...infect my brain please.

There are certain artists' methods that I want to have more influence over me when I approach the figure. I'll bring more up as I progress. Two prominent ones need mention today though. To start:

1) Andrew Loomis



His idealized proportions and specific rendering style of the human form is astounding to me. He is able to masterfully utilize shape, form, value, texture, and line. The latter two and the combination of them all are my weaker areas currently. My line has gotten a lot more confident since attending the Guildhall at SMU but still a ways off from Loomis.

Loomis' book (and title I pay homage to in this blog) Figure Drawing for all it's Worth and his other books can be downloaded for free now that they are 25+ years old. I've printed one or two of them out and are great quality. A link for all of his books can be found by clicking here: Andrew Loomis Books
you will need to scroll down a slightly past the ads before you will see them.

2) Ron Lemen



I'm fascinated by his initial bold structural mark making into such simplistic shapes of the human form. I would be afraid to make such large dark marks in the initial drawing due to past blunders of going to dark to soon when proportion faults may still arise. I'm beginning to think it's the medium he is using. Maybe vine charcoal?

Ron is a well accomplished illustrator, painter, and concept artist. He provides many tutorials floating all over the net and can be found posting often at www.conceptart.org

He's also has a training course over at xTrain which I might consider checking out in a month or two. I'll be researching their services in the near future.