Chiaroscuro Week 10 - In class excercises

Here are some class exercises we did in class. They were 20 min block-ins from two live models. We practiced the technique or approach called "optical" and learned that this is one of the oldest techniques dating back centuries ago and also is referred to as the classical style. This "opticial" approach was devised from the 17th century French Atelier Academy. This was the way artists were taught and studied under a master for years, along with studying anatomy. Anyway, the whole concept of this technique which is done in strictly straight-line block-ins was to understand proportion in relation to all the parts and to also see how planes are tilted, and the direction it goes. It's also quite important in finding the dark and lights in a drawing and to capturing the precise gesture (which are all elements in creating a good drawing). Anyway, my drawings may not look much and it was designed that way to practice this technique and to understand the proportions, it really does give the drawing much structure.