique (the “love handles” – not that this fine fellow had much to grab), clavicle, acromium process – and all that’s just the torso. The limbs extend from there. Here then are some keepers from the evening.

Figure Drawing July 25, 2022

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Fifteen minute figure study. Conte crayon highlighted with patel chalk on Canson paper. 30 x 50 cm

A new model tonight. A classically beautiful young man. Strong, healthy. He reminded me of a young puppy that is now growing/becoming a big dog. So his head, hands and feet were slightly larger proportionally than the rest of his body. At maybe 17 years old, he appears to be on the cusp of catching up. A wonder to behold. Shy, actually tense: this was his first time.

Fifteen minute figure study. charcoal highlighted with pastel chalk on sketching paper. 35 x 50 cm.

I really enjoyed drawing him though, allowing even his tension to reflect through. As it turned out, I think the fifteen minute studies were the more successful. This is because a three minute pose is all about gesture. And it took him awhile to get gestural, to relax. With one exception, his short poses were not very interesting (to me). I had difficulty getting a quick read. But the longer ones allowed time for roving and searching and because he had such a solid figure there was plenty of material to feel my way through.