Gesture drawing is the best way that I know of to become confident with the human figure.
Gestures of fellow travelers at the airport. Click on images to enlarge!
Gesture drawings are quick studies in which you draw what you feel is the essential ACTION and life expression within the momentary pose of your subject. Aim to draw what the model is DOING; the bending and twisting, the tension or relaxation of the muscles. FEEL the movement of the model in your own body. Feel the movement of the whole form!
Groups of figures are particularly interesting.
Immediately draw the whole figure. Continue to let your pen or pencil pass through the whole figure. This kind of drawing will pay large dividends.
Have a new experience even if you have been drawing for your entire career.
Waiting for the flight.
and waiting...
Understand that gesture drawing is dynamic.
still waiting...
Don’t stop or lift your pen from the paper.
Before leaving for our flight back to Colorado, I made sure to fold a few tiny sketchbooks from single sheets of paper . It took 35 hours to get home. The extra diversion of discreet figure study made the waiting more interesting. Reading, with no intended irony, Beryl Markham’s West With The Night kept me entertained the rest of the time.