Project - The Shape Method

Lesson by

Michael Hampton

inThe Gesture Course

215

Assignments 71

Downloads 6

Project - The Shape Method

Lesson by

Michael Hampton

in The Gesture Course

215

Assignments 71

Downloads 6

Use the provided figure references to practice The Shape Method. We'll be using the same photo set as our previous assignment so you can compare your approach in these two methods.

Focus on:

Part-to-part drawing
Gesture of each part
Wrapping lines for perspective
Working from head to foot

Tips for Success

Be patient — this method might feel unfamiliar if you're used to a different approach.
Don’t be hard on yourself — it’s okay if it feels awkward at first.
Have fun with it — try exaggerating shapes or modifying forms to better connect with the method.

Hard Mode

Want to increase the difficulty? Modify the forms and exaggerate the figures into new and stylized body types!

Deadline - submit by May 2, 2025 for a chance to be in the critique video!

@kumaika

•

10d

i've somehow managed to get worse as i move through these. line quality, line economy, proportion,rhythm, etc..these are the first 8 though. i'll have to finish this up soon.

@kumaika

•

the day i submitted these michael uploaded a video talking about burnout. i'm probably burnt out, so i'm taking a lot of breaks now. i managed to do 9 & 10 though.

Josh Fiddler

•

24d

All 28 before watching the demo.

Josh Fiddler

•

23d

Okay, So here's a set from after watching the demo and trying to simplify things. I spent more time looking at connection, simpler shape design, while also trying to find the modifications for the body type presented.

@hastings_jon

•

1mo

Just got round to doing the rest of the images! Still tricky!

Andrea Böhm

•

1mo

They are look like they are wearing some strange swimsuit ...

Mon Barker

•

1mo

Not completely convinced that I’m not just drawing outline using c and s curves to be honest….but I think I get the difference between shape approach vs gesture approach I.e. this is more part to part whilst gesture is connecting through parts with perceived rhythms(?) I think I also was too part to part in the gesture approach however as my drawings with both approaches look eerily similar 🤔

@purpleart

•

1mo

Some more. I am realising how important line quality and confidence is to the final appearance to these gestures. Also form intersections are vital but I haven't got the hang of those yet. It's a lot to think about while also trying to learn this method.

Randy P

•

1mo

My submission for the shape assignment.

@hastings_jon

•

1mo

Here are my attempts:

Nuria Lluch

•

1mo

And a few attempts of stylized.

Nuria Lluch

•

1mo

Some more

Nuria Lluch

•

1mo

Hi! Here're my attempts.

Melanie Scearce

•

1mo

You’re getting it! Good job using the midline position to find the twists.

Pär

•

2mo

Working my way through. Think I need to focus on the have fun part, getting the essentials down more loose and quick and using more abstraction. Hard to break out from trying to recreating the pose and shapes with their outlines and such, as seen from that angle and whatnot.

Melanie Scearce

•

1mo

I agree with your reflection, you definitely grasp the concept and you have a very good eye for the connecting shapes and perspective. Your second set of drawings look a bit looser. Try to lengthen your strokes as much as you can instead of using multiple smaller strokes to form a line. Even if your line turns out longer than you need, that’s better than too short.

Pär

•

1mo

Phew, last ones. Really want to move on to more fast and notational, finding the abstract core and play with it

Lane Campbell

•

2mo

I plan to do some more tomorrow, i think im starting to understand it

Gannon Beck

•

2mo

Here are a few more before the deadline. I feel like ideas about structure and gesture are synthesizing with this approach for me.

Anthony DeGennaro

•

2mo

Here are some gestures I worked on, once I got into a groove it started to feel better. some got a little big for the page. The male one seemed to get a bit too thick in the hip area. hope to hear your feedback!

Pär

•

1mo

Seems you're getting there good!, perhaps a bit sparse with the wrapping lines though :)

Ben Whitfield

•

2mo

Here are my attempts of the first 7 poses. These were a struggle and I felt like I wasn't drawing with any flow. Much more practice is needed to feel more comfortable. I will add the other poses as a I complete them.

@lightsdesu

•

2mo

3rd attempt

@saschu

•

2mo

Pedro Branco

•

2mo

Here are my gestures!

Pedro Branco

•

2mo

All 28, plus 5 more where I changed the form of the bodies. I intended to change the body shape of all 28 but it wasn't very clear in my head if I was doing it right especially when I compared to the examples in the first video.

@stefyart

•

2mo

Here are my assignments. I found more difficult the shape method than the previous one, I feel that I am doing something wrong in the process, because the temptation to follow the contour of the figure haunted me while I was drawing, so I am not very confident that the result is good.

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About instructor

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Michael Hampton

Educator, painter, writer, and art historian. Author of Figure Drawing: Design and Invention.