Everyday Drawing: 11: Gesture Drawing

By: Hayley Perry

www.hayleyperry.com

I consider gesture drawing to be an important drawing exercise because it teaches us to capture the essence of a subject. Where contour drawing teaches us to slow down and meticulously observe the ins and outs of an object, gesture drawing is about capturing a feeling within seconds.

 

Unlike reading a letter or decoding the complexities of an abstract painting, body language has the ability to tell a story in an instant; one can look at a hunched over figure and sympathize with that emotion. Even the slightest tip of the head, cross of the feet, or bend at the elbow can inspire compassion between the viewer and subject.

Of course it’s easiest to explain gestures when speaking of humans because gestures ARE human but inanimate objects have essences as well. I like to think of how personified a half-full bag of sugar can be. It doesn’t just exist on your kitchen counter, it sits and it slumps, it even looks lazy. It acts even though it doesn’t move at all. If you were to draw this inanimate object, it would be important to capture this essence.

As a drawing exercise, gesture drawing is the exact opposite of contour drawing because it is quick and requires instant action. The challenge of contour drawing is to train yourself to look slower and more meditatively, whereas your ability to capture gestures should get faster and faster.

Here’s how you do it:

1. This exercise is best with a live model because you can’t cheat and draw longer than you should. Models move and there is nothing you can do about it so when the chimer chimes you are stuck with what’s on the page.? Humans are also the best gesture makers (and they stay still if you pay them enough).
2. Set up human or object (I use my hand because hands can get in some pretty interesting positions) and set a time for 5 minutes.
3. These should be extremely loosely drawn drawings. You should draw from your shoulder and move your whole arm. Standing also helps loosen you up. You should feel like you’re ready to run a race.
4. Within ten seconds you should have marks on the page signifying your whole object (see below).? Say you were drawing a person and started at the head then you move down slowly but the feet don’t fit on the page; you have no idea what the gesture is because you don’t know how your figure is standing.? You must explore the position fully.

Identify the important aspects of the position (this is the gesture) and emphasize those areas. Keep looking and tracing until the timer chimes. Once you are comfortable with five minutes, try three.

As viewers of art, we perceive so much subconsciously. We use our senses to pick up on hues, smells and body language without fully realizing that we are always interpreting. A convincing gesture can excite, invigorate, and compel because, as people, the meaning of body language is fully ingrained into our core. People can just relate to it.