1. Gesture
Drawing
Emily Stokes

2. Gesture Drawing is…
“…an all-encompassing , simultaneous overview of the wholeness of forms and their relationship in space. It is energetic, flexible, nonlinear, nonspecific, intuitive, and constantly open to readjustment.”

3. Why do we need to know anything about gesture drawing?
-you can convey a point or idea
quickly and economically

4. Gesture Drawing -Look at the subject, not the paper!
-Look for the longest line in an object – is it curved, straight?
-Keep your hand and arm engaged with the page at all times
-Move through the object, not around the edges
-Vary the amount of pressure you apply to the drawing tool
-Keep strokes rounded

8. Virgin and Child Studies. Raphael. Pen and red chalk.

9. Choose four words to describe this image…

11. Tiepolo

12. Rembrandt

13. Federico Barocci, 17th century

14. Michael Mazur, Figure Group, 1963.

15. John Fischetti

16. Scribbled Gesture Drawings
-Use a ball-point pen or pointed drawing tool
-Never let your drawing tool leave the page
-Use denser scribbles in darker shadows, and lighter/looser lines in well-lit areas
-Don’t be afraid to be messy or over-exaggerate

17. Alberto Giacometti

18. Alberto Giacometti

20. Mass / Mass and Line Gesture Drawing
-Use the broad side of your charcoal or crayon in addition to the tip of it

21. Georges Seurat (example of mass gesture)

22. Georges Seurat, 1884.

24. Mass and line

26. Sustained Gesture Drawing
-Begin by quickly blocking in the shapes and critical lines, as you would in a quick gesture drawing.
-After two-three minutes of initial gesture, stop, examine your drawing in relation to the still life, and begin making edits.
-Correct angles and lines
-Add subtle tones by rubbing your finger or vine charcoal
-Squint, and look for contrasts between light and dark

27. Think of sustained gesture drawings as slightly more refined gesture drawings.
Start with same intensity as you would with a gesture, but then begin making key adjustments.

28. Sandro Chia,
Man Seated at Table. 1984

29. Michael Mazur, Closed Ward #12, 1962. Aquatint

30. William Kentridge

31. NOT gesture drawing: