The Mannikin Frame – Part One

Mannikin Frame - 1
Copied from Figure Drawing for All It's Worth
Graphite Pencil on Paper

In Figure Drawing For All It’s Worth, Andrew Loomis uses the idealised human proportions (see Proportions of the Figure) as the basis for a quickly drawn stick figure.

Over four pages of illustrations, he introduces one of the most interesting concepts in the book.

Loomis presents the mannikin frame as a tool for drawing figures in preliminary sketches, an important step in learning anatomy and an approach for drawing figures from life.

It also seems to provide a method for developing a hurriedly scribbled gesture drawing into a more complete drawing.

Mannikin Frame - 2
Copied from Figure Drawing for All It's Worth
Graphite Pencil on Paper

The drawings on this post are copied from the Loomis’ first page of mannikin drawings. For the first two sets of drawings I drew a vertical line and carefully divided it into eight with a ruler. For the last set, I divided the line by eye.

Mannikin Frame - 3
Copied from Figure Drawing for All It's Worth
Graphite Pencil on Paper

Loomis stresses the importance of practising with the mannikin frame and even over the few drawings on this post, my copies of his figures became more interesting and animated.

Blogging Again - August Sketches

Spex - Sign of the Times
9 August 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

I’m back after a five-week break from blogging.

It’s been a strange month. It started with a two week trip to Chicago with only 24 hours’ notice, then my workload became heavier and heavier and finally a pair of Internet providers conspired to disconnect us for two weeks.

The Tap - The Faucet
24 August 2014
Graphite Pencil
Daler Rowney A6 Graduate Sketchbook
10.5cm x 14.9cm (4.1" x 5.9")

Work is eating into the time I have available for drawing, painting and blogging. I've decided to focus the time I have available on sketching the things around me. This post contains my favourite sketches from August.

Little Kilner Jar
7 August 2014
Graphite Pencil & Wax Crayon
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

I've released how important drawing and sketching is to my feelings of happiness and well-being. Thirty minutes of intense concentration quietens the mind and shuts out all other concerns.

New Toothbrush
4 August 2014
Graphite Pencil & Wax Crayon
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

I never used to find drawing relaxing because I was trying to draw well. Now I just set an alarm for 30 minutes and see what happens.

Experiments with Scraping

Between the Rocks
Watercolour on Paper
27cm x 17cm (10.5" x 6.75)

I am continuing to explore the different mediums and techniques from Ann Blockley's  “Experimental Landscapes in Watercolour” (see Experiments with Acrylic Ink and Experiments with Gouache). I tend to use these investigations as a warmup at the start of a painting session.

Scraping involves applying a layer of watercolour and partially scraping it off before it dries. It is a good technique for creating texture in things like tree bark, rocks and walls. You can use different tools to create different textures.

I've written about scraping before (see Scratching and Scraping), but it is a technique I've never mastered.

The picture at the top of this post is my third attempt at this scene. The first two were dreadful. Part of my problem is that Ann and other authors recommend using a creamy mix of paint. When I try this, the paint usually dries before I have achieved the desired effect, especially if I am working on a large area like the cliffs in this view.

In this version I painted an initial pale yellow and pink wash and after this was dry a thicker, but still relatively watery green wash.

I moved this wash around with the edge of an old plastic loyalty card to create the appearance of cracks and other textures in the rock. I was conscious of the need to keep my focus moving round the whole painting and not to focus on one area at the expense of the rest. As the wash started to dry it became easier to scrape it off completely to create highlights. The experience was more like sculpting than painting.

Sketching Challenge – Final Sketches

July Challenge Day 27
27 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

These are the last few sketches from the July sketching challenge - my task was to sketch from life for exactly 30 minutes on each day in July.

July Challenge Day 28 - Sketch 1
28 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

July Challenge Day 28 - Sketch 2
28 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

July Challenge Day 28 - Sketch 3
28 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

It’s been an interesting experiment. Drawing every day was bound to have a benefit, but the 30 minute time limit was unexpectedly important.

July Challenge Day 29
29 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

The first advantage is that it’s not very long.  It is easy for the “it’s only half an hour” argument to win in the internal dialogue about what to do today.

July Challenge Day 30
30 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

The other benefit is it forced me to put more trust in my eyes to estimate size and alignments. I tend to spend time trying to measure relative proportions and angles by holding a pencil at arm’s length. Thirty minutes doesn't allow much time for this, so on many of the drawings I put my faith in my instincts and just winged it – this has been liberating and nerve wracking in equal measures.

Where's the Biscuit?
July Challenge Day 31
31 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
29.7cm x 21.0cm (11.75" x 8.25")

I aim to continue drawing every day, but I am relaxing the 30 minute rule - 5 minutes is good enough and so is 5 hours.

Sketching Challenge – Week 4

Incomplete Pine Cone
July Challenge Day 24
24 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

This is the last full week of the July sketching challenge - the goal is to sketch from life for exactly 30 minutes on each day in July.

I am trying to vary the subjects, but there are a few common themes. This week I chose a number of subjects that were too complicated for a 30 minute drawing.

