FACIAL FEATURES

The eye is an important yet complex element within a portrait. A great deal of emphasis is placed in the eyes as they relate to likeness and psychology. Understanding its form is the beginning of depicting it properly. In words, think of its structure, a ball settle into a bone socket. The brow bone or ridge overhangs the ball slightly. This ball is then draped, above and below, with two lids that have thickness. To the center of the face and slightly below middle we find the tear duct. These lids do not make an opening like a symmetrical football, but rather peak closer to center on the upper lid, and slightly toward the outside in the bottom lid. In the eye ball we the sclera (whites of the eye) the iris (the eye color), pupil (dark spot the resides in the iris), and the cornea (the lens on the surface). While drawing the eye it is important to remember these structures as light falls across all differently.

In the mouth we find a structure that wraps around the cylinder of the teeth and head. It is composed of three masses in the upper lip, a center flanked by two wings. The lower lip is composed of two masses parted slightly in the middle. The upper lip tappers quickly at the corners and curls down. The upper lip is usually in shadow since its top protrudes and then rolls under as it meets the opening. The lower lip receives light, along the two masses, and sharply descends to shadow along the middle underside, yet descends to shadow slowly along the edges as the lip rejoins the facial mass.

The nose is often one of the hardest features to capture. Again think of its structure as an aid in depicting it properly. There are three basic masses to consider- the ball, nostrils and bridge. It has four basic planes- one top, two sides, one bottom.

ANATOMY- TORSO MUSCLE STUDY

ANATOMY- TRUNK

The strength of all figure drawing comes from a mixture of formal skill and anatomical knowledge. Understanding the human body, interior as well as exterior, is essential. Through out history many cultures have preoccupied themselves with depicting the human form. Western Civilization Art reached its investigative height during the Renaissance, also a coinciding focus of science and art. Below is an example of Leonardo DaVinci's Vitruvian Man. This is a clear demonstration of the need to make sense of the human form- in this case the perfection of human form and its relation to the perfect language of Geometry, the perfect circle and square. The figure is inscribed with its proportions measured and reach touching these shapes. Also note Leonardo's proportions for the figure using the measure of a head.

In 1747 we see the example of one of the most accurate representations of the human skeleton in the work of Bernard Siegfried Albinus- Corporis Humani. The following three examples are taken from Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters, Robert Beverly Hale. Here we see the human skeleton displayed not as static, but as if in motion. All bones and structures are presented in fine proportion, accuracy and rendering. Of specific interest is the TRUNK, or the area composed of the Cage and Pelvis. Please note the volume and form of each of these structures and how the artist represented them using line and value. Below is the Ventral position.

The Dorsal Position.

The Lateral Position.

The following four examples are taken from Human Anatomy for Artists by Andras Szunyoghy and Dr Gyorgy Feher. Below is an example focusing on the trunk. Note the relationship of the shapes, proportions, and location of the cage and pelvis. Also see how the top of the cage tapers and slips up into the shoulder girdle (a horizontal ring composed of the clavicles and scapula.) Notice the hollow in the pelvis as it completes the volume of the cage.

Below is an example of just the Cage (or Thorax.) It is important to note the volumetric shape of this structure (the space inside is loosely egg shaped). Again we see the taper at the top, and the opening at the bottom. All ribs radiate from the spinal column and MOST attach at the sternum, some being short arcs others being long loping arcs. It is important to note that these ribs are not cylindrical curves, but thick flat curves, and in most cases with flex joints (look just to the left and right of the sternum to see a plane shift at that junction.)

Below is the Dorsal View of the Cage. Here we see the spinal column and ribs reaching around to the front. Again we see a plane shift on these flat rib shapes- they are not round rings, but a segmented arc (think about breathing and how important it is for some flex to happen.)

In this and the last example note how the artist presented the sense of volume inside the cage, through the ribs we see the continuation of each rib but it recedes through value shift and line (possibly atmospheric perspective!)

