Perspiration: Anatomy

One of the most recommended books on anatomy is The Complete Guide to Drawing From Life by George Bridgman. While admittedly a great book, it can be a bit hard to follow. From Bridgman's chaotic, yet beautiful linear drawings, (made all the more difficult to follow by poor reproduction) to the somewhat erratic presentation of the text (due to the book being little more than a cobbling together of notes from his students) it can be very intimidating to the novice artist. The way I was taught to study Bridgman by Jeff Watts was a three tier process.

First: Read and understand the text as best you can (I like to have Elliot Goldfinger's "Human Anatomy for Artist's" close at hand to shed light on anything that is not clear)



Second: Translate and copy Bridgman's drawings into a tonal representation (this forces you to understand what you are drawing rather than just copy his marks)



Third: Find photo reference similar to Bridgmans drawings, and draw from them while trying to identify the shapes you learned from Bridgman. (I was taught to use female bodybuilders, or natural atheletes. So the muscles are clearly defined, without being overblown light steroid enhanced men)

Zombies, french zombies.

Okay, already a lot of people are saying "Great, just what we need, another zombie move!" To you I say "I hate you, and why are you reading a blog called Dead of the Day if you don't like zombies."

Le Horde

Paolo Rivera does Spectrum 17

Irene Gallo just posted over on her blog the new art work for the Spectrum 17 call for entries poster by Paolo Rivera. I say good job Mr. Rivera. Click on over to see a bigger version, it is worth it.

Materials: quick studies

I have been asked quite a few times what materials I use for my life drawing. So I thought I would start a feature here on the old blog. This month I will address what I use for my quick studies (2 hours or less).

1. 18 x 24 inch pad of smooth newsprint. It looks like the easiest brand to get online is Richeson, which is fine, but I prefer Borden and Riley or Pro-Art
2. A Conte 1710 B or 2B pencil sharpened to a long taper using a razor blade and sanding pad
3. A kneaded eraser. Design brand seems to be the best, and most easily found.

I clip the pad to a board, support it on my knees/thighs and lean it against a vertical support (drawing horse). Keeping the board as vertical as possible and directly between myself and the model.

I use the side of the pencil for the broad shadows and the point for detail work. I will also use the "blade" of the pencil for line work. To clarify for broad strokes I use it like I am spreading butter on toast, for line work more like I am cutting a steak, and for details more like pushing a sowing needle through cloth. For all three I hold it underhand, more like a sword than a tradition pencil


note: materials not to scale

Drawings and Demos (July 09)

We are on break so things are a little thin this month

+/- 25 min head demos



5 min warm-ups


25 min Fig demo

Greatest Show on Earth (July 09) Addendum

I have just been made aware, by Jeff Watts and his lovely wife Krista that on there recent trip to Spain they had the pleasure of viewing an immense showing of Joaquín Sorolla's work at the Museo Nacional del Prado. I have had the pleasure twice in my life to see his murals at the Hispanic Society of America in New York. Jeff tells me these are in the show and they make up only a few of the 200+ pieces on exhibit.

So by hook or by crook, board a bus, board a plane, board a train. Go and see this show(now if I could just figure out a way to take my own advice).

Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923)

The Museo del Prado is presenting the largest and most important retrospective ever to be devoted to the work of Joaquín Sorolla, the most internationally celebrated Spanish painter of the XIX century. The exhibition includes more than 100 paintings by the artist and will offer a comprehensive overview of his finest works, among them all of his great masterpieces. They include the group of panels entitled Visions of Spain, painted for the Hispanic Society of America and brought to Spain by Bancaja in 2007. This exceptional exhibition has benefited from the sponsorship of Bancaja, who in addition to their significant undertaking as organising body of the exhibition “Sorolla. Vision of Spain” that was shown to great acclaim in various Spanish cities, has now made a further contribution in the form of their collaboration with this major exhibition project at the Prado.

Inside the Artist's Studio:part 9

Sketch Redux: Restless Shore

This is the third cover for a four book Forgotten Realms series called The Wilds
Description:
The Plaguewrought Lands—This area is about as close to the original Spellplague as anyone is going to get. “The mote had found an island of calm in the turbulent sea of chaos. Over the edge, Duvan could see boiling destruction below. Explosions of molten rock and flickers of crisp blue magic punctuated the larger tableau of swirling plaguestorm. Pinpoints of light far far below what could be ground level shone like stars in an upside down world.” If you were to take away the spellplague remnants and the weird landscape elements, you’d have scrubland left.