July Challenge Day 20
20 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Daler Rowney A6 Graduate Sketchbook
10.5cm x 14.9cm (4.1" x 5.9")

This week’s picture of Elaine was drawn on the train as we returned from London. It looks like she was asleep, but she was reading.

Spice Racks
July Challenge Day 21
21 July 2014
Graphite Pencil & Wax Crayon
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

Monday’s sketch is the spice racks in our kitchen. I realised very early in the drawing this was going to be a rush and it became a mad dash to give an impression of the different sizes and colours of the spice containers.

Ficus
July Challenge Day 22
22 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday’s sketches were all drawn on the patio because the weather was so warm.

Green Pepper
July Challenge Day 23
23 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

I was pleased I can see some development when comparing Wednesday’s drawing of a green pepper with a 30 minute drawing of a pepper I drew almost exactly a year ago (see Keys to Drawing - Chapter 1).

The pine cone at the top of the post was the most enjoyable drawing of the week. This is a subject I will return to with a more leisurely approach after the challenge is complete.

July Challenge Day 25
25 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Daler Rowney A5 Graduate Sketchbook
149mm x 210 (5.9" x 8.3")

Friday’s sketch is another scene from the churchyard. I tried to recreate the texture of the stone cross by rubbing the pencil over the paper while resting it on the stone, but this wasn't as effective as I had hoped.

Cat in a Box
July Challenge Day 26
26 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

Saturday’s drawing was another rush. It illustrates a lesson I've learnt from this challenge. Previously, I suspect I would have spent ages trying to get the perspective of the box right before starting to draw Felix - who would then have jumped out and found somewhere else to sleep. Yesterday, my focus was on drawing him before he moved or I ran out of time.

Sketching Challenge – Week 3

Trent at Hoveringham - Cows Paddling
July Challenge Sketch 18
19 July 2014
Watercolour on Paper
18cm x 12cm (7" x 5")

This week's post is a bit later than usual because Elaine and I met with Lori and Peter while they were in London. We went to see the Matisse and Malevich exhibitions at Tate Modern .

The rules for the sketching challenge remain the same – sketch from life for exactly 30 minutes each day.

July Challenge Day 16
16 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Daler Rowney A6 Graduate Sketchbook
105mm x 149mm (4.1" x 5.9")

I missed a couple of days during the week because of travelling and working too hard, but I caught up by drawing three sketches on Saturday. The travelling also gave me the opportunity to draw the view from my hotel balcony in Madrid.

Trent at Gunthorpe
Everyone Had Ice Cream Except Me
July Challenge Day 13
13 July 2014
Daler Rowney A5 Graduate Sketchbook
210mm x 149mm (8.3" x 5.9")

The week was bookended with two sketches of the Trent. The watercolour sketch at the top of the post was a memorable event. The weather was fine when I started, but the rain began almost immediately and became more and more intense until I finally ran for cover.

July Challenge Sketch 17
19 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

July Challenge Sketch 19
19 July 2014
Graphite Pencil & Wax Crayon
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

July Challenge Day 14
14 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
29.7cm x 21.0cm (11.75" x 8.25")

Unintentionally, I've selected a number of round objects to sketch this week, which brings the challenge of drawing circles in perspective.

July Challenge Day 15
15 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

This week’s drawing of Elaine is a portrait. If I keep practicing, one day I hope to draw a picture that looks like her.

Sketching Challenge – Week 2

July Challenge Day 9
9 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Daler Rowney A5 Graduate Sketchbook
149mm x 210 (5.9" x 8.3")

I’ve enjoyed the second week of my daily sketching challenge (see Sketch Challenge). The rules are the same as last week – sketch from life for exactly 30 minutes every day.

July Challenge Day 6
6 July 2014
Black and Gold Ink
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

July Challenge Day 7
7 July 2014
Graphite Pencil & Wax Crayon
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
29.7cm x 21.0cm (11.75" x 8.25")

July Challenge Day 8
8 July 2014
Graphite Pencil & Wax Crayon
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

July Challenge Day 11
11 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

There are already some recurring themes because I am returning to subjects I've found challenging, but my aim is not to exactly repeat any sketches during the challenge,

A winter view of the tree at the top of this post has appeared on a previous post (see Studio Rousar Memory Drawing Group - Weeks 24 to 27).

July Challenge Day 10
10 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

In last week’s sketch of Elaine’s car I tried to accurately plan the proportions and perspective at the start of the sketch. This week, I just dived in and drew bits of the car - trying to relate each new piece to the parts I’d already drawn.

July Challenge Day 12 - Page 1
12 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

July Challenge Day 12 - Page 2
12 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

July Challenge Day 12 - Page 3
12 July 2014
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A4 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 29.7cm (8.25" x 11.75")

The dog sketches are drawings of Rosie (Joan’s Yorkshire Terrier). Before drawing then, I read some advice from Katherine Tyrrell about how to sketch a cat in 30 seconds (see http://www.makingamark.co.uk/how-to-sketch.html#sketchacat).  I'm not sure about 30 seconds, my sketches took about four or five minutes each.