Gottfried Bammes and online figure drawing

It has taken me some time to realize the artistic benefits of figure drawing online vs in the studio, but I’m getting it. Whereas large fluid physical gestures with movement and energy will likely wait until we are back in the studio, drawing online puts the model within a screen, and that screen is moveable. This makes it uncommonly possible for students to focus in on sections of the body, sometimes from unusual angles, or to be able to see the whole figure in simplified forms.

For my fall figure drawing series, I am taking lesson inspirations from Gottfried Bammes (1920-2007). Bammes is the master of showing us how to draw sculptural structures within the body, and I enjoy his original approaches to proportion with simplified forms. It seems ironic that a classical instructor would adapt so perfectly to the online format, but it’s true! Take a look at these mass gestures by Bammes, honing in on simple proportion. Difficult to do in the studio, because everyone has a different view, but on the screen we can all have the model posing straight on, to be able to observe these relationships as simply as possible. Don’t these look fun? What excellent practice!

Mass & Proportion

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I am fascinated by how he simplified the body into vertical stripes for the top two illustrations, and drew them with simplified organic forms in the lower three. What interesting ways to look at proportions! Below are some mass studies with conte crayon. So simple – not rigid but structured. Excellent skillbuilding approaches.

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Bammes’ chapters focus on individual sections of the body, which the online format will easily support. Full model views on screen are small, like the small figures above, but then we can ask to focus in to study a model’s foot or leg, and have it lit so we can see the structure. So helpful! Take a look at how Bammes (below) is showing us how to build up the legs using a combination of cross contours to show us the roundness or dimensional aspects of the leg, as well as the internal anatomy emphasized with planes and shading. I can’t wait to draw these knees!

Legs and Knees

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da Feet!

Many figure drawing artists feel defeated by da feet (sorry), but Bammes, the master of structures, breaks it down for us, starting with a simple wedge, then adding graceful planes, bones, and curves. Take a look at the simplified forms below. Notice also the bent form in the second image, with a dynamic and elegant way to think about the arch of the foot.

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…so while I miss the in-studio classes, I plan to take full advantage of what we have while we have it. I’m looking forward to drawing in ways we can’t draw in person.

Interested in figure drawing? Gottfried Bammes classes start Sunday! Beginning Figure Drawing is for absolute beginners (or people who prefer the earlier class). Figure Drawing II is for anyone who has taken Beginning Figure Drawing at least once. Both are repeatable classes, so take them again as many times as you like! You might be pleasantly surprised by how much you’ve improved.

Here’s what’s coming up for figure drawing at the League:

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