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Josef Knoll
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8d
added comment inGesture Drawing
Hey! First of all, I just want to say that the drawings you're showing here are anything but horrid. They simply reflect your current level and understanding of gesture drawing, and it’s clear that you're no beginner. I find it really admirable that you're continuing to pursue your childhood dream, and if I were you, I definitely wouldn’t give up.
Gesture drawing can feel a bit enigmatic for many artists and is actually supposed to flow effortlessly. In your drawings, there’s a bit of visible tension, and in a way, you might be taking the gesture a little too seriously. Gesture, in essence, is an abstraction, and like any abstraction, it relies on all the knowledge you’ve built up.
So, the best way to improve your gesture drawing at this point might actually be to focus on completely different aspects—such as artistic anatomy. Studying how bones are structured, where muscles attach, and how they function will naturally enhance your gesture work. From time to time, after gaining more "explicit knowledge"—for example, learning about the structure of the leg—you can return to gesture drawing and will likely notice an improvement. More foundational knowledge will strengthen your ability to capture gestures.
To put it simply: I'm very confident that diving into artistic anatomy and the geometric construction of the body will also deepen your understanding of gesture drawing. And most importantly—try to stay relaxed! A gesture should just be the starting point of a drawing.
I’d also recommend checking out Bridgman’s books—he takes a slightly different approach to rhythm, which can be really enriching for gesture drawing.
Spyridon Panagiotopoulos
2d
Thank you for your time and detailed reply!
Gesture has been different from all other aspects of drawing I am practicing. Up to now all parts of drawing, even simplification, followed a clear route to the final result. And you either got it, or mistakes are plain to the eye once you take the time to look. Gesture was not. But I guess it's an even more advanced form of simplification, an abstraction that will come with further and further practice, even if it feels no progress is being made.
I will try to check Bridgman, I am already looking around for the books, but aside from drawing from life, the rest are quite hard to find in Greece, or rather expensive to order from abroad. If not for bridgman, is there a similar more modern alternative? In the off-chance I can get their book?
Asked for help
I could not find the option while posting, but saw it now, so I will click it. I will not she it as an excuse to 'bump', just this once to formally request help
(This may not be the feedback you're looking for - it's not really about your drawings)
I resonated a lot with your post in art (music and drawing) and other aspects in my life.
For your work specifically, I could tell EXACTLY what was happening in every pose and they also had emotions associated with them! Perfect! A master illustrator who has been doing comics for 19 years I'm SURE could have technical feedback. More importantly...
When you were a kid and wanted to draw, or maybe when you want to create now, or want to express an emotion, what do you think of? I think it's just time to start doing that. Create stuff. You must be a creative person. CREATE STUFF. Create something from start to finish - with mistakes left alone. Stop practicing!
I need help. For the past 7 years, trying to learn Gesture Drawing has always lead me to horrible burn-out, stress and a long break from drawing (2-3 months to a year). It's coming to the point where I have really started to believe that it is hopeless, a person of my age (40) has no hope to pick this skill I was forbidden to learn as a kid, and always envied.
I have had successes in prior years, and some really good drawings in the past (especially in 2022), and while I am still bad at drawing, this year (starting April of 2024) I saw improvement. With patience and insistence, I could draw. And slowly, bit by bit, I did improve. Coming to this summer's challenge, and the exercises in MV perspective course, I really felt I had a chance to break through the stalemate, and finally start creating my stories.
But, like the past 7 years, Gesture comes in, and beats me to a pulp. After stressful session of horrid failure after stressful session of horrid failure, 0 progress, and 3 full courses behind (plus one ongoing, with mr Hampton), this time I really felt I am just worthless when it comes to Gesture. I just don't get it. It's impossible to me to make anything resembling what I see other students and artists do.
I feel stressed beyond belief. I am about to give a lifelong dream, but I honestly feel it's hopeless now. And this time my vow stands, if I burn-out/give-up, it's over for good. No more courses, no more videos, no more pencil and paper.
So, I turn to anyone who might have any idea, in a final desperate attempt. Is there ANYTHING that could help me make even the tiniest bit of progress, something to give me hope (aside from words) that I am not truly hopeless? Any technique?
I attach my horrid failures for reference. I do not ask for critique explicitly. My "attempts" are so worthless, critiquing them would be like offering anger management lessons to a feral cat. But if anyone has been in my position, and overcame it, I welcome any advice.
Asked for help
Choosing a sofa for the previous assignment feels like cheating to be honest. But it's what it is. I tried also to practice with a curved object, but it drove me crazy, and I had to scrap the attempt. Even "straightening" the curve did little to help me understand how I could translate it to pure x, y , z. Hopefully it will be tackled in this course, this is still (along with gesture) the only subjects that I have made 0 progress in the past year.
Asked for help
I tried my best, but I struggled with both parts of the assignment a lot. I am not sure I understood the lines I need to draw, and I returned to the lesson 2 times on different occasion.
These are not the first attempts, I had three pages of sketches that were me totally fumbling and not getting anywhere. It's in these last two that some semblance of the original movement can be roughly seen.
In the end, I went over the images first, and tried to understand the lines on top of them, before I drew them. Any hint, tip or advice is welcome.
For the 2nd part, it's my first time drawing something I didn't have the immediate reference, but had to use my imagination. It's tough. But I'll add it to practice, initially (the unseen attempts) it felt entirely impossible, and I just threw random lines. I still did not succeed, but I felt I at least had a rough idea what I wanted to try.
Asked for help
Ever since I trained, my name has been a nightmare. Being punished to write it 1000 times is enough to make you dread it. And imagine all the times you need to repeat it under signed documents.....
I tried my best. Some letters took me half an hour, like the S. It's tricky to get it right, and it added a bit more stress when I realized I was not able to easily copy a complex curve.
Well, there is an apex I need to practice more, I guess.
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23d
You bore the heavy burden of your long and ancient name and have emerged, like Atlas, stronger.
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1mo
Well for what it's worth I think you have the coolest name ever. This is definitely a challenging exercise, but I think if you space out your letters a bit it might help you. All those convergence lines can get confusing, especially if two letters share the same line. Hope this graphic helps break it down a bit!
Asked for help
Omg, this was so much fun! And something I can practice doodling everywhere! I will be adding more over the days, but please, help me see what I have done wrong here, so I do not repeat them.
Spyridon Panagiotopoulos
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1mo
Asked for help
I'd usually do assignments on digital, so I can get everything perfect.
This time, for these courses, it's all traditional pencil.
It's time I learn to live with imperfections.
That said, Master Hampton, you are a fantastic instructor. I didn't want the video to end!
Asked for help
I have been trying to do snakes, but I have had issues doing their coiling. Is there a technique to go about doing all this slithering/coiling dynamically? I have falled back on doing the contour and then trying to make it look 3D, but the results are poor. I would love to start with the gesture or flow, it is so appealing, and then construct the snake on that flow. But I just can't.
Any tips?
I assume Zolly purchases are not cross-platform? I tend to travel a lot, so usually I switch between my PC and phone for reference. I'd definitely buy it fully, but I don't know which platform to choose from.
