More from the atelier...

[ArtistOz]

Originally Posted by earlselwyn

Hey Bill-

re contrapposto... I’m not sure. the model has her weight on her right leg. Her left leg is placed forward a bit... I dunno. Is that contrapposto?

-Earl

Earl, I hope you are joking otherwise I'll worry about you, here is my input on contrapposto from last year

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/show....php?t=1455697

Do they give any instruction at the atelier, this is a fundamental thing to know in figure drawing?

[earlselwyn]

Bill- No joke intended. I had some doubt. Please worry. Also, please clarify... what is an “observable” contrapposto? I think the pose is contrapposto, but the forward leg does bare some of the load. And Yes, they offer instruction but Im not always Able to offer my attention. I was probably doodling at the time. Thanks!

-Earl

[ArtistOz]

If her left leg drops down there should be a tilt in the pelvis and to counter balance that a tilt in the shoulders, her right shoulder drops a little and the pelvis is pushed up toward it on the right side. You should be able to see it which is why I was asking if you can observe it.

No instructor wanders around the room offering advice during the session? Ask one of your teachers to confirm next time the model takes the pose.

[earlselwyn]

A bit more progress.

Bill- I didn’t see your previous post until just now. I’ll ask instructor what he thinks on Wednesday.

Thanks!
Earl

[earlselwyn]

Bill- there is not much visible contrapposto. -E

[earlselwyn]

Sketch from life. Much work to do. -E

[ArtistOz]

Earl, your skills are improving, now also work on reading the pose and perspective. The dropped leg can never make it's hip higher than the supporting leg's hip is, not from this point of view, your understanding of perspective is weak. Unless your viewpoint happens to be higher or lower, then another set of perspective rules apply.

The portrait is well done you have a future as an artist if you can figure it all out.

[kevinwueste]

good stuff!

[earlselwyn]

And a bit more progress.

Bill- I’m trying!

Thanks Kevin!

-Earl

[DavidHH]

contrary to some posts the contraposta could be a contradiction

[ArtistOz]

Originally Posted by DavidHH

contrary to some posts the contraposta could be a contradiction

I know you are making a joke David but you are right there is a contradiction in Earl’s drawing! If you look at the external oblique which sits on the crest of the pelvis as it wraps around the body, you can see Earl has drawn it higher, as it should be, than the opposing external oblique suggesting a contrapposto tilt but the legs and rest of the pelvis are drawn in an opposite tilt. If you were to draw a line between the greater trochanter of both legs you can see this contradiction.

This is what I mean by reading the pose, with a bit of experience with artistic anatomy you can read the visual clues given in a pose by a model to an artist and we the viewer can read the anatomic cues drawn by the artist.

All this means Earl is that it is damn hard to draw the figure and takes a lot of experience as Kevin will tell you and if you peruse his figure drawings that are similar you can see he follows correctly the logic of the pose.

[earlselwyn]

I’m trying Bill!

David- try to constrain yourself. that didn’t quite work did it?

A bit more progress. -E