10 Steps to an Expressive Drawing

Drawing from the model …

Model N - Full Pose

Model N - Zoom in Area

MISSION: To find a hidden gem out of an ordinary pose

1. I used  8×10 grey paper ( you can use any size and color that you want)
2. Digital Tools: Round Soft Pastel, Pointed Stump, Real 6B Soft Pencil
3. Now draw a format square off center (for a unique composition I drew a 7×7 square and drew into that shape  )
4. Use 2 fingers on each hand to create a frame and discover a new and unique image  (Your fingers are your viewfinder)
5. Now move your viewfinder around Model N above and look for contrasts of light and dark, tone and texture
6. Next draw from your new cropped area of focus using pastels, stump and pencil  ( ideas: look at the hands, look at the feet, crop off the head, draw only 1 side of the face, etc.)
7. Use a pastel of the paper color to draw over where you want to make changes. (this means I used a grey pastel)
8. Do not erase. Leave the history of some of your marks (those marks activate the drawing)
9. Draw a group of different croppings.  Draw for 20-30 minutes and take a break. Models are usually hired for a  3 hour session with 10 minute breaks. Being a hungry person I take one longer break to eat cookies
10. You now have about 4 drawings that are unique statements of your subject, and you should be happy with at least one

DIGITAL vs TRADITIONAL:

1. I’ve done this drawing digitally using Corel Painter 11
2. It definitely can be done in the traditional way with traditional media
3. The benefit of digital drawing  is that I can save my work every 5 to 10 minutes and go back to an earlier version
4. The disadvantage :  I don’t have an original that I can hand to someone. I have to print out my piece.
5. The bottom-line  :  JUST DRAW

Completed drawing

Model N - final drawing ©2009 Jacobson.

Drawing - close up view ©2009 Jacobson.

Now it’s your turn.

1. Leave a comment with a link to some of your drawings.
2. We’d all like to see what you see.

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Experimental Drawing by Robert Kaupelis

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Tagged as: artist, drawing, jackie jacobson, pastel, pencil, photography, sketching