18 STUDENTS ENROLLED
Discover the basics of figure construction, a simple and effective series of methods that helps the artist draw from life, reference or the imagination with ease. Each week, break down a different part of the body and learn to design or render it using various forms and rhythms. Learn to use different methods of measuring the proportions as well as study and render the volumes by measuring the quality of light and its contrasting shadows. This is a class for all artistic levels from the beginner to the professional.
BIO: Ron Lemen is an illustrator, fine artist, concept designer, art director and art instructor with years of experience. He has worked for Sony, Activision, Ubi Soft and Mattel. Ron is currently freelancing full-time with clients that include;Upper Deck, Dragon Lance, White Wolf, Time Warner, Wizards of the Coast, Image Comics, Birdhouse Projects, Ride Snowboards, Disney, and more.
Course Curriculum
| Free Preview | |||
| Figure Construction | Preview | 00:05:00 | ||
| Preview for Figure Construction with Ron Lemen. | |||
| Section 1 | |||
| Figure Construction: Introduction | 00:20:00 | ||
| Welcome to Figure Construction with Ron Lemen. Ron begins by discussing the most basic way to draw or paint the figure, creating the torso by using the pillow shape. | |||
| The Gesture and Shading | 00:19:00 | ||
| Ron discusses the importance of simplifying shapes and rhythm. He adds shading to develop form in the drawings. | |||
| Fluid Movement | 00:31:00 | ||
| Combine curves and shading in developing a full figure drawing. Ron emphasizes completing forms in your drawings to see proportion of the full figure. | |||
| Section 2 | |||
| Head Construction | 00:25:00 | ||
| This week focuses on the portrait. Ron gives an overview of the construction and rhythms of the portrait. He explains how to break down the facial planes, recognize simple forms, and how to develop these basic volumes. | |||
| Figure Construction: Profile View | 00:14:00 | ||
| How to draw the head from a side profile view. | |||
| Figure Construction: (Head) 3/4 view | 00:23:00 | ||
| How to draw the head from a 3/4 front view. | |||
| Figure Construction: Drawing the Portrait | 00:20:00 | ||
| Learn to combine these shape designs with rhythm so that you can achieve a complete portrait. | |||
| Section 3 | |||
| Figure Construction: The Shoulders | 00:08:00 | ||
| Ron's main focus is on the neck and shoulders. He goes over shape construction and design and demonstrates how to fit the simple shapes of the figure together using rhythm. | |||
| Figure Construction: (Shoulders) 3/4 View | 00:12:00 | ||
| Ron constructs the shoulders from a front 3/4 view. He demonstrates how to drape the muscles over the skeleton. | |||
| Figure Construction: The Back View | 00:08:00 | ||
| Ron constructs the back of the torso. He visualizes the muscles draping over the skeletal structure. | |||
| Light and Shadow Patterns | 00:13:00 | ||
| Ron fleshes out the back of the torso and adds shadow patterns onto the figure to give it three-dimensionality. | |||
| Section 4 | |||
| Figure Construction: The Torso | 00:19:00 | ||
| Map out a design of the torso by using simple forms like a pillowesque form to represent the body. | |||
| Torso Muscles | 00:21:00 | ||
| Ron covers the essential muscles like the abdominal tract, pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. | |||
| Figure Construction: Shading | 00:30:00 | ||
| Ron constructs his drawing with more of an emphasis on light and shadow. He uses convex shadow edges to show the shape of the muscles on the body. | |||
| Section 5 | |||
| Figure Construction: The Back | 00:19:00 | ||
| This week Ron discusses the back. He maps out the back’s design by using simple forms and attaching muscles. | |||
| More on the Back | 00:16:00 | ||
| Ron blocks out the full pose and explains how the muscles are overlapping under the skin in the upper back. | |||
| Large Masses | 00:21:00 | ||
| Ron reviews the front and back torso. He also blocks in the large masses simplifying the rhythm of the pose. | |||
| Section 6 | |||
| Figure Construction: The Arms | 00:25:00 | ||
| This week Ron focuses on the arms. He breaks down the arms into simple shapes and forms. He also uses the model to discuss how each of these muscles interact and appear in different poses. | |||
| The Arm Muscles | 00:19:00 | ||
| Construct the arms from different angles demonstrating how to add simple shadow patterns. | |||
| Mechanics of the Arm | 00:15:00 | ||
| Break down the muscle groups from different angles. Ron demonstrates what the muscles are doing under the skin. | |||
| Shadow Area of Arms | 00:19:00 | ||
| Ron expands from the arms and simplifies shadow forms around the rest of the body. | |||
| Section 7 | |||
| The Lower Arm | 00:17:00 | ||
| The muscles that make up the lower arm. Ron demonstrates how animation techniques can help make a pose dynamic. | |||
| The Arm Muscles 2 | 00:31:00 | ||
| Ron takes a mechanical approach to constructing the arm muscles. He explains how the flexor and extensor muscles work and how to group them in a drawing. | |||
| The Shadow Pattern | 00:21:00 | ||
| Ron demonstrates how to construct the full figure with a shadow pattern. He develops the figure with the muscles forming the shadows. | |||
| Section 8 | |||
| The Upper Leg | 00:21:00 | ||
| The upper portion of the legs. Learn about the anatomy of the leg, to help construct it from different angles. | |||
| Shading the Leg | 00:22:00 | ||
| Use darker shadow shapes to emphasize the forms of the legs shifting in and out of space. | |||
| The Simple Plan | 00:31:00 | ||
| By forgetting about the muscles on the body, Ron demonstrates how to draw the full figure while working with simple shapes. | |||
| Section 9 | |||
| The Lower Leg | 00:22:00 | ||
| Continue with the lower leg and feet. Simplify the leg with simple volumes to depict bones and muscles. | |||
| The Pattern of the Legs | 00:21:00 | ||
| Continue to construct the full figure with an emphasis on the lower legs. | |||
| The Full Figure | 00:31:00 | ||
| Ron constructs full figures while discussing rhythms and action. | |||
| Section 10 | |||
| Review of Hands and Feet | 00:16:00 | ||
| In the last week of Figure Construction, Ron starts off by quickly addressing hands and feet. | |||
| Figure Construction: Full Figure | 00:20:00 | ||
| Ron combines all of the previously discussed methods in drawing the full figure. | |||
| Quick Sketch | 00:20:00 | ||
| Continue constructing full figures with quick sketches emphasizing rhythm and movement. Ron also uses a graphic design approach employing extreme shapes and curves. | |||
| Rhythm and Movement | 00:23:00 | ||
| Introducing the Reilly method to find landmarks quickly to help with the rhythm and movement. Ron also introduces a slinky method to create volume before adding lines. | |||
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