For this exercise I was asked to sketch some of the structures that make up the human body.

I used my own body for reference and took a selection of photographs of different parts of my body.

My first drawing was of my left foot. I took the photograph looking down at my foot. I worked with pencil on white a4 cartridge paper.

I tried to learn about my foots measurements  and mechanics by measuring each toe in relation to each other, and each toe nail or crease in my toe with each other. I tried to show light by leaving blank spaces and shadow by toning in areas with my pencil. I don’t often spend time looking at my feet, but one of the things I noticed were the small lines and patterns that make up the skin on my foot. I tried to show this small detail through loose scribbles across the main surface area of my foot.  I tried to show the form of my three dimensional foot by using my pencil to show tone.

My next drawing was of my hand, I again photographed it first and I again used a pencil on white a4 cartridge paper.

Throughout this project I have found drawing hands difficult. I therefore decided to get some inspiration from artists who are known for drawing the hand successfully.

I looked at M.C Eschers ‘Drawing Hands’.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawing_Hands

Drawing Hands – Wikipedia Drawing Hands is a lithograph by the Dutch artist M. C. Escher first printed in January 1948. It depicts a sheet of paper, out of which two hands rise, in the paradox ical act of drawing one another into existence. This is one of the most obvious examples of Escher’s common use of paradox. en.m.wikipedia.org

I love how he uses tone to show the form of the hands and I noticed how he uses shadow to show the hands are not flat against the surface. These are qualities I will try to put into my own drawings.

Even with M C Eschers influence I found drawing my hand difficult. I tried to measure and compare each finger or joint with each other and where they were in relation to each other. I tried to use shadow to show that my hand was not flat against the table and I tried to show the ‘netty’ and lined texture of my skin. I am pleased that I persevered with this drawing, however I did find it difficult and am aware there are some errors of accuracy and form.

I decided for my next drawings to change the media in which I was working and I decided to work in colour using chalk pastels. I again worked from photographs that I took on my iPhone. All of which coincidently turned out to be highly unflattering, but quite interesting compositions to draw from. Below are my drawings of, my stomach taken whilst looking down, my neck and the side of my face and ear and  my knee taken with my leg in the air.

These were quicker drawings than my pencil drawings and due to the very thick nature of my chalk pastels, it was harder to achieve fine detail. However I enjoyed working with colour and feel that using colour added another dimension to my drawings.  Whilst completing these drawings I looked back on my research on Jenny Saville and noted how she uses a variety of different colours to accentuate the fleshy appearance of skin. This inspired me to be brave with my own drawings and to include colours that felt un natural such as blues and greens.

For my next drawings I used acrylic paint and a palet knife, I photographed my legs and feet whilst sat down learning forward and worked from that photograph. I also photographed my elbow as I felt that the rough skin on my straightened elbow would make an interesting drawing. The good thing about working from a photograph was I noticed my head was positioned in the background of the photograph which made for a far more interesting composition than just my elbow.

Like the chalk pastels my palette knife didn’t allow for much detail but it did allow me to be experimental with both colour and texture which I thoroughly enjoyed. My first drawing was the one of my legs. I think I probably went too far with colour in this piece however by the time I got to my second drawing my use of colour and ability in actually using the palette knife was much more refined.

I really enjoyed using the palette knife with the paint, this is definitely a technique or way of working I would like to continue and try to develop further.

Overall I really enjoyed this exercise. I enjoyed learning about the structure of the human body- mine in particular. I am often ashamed of my post pregnancy belly, however I was excited to draw it and to show its fleshy nature full of curves and rolls. I think a taught beautiful belly may have been less interesting to draw.

I enjoyed working from photographs also and more of my body parts appear foreshortened in some way because of the angle of my phone whilst taking my photographs. I found this a really exciting way to explore the structure of my body.