DRAWING PROGRAM

Figure Drawing Phase V:

Male/Graphite Long Drawing

OVERVIEW
In this phase I will be showing you how to approach a “finished” figure drawing. I have emphasized the
quotes around finished, as every one has a different opinion of what that means and visually looks like.
My intention is to continue to build off the solid concepts we have put in place in earlier phases.
For the execution of this drawing we will switch over to a more durable/archival surface. We will also
be switching to graphite instead of charcoal, as it is a bit more suited to higher degrees of rendering and
finish work in my opinion. We will work from a linear lay-in to mapping and then on to filling in the
shadows and modeling the form. This is a wonderful opportunity to think about high-level contouring
and shape design. This process should be very relaxing from the point of view of time, so enjoy this
leisurely process.

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 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

M ATERIALS
A - L ead Pencil Holder
Drawing leads, Sharpener
B - Staedler “Click” Pencils (5mm, 7mm)
Graphite inserts
C - Solid Graphite pencils
D - Various hardness of pencils
Kneaded Eraser, and other eraser options
Electric Eraser (optional)
Blending Stump (get various sizes)
Chamois for blending
Bridge

Bridge

Erasers

C B A
Blending
D

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 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

ASSIGNMENT: Try to embrace these longer efforts. They embody all the other phases you have
done up to this point. The lay-in will require strong visualizations of your abstraction skills,
introduced to you in 20 minute figure lay-ins and quicksketch. The mapping of your shadows was
also heavily emphasized during those phases.

Now we are ready to put the icing on the cake, so to speak. The final phase, the rendering phase, is
your reward for all the strong foundational work you have put in place. Enjoy, it really is great fun.

Part 1: Watch the video, paying close attention to my procedure.

Part 2: S can the workbook and prepare your work area. Print out your reference.

Part 3: Make sure you have a good surface to work on and all your proper materials set out in a
nice organized manner.

Part 4: P roceed to mimic the procedure you just watched. Try to keep your drawing under control
and take your time. This method is slow and controlled. Do not move on to the next step
until you have locked down the one you are on.

Note: The emphasis in this drawing exercise is to cultivate a highly refined appreciation for
layering, shape containment and design, and procedure. This is one of the most effective ways
I know to help cultivate your design “sense”. This will later carry into everything you do artistically.
It is a very illusive skill-set as a professional. Not to mention I can’t remember when I have ever
been paid to execute something “ugly” or with pour shape design and wonky value control and edge
work. Just saying!

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 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

- TIP -
The art of creating small compositional “thumbnails” as we often call them, is an art in and
of itself. This is where you explore whether to loose something into the light, or pop it with
a dark shape. Whether to let the dark disappear into the dark, or silhouette it with light.
Don’t underestimate the value of this discipline!

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 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

This is an excellent photo to work from.

The body type is ideal and is very classical.
The halftones are really nice and help
assist when it comes to design. Follow my
lead but leave some room for your own
design decisions.

I really emphasized this model’s heroic

proportions. Overall, I was really proud of
the effort. I always see things I would like
to improve after the fact. I think you will
get a lot out of watching this all the way
through.

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 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

The lay-in, as I have said before, is where all

the heavy lifting occurs. This is where crucial
placement judgements take place, where you
have to think about the active/inactive sides,
the flow, rhythm, and really think about all
you have learned.

This next step builds on the first and requires

continued refinement of placement. We are now
starting to think more about our anatomy
training, or possibly a nice reminder to revisit
or continue our anatomy study. You will now be
adding the shadow mapping, or edge mapping.
Watch the video several times, revisiting how
I do this.

Once you have exhausted your mapping, it is

now time to start inserting our middle value
and slowly start to layer up graphite from harder
to softer pencils. This is not an exact science so
use your gut when in doubt. You can jump from
an HB to a 2B or 3B. Just watch my lead and
explore a bit.

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 6

 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

- TIP -
Here I start to incorporate
some of the surrounding
elements, such as drapery
and lost background
shapes, to help push and
pull the viewer’s eye as it
travels around the drawing.
Sometimes the “lost and
found” treatment can be
harder than the figure
rendering. This is why
spending 20-30 minutes
of a 15 hour drawing
doing small thumbnail
compositional studies can
really help at this stage.
Settle on the process and
really take care with all
the areas. If I was to grade,
which I don’t believe in, this
would be your final!

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 7

 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 8

 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 9

 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 10

 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 11

 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 12

 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 13

 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 14

 DRAWING PROGRAM
Figure Drawing Phase V:
Male/Graphite Long Drawing

© Watts Atelier of the Arts, LLC, 2017 www.wattsatelier.com 15