Vicho's Weekly Sketches, Please critique!

[vicho]

Hello everyone! First post!

I've been drawing since I was a kid, but have never been really disciplined with it, so my skills are, for lack of a better word, spotty. Four weeks ago, I started teaching myself and started sketching every time I could (which is not very often, anyway).

I can spot some problems with my sketches (my aim at this stage is mainly to achieve got likeness, proportions and natural poses), but really don't know what to do to improve.

Please take a look at my sketches and tell me what you think...

These are from week one. Quick pose sketches on the subway.




These are from week 2. Sketches on the subway and about 45 minutes on a square copying a statue.






And these are from week 3 and 4




Here I started copying pictures:



This one ended like a caricature:


...with the last I did, I think proportions and poses are okay, but can't achieve likeness...



If you can't see the images, you can find them here, in my blog:
http://blog.vichofriedli.com/2010/09/24 ... nal-3-y-4/

Thank you very much for your time, critiques and tips!!!

[Charles]

Vicho, first off, the drawings you have posted here don't have a sense of completion. They look unfinished. Notice how you place an emphasis on a hand or a foot, but the rest of the sketch is very light and ambiguous. Establish a center of interest within your composition and work everything else around it. Generally speaking, a hand or foot or some other minor aspect of your drawing is not normally a center of interest. That would be the head area, the body, so on. The line density on most of your drawings is not consistent. Spend more time on each sketch and bring it on home.

Your approach is pretty good with an attempt at structure and form, but it's not thorough enough for what you're trying to achieve. The best example of a finished sketch from what I can see is the bundle of flowers. Notice how that holds up very well compared to the rest of your images.

The best advice I can give you at this point is simply to finish your drawings. Give each one the time it needs to become a work of art. Don't be in a hurry to exhibit unfinished work. Spend some time on each drawing and give it love.

Also, try and post fewer samples within each post at a size that is compatible for the Web and they should be seen without a problem.

That said, welcome to AN.

[vicho]

Charles: Thank you very much, for your comments and for the welcome. My next post will include more finished drawings.

Thanks again.

[Jose Saenz]

Welcome Vilcho,

God, life drawing's difficult! I have always struggled with it myself. Although you have a lot of work ahead of you, I think you're off to a good start. You're obviously aware of the importance of gesture...I just think you're not clear on how to effectively approach gesture drawing, which is the foundation of any drawing which includes the human figure. You should definitely research Glenn Vilppu's work and approach. He's really a master when it comes to life drawing. He's taught at all the major studios. Check out his books and blog:

http://www.vilppustore.com/

http://glennvilppu.blogspot.com/

Best of luck!...and see you around the board.

[vicho]

Thanks for the links Jose! I have the Villpu Drawing Manual and his videos. Didn't have the link to his blog though. Thanks a lot!

[D Houry]

Hi Vicho,

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got for figure drawing, which would apply to you is: Look more often at your subject than at your drawing! When you're truly observing and being honest with how a subject looks, you'll be less likely to fall into only drawing the parts of it that you feel comfortable drawing. You need to break out of your little drawing habits and force yourself to capture something as it really appears.

Also, for candid sketching especially, don't neglect the subject's environment. Draw the full vignette of what you see.

Also, work faster to further eliminate bad habits.

That's the stuff that works for me anyway,
-David