First sketch

Art Direction:
"Got it, my man. This might be the strongest one so far. It has weight, might, and really says that something is changing the geography here. Just sent it to the editor and will get back to you tomorrow.
followed by
"OK, editor reminded me that there should only be 2 characters Duvan and Slanya.
Also, I was worried that we might be doing the same painting as Restless Shore. We’ve moved the cameras in quite a bit, but outside of that its pretty similar. And the art order calls for a dark blue and purple sky. Yikes.Could you rough out something more in line with option 2 from the art order?"

Second sketch

Art Direction:
"Ah-ha this has much more distinction from the previous book. But wasn’t able to show it to the editor today. I had a couple emergency projects to work on. I’ll be able to get you feedback from her on Monday."
followed by
"Starting with sketch 2, let’s remove the large earthmote and create a bunch of smaller ones. The could be shooting around like comets. Following the same path as the swirling blue-fire storm above. And she suggested that the ground below could have rocks and peaks growing up from below.And to get away from a blue/purple. Similar color scheme, push towards dark blue and maybe teal."

Final Painting 80% done, I will post the complete finished painting after the book hits the stands

Art Direction
"Oooooh… I like this color palette better. That’s my man! Let me slam ithis into the layout and see if the editor has anything to say. Prolly just, “Looks great!” and I second that."

And the final design of the book which I love the design of this series

Charleston, SC

This year for our annual vacation Mrs. Gist and I went to Charleston, SC. We stayed at The Mills House Hotel, which I recommend for three reasons, first it is over a 150 years old, second it is smack dab in the middle of Charleston's Museum Mile (several blocks lined with amazing examples of antebellum South Carolina), and third it is walking distance to just about anywhere in the city worth seeing.
Two of the main attractions for us where the plantations in the surrounding area, including Boone Hall and Middleton Place. Pictured below are some of the attractions at Middleton, including milking a cow (you have to provide your own wife willing to do said milking), and the many carriage houses. The reason for the carriage houses I hope to reveal over the next year.



Below is one of the many carriage houses in Charleston, and a sketch I did of one at Middleton

Greatest Show on Earth (July 09)

Norman Rockwell: American Imagist
June 6 - August 30, 2009
National Museum of American Illustration
Norman Rockwell: American Imagist exhibits a remarkable collection of selected original art spanning six decades, providing us with a comprehensive look at his career.

I am of course a huge fan of Norman Rockwell, and truly wish I could make it out to see this show

Perspiration: Perspective

To my mind linear perspective is one of the illustrators great tools and greatest impediments. The illustrator who does not understand perspective is limited by what he does not know, and the illustrator who adheres to tightly is limited to what he does.

"If you intend to make a living at drawing, by all means learn it [the rules of perspective] now, and do not have them bothering you and your work for the rest of your life."
Andrew Loomis





Good sources to reference for perspective.
Creative Perspective for Artists and Illustrators by Ernest W. Watson
How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way by John Buscema
Perspective for Artists by Rex Vicat Cole
Marshall Vandruff's Perspective series of videos

Inspiration: Harvey Dunn

Harvey Dunn is one of the most influential illustrators in American history. He often sacrificed craft and technique for narrative and visceral impact. Trained by Howard Pyle, he passed many of his teachings and philosophies on to his students such as Dean Cornwell, Saul Tepper, Meade Schaeffer, and Harold von Schmidt. He was known for quotes such as " There are ten thousand people in the United States who can draw to beat the band. You never heard of them and you never will. They have thoroughly mastered their craft. And that is all they have...their craft." According to Dean Cornwell many of these proclamations were for the inspirational affect on the students.

Dunn spent the bulk of his teaching career in New York at the Grand Central School of Art and The Art Students League, but began his life long love afair with teaching in 1915 at a school he founded, the Leonia School of Illustration. It was here that he taught Dean Cornwell, who once said of Dunn's teachings "I gratefully look back on the time when I was privileged to sit at Harvey Dunn's feet . . . [he] taught art and illustration as one. He taught it as a religion - or awfully close to such."




Here are two interesting reads
Harvey Dunn's Class Notes by Charles J. Andres
An Evening in the Classroom