Exploring geometrical frameworks (with Fra)

 I've been experimenting with introducing geometrical frameworks on to the surface of my A1 papers in order to help me 3-dimensionaly structure the space, both within and beyond the 2-D surface, within which I can then place the whole pose or parts of the pose. Sometimes a grid, sometimes a series of circles of varying diameters, sometimes fairly random diagonal lines, etc. etc.

For this evenings virtual life-drawing session organised by Andrew with Fra as our model I introduced into my process the Golden Rectangle (or ratio) with its accompanying Fibonacci Spiral. I also prepared a few sheets with 100mm grids.

Here are the outcomes:

started with a 100mm grid, then on the night Fra started with 5 one minute poses. before posting this drawing I emphasised the lines of the grid between the figures and erased those within the outline of each figure. Then I thought to add floor and ceiling perspectives lines in order to suggest a space within which Fra is dancing.

one of my prepared sheets included a large circle so, when Fra stood with outstretched arms the  'Vitruvian man' of was it Leonardo or Alberti? immediately came to mind. Unlike the previous drawing I had already included the perspective lines suggesting the space beyond the circle.

the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci Spiral create a composition that will draw the eye to the important element of the drawing, so here I selected Fra's left foot going behind the lower part of her right leg. I recall that I felt the eye was being drawn down by the lines of the legs to this area of the pose. However I also recall, and I believe this was a stronger pull in relating the shape of the pose to my geometrical strategy, the curve of her back could be compositionally juxtaposed with the line of the spiral. Another strong thought at the time is that the seat upon which she was sitting could be the second of the squares of the golden ratio of rectangles. So it all seemed to come together in my mind almost instantly at the beginning of this pose which was held for about 20 minutes or so.

another aspect of the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci Spiral is that they foster organic and natural looking compositions that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. So I had no hesitation in employing this geometry to the beautiful lines and form of this part of the female nude.

and so to the final pose of this evening's virtual life session. I don't often do whole poses these days as for quite a few years I have employed my de-constructivist approach prior to re-constructing within my own personal perceptual parameters. So I experience a frustration in attempts to get the proportioning more or less right. Playing with perspective by bringing a foot forward and exaggerating it in terms of related size with other parts and conversely diminishing in scale the more distant parts of the pose are to me very enjoyable and challenging ways of drawing. I suppose in that case proportioning is a consideration but almost surreal and abstract forms and shapes become the result and the focus of attention. But here I felt a need to simply enter a process of representing on my paper a realistic portrayal of the pose which Fra was presenting to me. I could add a detailed critique of the shortcomings in terms of proportions, but I know what they are and they are so obvious.

2D...3D...4D Spaciality Within and Beyond

 This posting is built around my drawings from Andrew's virtual life-drawing session on the evening of August 10th 2020. It will include my pre-session thinking and my researches into related issues. So, I will expect to return to this posting and add some material over the coming days. But in the meantime here are some extracts from my notebook which I hope to expand upon:

'entering the plane of the paper, transposing the body, its disintegration and dispersion into a two-dimensional format': I have set up a number of different geometrical spatial frameworks on 5 or 6 A1 papers into which I expect to place whole or part poses at different scales and varying perspectives.

from the Journal of Architecture, a paper 'Drawing the female nude', has brought to my attention the work of Euan Uglow - 'Nude from twelve regular vertical positions from the eye' (1967). I can relate this to my fascination with exploring varying perceptions of the human body and my re-vitalised engagement with 'spatiality' born in me from my early days studying architecture, together with my own 'cubism' and my indulgence in concepts of 'transparency' which I have begun to understand from studying the works of Francis Picabia.

distorted figuration.

to bring a new youth to old ideas (OK, I've done this before, or something very similar. But, it feels new!)

"I think my work as a process, so the question of achievement cannot be thought" Maria Clark (A life model and performance artist who lives in Paris, publishes about her work, and who I have communicated with recently)

drawing: "the graphic imposition turns the actual flatness of the ground into virtual space - translates material/reality into the fiction of imagination" David Rosand.

"In drawing the moments of choice have been kept visible" John Berger (Berger on Drawing).

A drawing is essentially a private work, related only to the artist's own needs.

'I want to oblige the viewer to undertake the labour of interpretation' (This is from a London Review of Books article on the film work of the amazing Jacques Tati)

and a few more terms which I find helpful: polyvalent (having or using a lot of different forms); multi-layered (i.e. superimposition/transparency); dismembered/fragmented; manipulation/layering/filtering; etc.