Decided to go further and deeper into the rabbit hole today.

I watched the male proportions part of the tutorial and then tried it with Marcs finished product next to me for reference.

It was okay and I was eager to move on (getting the dopamine hits from learning new skills) so I attempted to do it from memory right away.

I wanted to highlight the gaps in my memory so afterward, I did a paint-over with Marc's reference again and made some notes of what I needed to solidify in my grey matter.

I distilled that into what I considered lynchpins; 3 easily triggered things that would have a knock-on effect and would mean I didn't have to remember all the orange notes (just the green ones.)

The next two pics were again from memory.

I'm pleased with them, and I'm hoping it all gets filed into the long-term stacks in my archive (won't be letting any redheads with a candle in there ... wondering who gets that reference

)

When operating from memory I felt so loose and free. It was very much a pleasure to be drawing. I think I just got a taste of what working from a visual library feels like, the sense of flow and freedom was both relaxing and fulfilling.

And to make sure the previous part of the lesson is refined I got in some lines of action, head, shoulders, hips, and then cylinders.

I figured I'd push myself a little and tackle some overlapping bodies. I liked having to push my observance and think about them both in a 3D space.

Having understood the Pelvis in relation to the rest of the anatomy after the proportions exercise I tried circles instead of boxes. It clicked so much better.

One lesson compounds on another and it feels goooooooood.

Watched the female proportions portion of the video today. So similar to the men I figured I'd check male was in my memory and then go from memory to female straight away.

I traveled into the world of pen and thumb measurement next it got messy.

However, I realised something interesting as I painted over my attempt to see what was wrong with it. If I grabbed it with the pen tool and squished it ever so slightly to the left then everything almost aligned perfectly.

I realised that the second orange line I used for a grid line (right of my sketch's head) was too long. Mostly because I used my fingers to measure instead of the pen. That being the only line that made the difference is encouraging as it means the rest of my work was completely right.

I'll certainly practice this a couple more times before i move on to gesture drawings but so far so pleased. Much love.

Appreciate that, what a privilege it is to be able to create. Like a proton baby, always positive,

Today I started with some more copying and measuring. There were a few minor discrepancies but I very much loved this exercise. I like sketching and refining it feels satisfying. There's a buzz I get as I realise the way I see the angles are off and my brain clicks into place as I measure it and adjust. Not at all like the next exercise ....

Gesture drawings ... Gesture drawings ... hmmmmm.

Very much out of my comfort zone. No time to put smiles on these ones. Currently, this exercise makes me extremely tense and stressed. I don't feel like I have enough time to convey what I need in 30 seconds. That being said, I trust the fundamentals and I will get good at these. Feedback is very much appreciated as I need some kind of better perspective on these.

Gesture Drawing Day 1 30.png4149x1881 1.19 MB

60 seconds I enjoy more. I feel like I can put in at least enough to satisfy myself. Still, though, I know I'm missing something that isn't clicking. Half an hour of this a day is intimidating to me. But I'll crush it.

Gesture Drawing Day 1 60.png4149x3094 859 KB

I had a long think about gesture drawing yesterday, what the point was, and whether or not I need to practice in 30 and 60 seconds.

Marc's youtube version of the video doesn't even mention 30 and 60 seconds and I feel does a much better job of helping me understand what the point of the gesture drawings is. TO OBSERVE and to build a visual library. I need to learn which lines to place, which at this point in my journey means I need to take my time doing them.

As an introvert, I do my best when operating from my para-sympathetic nervous system, so I need to be peaceful and slow to observe and draw. The timer helps me not to overdraw or spend time erasing but I chose to do a 2-minute, then 5-minute. Anything less puts me in a state of stress that is very unhelpful.

Here's what I managed. Still hate it, but it's doable on a daily basis. Until I get a breakthrough, I will be researching gesture drawings obsessively.

Thanks mate, every bit of encouragement fills up the fuel tank.

Hit day three of gestures - I've been looking into Mike Mattesi's force method and trying to capture his essence in my drawings. I don't want my gesture drawings to look like carbon copies of his drawings. I would much prefer to assimilate his mindset on flow and energy.

First time doing perspective today. A real pleasure to be learning the fundamentals in classic theoretical form.

I can feel the fundamentals leveling up my art foundations

First I did some boxes with one point to familiarise myself.

Then I thought I'd try a library room.

Perspective 3 Room.png3640x2160 1.68 MB

Perspective 3 0 Room 2.png3640x2160 703 KB

I was happy with the results but I will NOT be staying up till 3 in the morning drawing books and ornaments on book shelves for the sake of a study. Not good time management. I grasped the point and am ready for the next part of the video. Much love everyone. I hope your art journey's are blessed.