Figure drawing (part 2)

Learn how to create a digital figure study in Photoshop using an approach that relies on shapes and tonal values. By Joel Carlo.

There are many techniques available when you’re creating a figure study, and a wide range of mediums that you can use when creating your work. But, whether you choose a traditional or digital route, a basic understanding of figure drawing fundamentals is essential for you to progress to creating more believable and life-like figures, and one of these fundamentals is the subject of form.

Like most artists, my introduction to drawing the human figure was based on the use of lines. It wasn’t until I began to comprehend the relationship between form and tonal value that I discovered an easy approach to creating more convincing portrayals of the human body. Today, this is the approach I rely on when creating the majority of my figure studies.

My aim is to introduce you to this non-linear way of creating your figure drawings. You’ll learn how to break down an image to ‘see’ basic shapes, and analyse the tonal values of a subject in order to draw or paint them in a more convincing manner. I’ll be using are Photoshop, a Wacom tablet, and photo references made available by www.modelalisa.com (on your DVD).