Drawing from Observation: Gesture Drawing

Gesture Drawing:

Gresture Drawing of Clasmate

A gesture drawing is a laying in of the action, form, and pose of a model/figure. Typical situations involve an artist drawing a series of poses taken by a model in a short amount of time, often as little as 10 seconds, or as long as 5 minutes.

graghite "crayon"

Exercise 1:

Step 1:  Give student large graphite “crayon” and newsprint paper

Step 2: Get a student to model for the class and time student for 2 minutes or less.  Have students draw in long flowing general “gestures” and stop them at the allotted time.

Step 3: Repeat Lessing the time……practice…practice….practice!!!



30 seconds Gesture drawing of classmate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise 2:  To reinforce the freedom and idea behind gesture draw you can try this:

Step 1: Taking a yard stick and taping a sharpie to the end.

Gesture Drawing with yardstick

Step 2: Tape a piece of newsprint to the floor.

Step 3: Proceed with  steps in Exercise 1

Yardstick with sharpie at end.

 

Exercise 3:

Step 1: Give students colored pastel and paper

Step 2: Have students take their time

Step 3: Use a model and have students gesture draw the model.

Pastel Gestural Drawing of Virtual Model