SB03: Planes and Forms

BEFORE YOU START

View this presentation on breaking the figure into basic shapes. Click on any of the images below to view them larger.

THE EXERCISE

You will draw 3 full figures in the pose of your choice using your pastels, each on its own page in your sketchbook. Each figure will use a different limited color scheme (reference your pink book if you need help remembering color schemes – complimentary, analogous, triadic, etc). You will show a bold summarizing of planes, forms and form units. Emphasize simple form solutions, similar to how the artists executed these drawings:

Alberto Giacometti "Trois Femmes Nues"

planes of the body1 planes of the body2

Luca Cambiaso "Resurrection and Ascension"

Emphasize flat and curved planes; in drawing the edges, use only straight and simple C-curved lines. Simplify the drawing’s tones into three values: the white of the page, a mid-tone, and shadow, similar to the use of value in these drawings:

Pablo Picasso "Woman Seated and Woman Standing Nude"

But use values sparingly, only where you feel they will help clarify volume and space. In doing so, avoid hard, “cutout” shapes of tone. Instead, apply values freely and keep them open-edged, and loose.

planes-of-head