Figure Drawing Training Tool

January 17, 2012 10:07 AM

Gesture drawing from home: a convenient tool for practising figure drawing
posted by rollick (15 comments total)

NSFW
posted by Jibuzaemon at 10:16 AM on January 17, 2012 [3 favorites]

A couple of things:

You can't get better at drawing from life (which is usually the main point of figure drawing) by drawing from photos. You can become better at drawing from photos, though.

The choice for "decent" models only is offensive if this is actually a tool for figure drawing and not something else.
posted by stagewhisper at 10:18 AM on January 17, 2012 [3 favorites]

Some of the images have copyright notices at the bottom that don't seem to relate to the site.
posted by cjorgensen at 10:27 AM on January 17, 2012

This is cool. But the pictures are kind of small. It's hard to warm up when you are leaning toward your screen. You almost have to stand up to do this kind of drawing. But maybe it's just me.
posted by hot_monster at 10:28 AM on January 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

I take the above back. When you go to those sites it looks like they are creative commons images. He should make a statement to such though.
posted by cjorgensen at 10:30 AM on January 17, 2012

The link isn't NSFW. But you can click from there to NSFW stuff.

Also, this is pretty neat. Although a lot of the images are really strange. But I guess that's part of the point: variety.
posted by DU at 10:34 AM on January 17, 2012

Gesture drawing is about capturing movement and energy. Turn off the internet and take your sketchpad to the coffee shop!
posted by Wordwoman at 10:36 AM on January 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

Same idea, slightly bigger pictures
Model references and techniques
Really cool application to understand facial expressions
posted by charles kaapjes at 10:38 AM on January 17, 2012 [7 favorites]

I disagree with stage whisper. Sketching from photos (or anatomy text books) can certainly help you understand the figure. Take what you learn and apply it to your life drawing or coffee shop sketching. Tons of people can copy a life model without really understanding what they're looking at.

I say that as somebody who often is annoyed by artwork that relies heavily on photo reference.
posted by bonobothegreat at 11:03 AM on January 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

Also.
posted by zamboni at 11:03 AM on January 17, 2012

This is cool. But the pictures are kind of small. It's hard to warm up when you are leaning toward your screen. You almost have to stand up to do this kind of drawing. But maybe it's just me.

hot_monster

I can't figure out whether you're commenting thoughtfully or just being filthy!
posted by Jody Tresidder at 12:19 PM on January 17, 2012

Thougtfully. But I can see what you mean. Now who's being filthy? ;)
posted by hot_monster at 2:09 PM on January 17, 2012 [1 favorite]

I love this idea. Bi-ocularism (parallax) is not as big of an issue drawing from life as it is from still-life, usually, because you are usually far enough away to preserve their personal space.

But it would reflect the experience better if this were in video form. After all, the most challenging part about figure drawing is probably that the models, however professional, can't hold an exact pose for any length of time. That, and the experience of sharing space with the model and with other artists (confrontation does contribute to the immediacy and the realness of the art) are what makes it drawing "from life".
posted by gorgor_balabala at 6:10 PM on January 17, 2012

outstanding! thanks for the link...!
posted by naplesyellow at 8:45 PM on January 17, 2012

HOW IN THE HELL DO THEY STAY IN THOSE POSES SO LONG

oh wait
posted by malocchio at 3:06 PM on January 24, 2012