Bass-Ackwards art schooling
Aaron Hazouri
for any figure drawing classes for the simple reason that they seem to be doing
things backwards; you start with quick gesture sketches for a few weeks and
then move into detailed life drawings.
Does this seem weird to anyone else, or am I just a know-it-all college kid who
ought to keep his mouth shut? I feel like I should get the proportions down
(as I'm doing with private figure drawing sessions with a couple friends)
before I try to knock out a 2-minute sketch.
What do the animation studios look for in a portfolio? Sustained drawings or
gestures?
-Aaron
--------------------
I nervously point you to my updated website,
full of more ugly art but I need the criticism
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Chuck Jones
1912--2002
Ward Kimball
1914--2002
ANIM8Rfsk
<< that they seem to be doing
things backwards; you start with quick gesture sketches for a few weeks and
then move into detailed life drawings.
Does this seem weird to anyone else >>
Doesn't seem weird to me, as long as they teach BOTH.
<< What do the animation studios look for in a portfolio? Sustained drawings
or
gestures? >>
Both. Although the quick sketch is usually more along the lines of what would
be needed; I mean, when was the last time you saw somebody getting paid to do
life drawings?
I don't think learing proportions after you learn to quick sketch will be a
problem for FUTURE drawings. I see your point though, if you are thinking that
you are going to want to show me the very first drawing you did in art class,
and think the proportions will be wrong on it. But I don't think you want to
show me the first drawing anyway. :-)
Also, I wouldn't think intense life drawing training is needed to be able to do
a quick sketch. I mean, much of the time your quick sketch will be of
something you HAVEN'T done a life drawing of, like an animal. You should be
able to get proportions down doing quick sketches without knowing them already,
'cause you're looking at the real thing now.
Sorry if this isn't the answer you were looking for. :-)
Stephen W. Worth
<aaro...@aol.combizarro> wrote:
> I'm enrolled in the art program at my local university and I've not signed up
> for any figure drawing classes for the simple reason that they seem to be
> doing
> things backwards; you start with quick gesture sketches for a few weeks and
> then move into detailed life drawings.
See John K's interview at www.awn.com for his opinion on this.
See ya
Steve
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Aaron Hazouri wrote:
> I'm enrolled in the art program at my local university and I've not signed up
> for any figure drawing classes for the simple reason that they seem to be doing
> things backwards; you start with quick gesture sketches for a few weeks and
> then move into detailed life drawings.
>
> Does this seem weird to anyone else, or am I just a know-it-all college kid who
> ought to keep his mouth shut? I feel like I should get the proportions down
> (as I'm doing with private figure drawing sessions with a couple friends)
> before I try to knock out a 2-minute sketch.
>
> What do the animation studios look for in a portfolio? Sustained drawings or
> gestures?
>
> -Aaron
Your personal gestures don't have to be pretty..or even proportional as far as i
would care. Portfolio work should be stronger.
. I agree that it may be useless to show gestures after only drawing for a short
period. But I didn't have a portfolio until I studied animation for 4 years.
Gestures teach you to loosen up and to think what the model is doing, not only what
she looks like. For the more accomplished it shows how dynamically and quickly you
can express movement and action....which is important in rough animation and
relaying an idea quickly. It's supposed to show you've studied from life. It is
like scales is to music-or broccolli and flossing-no one promised it would be fun
but it is beneficial. I speak from my early challenges. If life drawing was not
challenging I wouldn't have grown. If one is looking at a good gesture it is not
merely a scribble.
Balancing that, i think showing your design sense and cartoon literacy in your
other work is just as important.
In the end if you don't want to put gestures then don't but the rest of your work
should be strong.
Studios will gladly provide info someway in what their requirements are.
Gerard
Crouching Jedi Hidden Sith
>I'm enrolled in the art program at my local university and I've not signed up
>for any figure drawing classes for the simple reason that they seem to be
>doing
>things backwards; you start with quick gesture sketches for a few weeks and
>then move into detailed life drawings.
>
>Does this seem weird to anyone else, or am I just a know-it-all college kid
>who
>ought to keep his mouth shut? I feel like I should get the proportions down
>(as I'm doing with private figure drawing sessions with a couple friends)
>before I try to knock out a 2-minute sketch.
>
>What do the animation studios look for in a portfolio? Sustained drawings or
>gestures?
>
>-Aaron
I know if I was studying still life and movement of an equestrian nature, I'd
like to know how form and shape preclude function, so I agree with you for the
most part. But if you're going to receive education in both realms, it's best
to get that experience anyway you can. Maybe you can work something out with
the class in question.
OT PS: I lost my "how-to-draw" horses book a decade ago, and I still miss
it....
____ _____
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