COM Human Sketch

Author: Li Qinxue
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: In the process of observing objects and translating them into paintings, there are many contradictions that painters must address. Strong and weak, near and far, main and secondary, large and small, complex and simple, white and black, coarse and fine, expansive and restrained, rigid and flexible, long and short, sluggish and smooth, fast and slow, many and few, bright and dark, light and heavy, and so on. These conflicting elements have always troubled artists—what to choose, what to discard, what to emphasize, what to de-emphasize, how to use them effectively. These issues can only be resolved through extensive practical experience, not solely through so-called talent and intuition, which are often unreliable. The painting process is a process of resolving various contradictions. It is also a process of accumulating experience and improving skills. Without practical experience in handling these contradictions, one cannot mature or become a true master. To summarize the experience and understand the patterns, for ease of grasp and brevity, the following is expressed in five-character verses:
Grasp the grand structure,
Familiarize with anatomy.
Head and neck must be precise,
Shoulders and back should be proper.
Hands and feet reveal skill,
Chest, abdomen, and hips require subtlety.
Interweaving has priority and secondary,
The whole must remain balanced.
Pencil: From the perspective of line character, the basic nature of pencil lines is flexible, with a hint of firmness. They are relatively easy to master and convenient to erase or modify. For sketching human figures, pencil should be used first, and then ink pen after proficiency.
Ink Pen: The basic nature of ink pen lines is firm, with a touch of flexibility. They are slightly harder to master. With a solid foundation in pencil sketching, ink pen sketches exhibit a dynamic firmness, possessing a higher artistic quality.
Brush Pen: Combining firmness and flexibility, with moderate softness and hardness, brush pens are more challenging to control. However, they can produce a unique charm and stronger expressiveness. They are also essential for basic training in ink brush painting.
Ink Wash: Combining firmness and flexibility, rich in variation, vibrant in spirit, and difficult to grasp. Water allows ink and brush to create unexpected effects. Without practical experience, it is hard to master, and a lack of calligraphic brushwork skills results in lines lacking strength and losing their spirit. The independent character of ink wash human figures is prominent. A good ink wash human figure should have a higher artistic quality and richer connotations.