Life drawing was a starting point for these ideas on drawing. The human body forms a starting point for many artists and is seen as being an inherent skill of the 'true' artist. Carefully equipping students with the many skills involved in drawing from the body can build skills and artistic confidence. 

    

Life Drawing​

JUNIOR YEARS - Blind contour drawing is a great way to free up preconceptions around drawing ability. Students in junior years could practice blind contour drawings of their classmates and portraits of themselves. These traditional life drawing 'Warm Up' exercises are well suited for the junior years. Students would be able to practice techniques in a non precious way. Using charcoal instead of pencil also makes it more difficult to be overly precious and using the charcoal on the hand to rub marks on the page is a wonderful way to experience the medium. 

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MIDDLE YEARS - PORTRAIT CONTOUR DRAWINGS

These drawings and portraits can be extended by applying patterns and color. Year 9 and 10 students could look towards more sophisticated representations of line and portraiture.  Kumi Yamashita weaves a single unbroken thread over galvanized nails to create works of art. Textile students may take inspiration from these creations to form their own pin and string works. In other works Yamashita removes the lighter thread in certain sections of a machine made fabric to create portraits.

Colored contour drawings could form the basis of a simple tapestry.

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SENIOR YEARS - CREATING A FASHION ILLUSTRATION OR CROQUIS

Skills in life drawing for senior students studying fashion could improve understandings of the human form and awareness of fashion illustration conventions. Traditional drawing techniques on proportion suggest 8 head heights form the height of the human body, fashion croquis standards are 9-10 heads, with the extra length in the legs. Designers Nexus have some great free downloadable croquis. 

 

Life drawing lessons for senior students could include exercises that focus on gesture of the body. Students could research popular fashion poses and ask the life model to emulate some of those. Conventions in fashion photography, imagery and poses inform fashion illustration images. I see also opportunity for small moments allocated to draw peers within the classroom to enhance confidence in drawing and that may have a direct impact on Studio Arts - Fashion students Potential Directions and visual diary work.

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Find fashion illustrations and poses on my Pinterest page.​

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All images created by Amy McLellan

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