Below we see the Dorsal trunk (back) focusing of the shoulder girdle. Note the shape and form of the scapula, where it lies on the cage, the angle at which it rises to meet the clavicle on the front.

Below is an example of the Pelvis take from The Human Figure, Jon H. Vanderpoel. Here we see a good description of contour line as it relates to the undulating form of the pelvis. Notice the butterfly shape of the structure and the hollows within. Important landmarks are the ilium crest (upper most point of the pelvis, the semicircular shapes) and the Ischium (rings at the bottom) and the Sacrum (on the backside the area around the Coccyx)

Here is an example of the Spinal Column (Human Anatomy for Artists) illustrating the three views and most importantly the gentle S- like curve. Notice the shapes of the vertebrae, cylindrical in front and wing protrusions in the back. Also observe the relative size of the vertebrae big to small top to bottom.
Another Example from John Vanderpoel illustrating the angles of these forms with the body. Note how and where they open and constrict on opposite sides.

Please take a moment to see Robert Beverly Hale give a lecture on basic anatomy.

Rib Cage 1

Rib Cage 2

ANATOMY- TORSO IN WESTERN ART HISTORY

Artists have long studied internal anatomy to better represent the external human form. Anatomy elements such as bone , muscle, proportion are emphasized according to the artist's historical time period and objective. For example Albrecht Durer (Norther European Renaissance) emphasized the muscle structure to idealize the human form to a god like state. Contemporary renderings of Comic books heroes such as Spiderman, similarly emphasize the muscle anatomy making the characters more than human. Various examples of the human form in Western Art are below.

Antonio Lopez Garcia

John Singer Sargent

John Singer Sargent

Egon Schiele

Egon Schiele

Albrecht Durer

Marvel Comics Cover

DC Comics Cover

Cinematic Perspective

Below is some inspiration for our cinematic perspective drawing. At some point during the making of these movies, an artist had to create a perspective drawing for the Backdrop or CGI to be made. Our project is to do this process in reverse. We will learn from these created scenes and take them back to their beginning (their skeleton) by finding the horizon line, vanishing points, etc. and make a Perspective linear drawing.

Inception Trailer click here

Tron click here

Titanic click here

Star Wars

Alice in Wonderland

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Gladiator

Student Example- "Inception"

Student Example- "A Single Man"

Student Example

BASIC PERSPECTIVE

Perspective- a technique of depicting volumes and spatial relationships on a flat surface.

Linear Perspective - a mathematical system for representing three-dimensional objects and space on a two-dimensional surface by means of intersecting lines that are drawn vertically and horizontally and that radiate from one point(one-point perspective),two points (two-point perspective), or several points on a horizon line as perceived by a viewer imagined in an arbitrarily fixed position.

Atmospheric Perspective (or Aerial Perspective)- a technique of rendering depth or distance in painting or drawing by modifying the tone or hue and distinctness of objects perceived as receding from the picture plane, esp. by reducing distinctive local colors and contrasts of light and dark to a uniform light bluish-gray color.

Picture Plane- An imaginary "pane of glass" at which the viewers gaze meets the illusion created on the two dimensional surface. To extend the analogy, the viewer would trace on this glass the three- dimensional object. Not just the material surface, a concept.

Horizon Line- A level horizontal line located at eye level.

Vanishing Point- A point of convergence of parallel lines located on the Horizon Line.

Scale- The apparent size of an object.

This example illustrates the same object in relationship to the Horizon Line (Above and Below.) Notice whether you can see the top of the cube or the bottom, which way the diagonal lines slope to the vanishing point.

The following Four examples were taken from Basic Perspective Drawing- John Montague.

This example illustrates the top of a cylinder (circle) as it approaches the Horizon Line. Notice how it changes to an elipse and further squeezes to a line.

Piranesi- Prision Series

Rackstraw Downes

Al Held

Student Example

Student Example

Student Example