Saturday Figure Construct Class

Instructor: Emmy De Musis

1:00 - 4:00,  January 12 - March 2nd.

Rendering the human form is the most difficult task in drawing and the beginning stages of construction are the most important. This 8 week course addresses the early stage and it's challenges. Working from the nude model, students are given a step-by-step system that improves their ability to accurately capture gesture, proportion and body type.  From this general block-in, students advance towards an exploration of the figure's specific contour and shadow line.

THE GESTURAL CONSTRUCT

Students in the Saturday Figure Construct Class spend most of their hours fixated on what is called the Gestural Construct. This is an initial block-in where accurate proportion and gesture are sought. To achieve this, students are taught our comparative measuring system and given tools to track the model's pose and establish tilts.

The Gestural Construct is the foundation of every figure drawing and painting done at ARA, Boston. If our drawing were a house, the Gestural Construct would be the beams that hold it up. This important phase gives stability to the work.

Students are taught to keep their lines light and loose, to be flexible, and to take the time to search out the correct. An exploration of active and passive also takes place in this phase.

Once this "armature" has been built, students now have a solid structure which can be carved into and added upon. If the Gestural Construct has been done well, entering into the next phase, the Completed Construct, will flow with relative ease.

THE COMPLETED CONSTRUCT

Using straight lines, students build upon the Gestural Construct by establishing the large planar movements of the figure. Additional anatomy as well as shadow lines are placed. Students are taught to perfect tilts in this phase and seek out rhythms the body may present. Connections are made throughout the figure with the use of pathways (flow through lines). Careful attention is payed to the specific break down of planes, which continues through to articulation.

To learn more about our method of constructing the figure, call or email to register for class.  All levels welcome.

617. 426. 3006

ara_boston@academyofrealistart.com