Gestural drawing is one of the best experiences of a life drawing class. People are often surprised at the quality of their gestural drawings; even those who may have never picked up a 6B pencil in their life!
So what is gestural drawing? Gestural drawing is quickly drawing the human form to capture movement or motion. This is often done by sketching a model who changes pose quickly (say every 10-20 seconds).
Seeing the body in different poses and having a short and finite amount of time actually sharpens the eye and the instincts.
As drawing is essentially thinking with your eyes and we all have a deep familiarity with the human form, gestural drawing helps us to find ways to express and understand these forms.
Expressing the incredible shapes that the body can make, the layers and the lines, is encouraged by using swift strong strokes, then, if there is time, going back over the lines and emphasising and refining them.
It's really all about capturing the gesture and seeing where the energy and tension in the body is most prominent in the pose. Your pencil becomes an extension of your arm and your eyes and the more you look away from your page and focus on the body the more accurate your drawing will be.
So if the last time you were in an art class was in high school then maybe it's time to make your next catch up, Hens party, birthday or Corporate training event something that involves gestural drawing and challenge your instinctual artistic inner eye!
