I write most of these posts about a month and half out, and right now is somewhere in the middle of July. Summer for most people has been a bust, because of the closed beaches. Here’s something for those guys who miss going to the beach just to leer at pretty girls; only, this one busted you looking.
I will point out one thing that I might not have, up to now. These are a poor substitute for actual life drawing. With a model, as I’ve mentioned, there is drift. That’s where they get into a pose, and over time the model shifts. Taking their weight off a supporting limb, relaxing a muscle, dropping their head, or the tight turn of a torso loosens up. It’s nothing against the model, because it’s not an easy job. Some think it’s just taking off your clothes, and you’ve done the hardest part; that’s way off. A good model thinks out poses ahead of time, and will try to fight drift as much as they can. That’s the rub, because when drawing from a photo, things never change. You can rework, erase, redraw, start over… but when it’s a 20 min pose, with a model that shifts, you have to be more decisive, faster, and accurate the first time around. These exercises are a poor substitute, like a marathon runner only being able to take short walks.
I can’t wait to get back to the real thing, with the various body types, ages, and all that drifting. Oh I’ll complain, but it will be glorious.
