Exaggerated Angles

For last night's Figure Drawing Class at Studio B I set up the room so that the students would be much lower than the model.  The model was on a high table and the students were so close that they were forced to deal with foreshortening even with a standing model.  Of course, there is almost always some foreshortening even if it is just one arm or elbow coming towards you.  But this exercise created a dramatic vantage point and unique challenges.  Here are my sketches: (click any image to enlarge)

1 and 2 minutes

4 and 6 minutes

6 minutes

8 minutes

25 minutes

Almost every time I teach figure drawing, I go back and forth between teaching, giving individual critiques, and drawing.  I feel it is important for me to draw during classes for several reasons.  One reason is that it keeps me well-practiced and therefore better fit to teach.  If my drawing is rusty that means my vision is rusty, and therefore my critiques of students' drawings would be lacking.  Sometimes I'll be drawing and considering something specific and then realize I should share that with the class so that they may consider it as well.  It also allows me to show specific examples of what I am actually teaching.  In addition to all of that, the students learn largely from practice, so it's important for me to shut up and let them draw.  I think it makes them more comfortable for me to be drawing as well, lost in the moment, rather than standing in the corner watching them.  And of course the final reason why I draw during my classes - I love drawing the figure!  I feel that passion is a little contagious.  Catch some.