Italian Renaissance artists regarded Hellenistic sculptures, such as the Apollo Belvedere, as models of harmonious proportions and fluid gestures. 

Apollo stands firmly on one leg while releasing the other to imply movement. The shoulder and hip on his supporting side compress while those on his released side stretch. This contrapposto (counter balance) stance remains a basic of figure drawing today.

GEORGE BRIDGMAN (1864-1943) studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and taught figure drawing at the New York Art Students' League for 45 years. His figure drawing manuals, still popular today, use Italian Renaissance systems of proportions and geometric shapes. 

The contrapposto position of the model in Bridgman's drawing (above) resembles that of the Apollo Belvedere. Throughout his manual, Bridgman uses circles, ovals, wedges, triangles and other geometric shapes as scaffolding for heads, torsos and limbs. In addition, he promotes awareness of muscles, skulls and bones beneath the skin. 

Here's a page on hands whose foreshortened gestures are a challenge for beginners to draw. Bridgman's advice is to start with a simple wedge before adding carefully observed fingers.

Simplified “How to Draw People” books based on similar  geometric principles got many youngsters started in art making. 

Gailey says: "Several years ago I started relying much more heavily on using measurement to try to ensure proper proportions in my figure drawings of longer poses (i.e., how many 'heads' are in the standing, sitting and reclining figure, etc.). 

JIM SMYTH

CONCERNING LIFE DRAWING

Life drawing, drawing from the nude human figure, is the one universal exercise for any artist in any medium, “ism”, style or material.  It exercises every aspect of the artist's mind, eye and muscle memory.  No other single undertaking can do this.  Drawing or painting still life teaches one to draw or paint pots, pans, bottles or flowers.  Landscape teaches one to draw or paint in a manner that allows any sort of error in judgement.  Put an extra tree in the field, an extra branch on the tree – nobody notices.  But, put and extra head or arm on the figure and it becomes a problem.

"Figure 2 (above) is my drawing now.  Drawing has been a therapy in many ways.  It has helped me overcome my physical deficits. More important it has given me a way to continue something I really enjoy."

“You are in Demand if you can draw” is typical of magazine ads of The Sixties for art correspondence courses. It shows a male artist, smoking a pipe and drawing a flirtatious model whose gown looks ready to slip from her body.

To a degree these stereotypes persist, although they are being challenged by some artists, art historians and models.

Frances McDormand, still photograph from Fargo

Would Fargo, directed by the Coen Brothers, have been such a hit without McDormand? The contributions of actresses has been acknowleged since early days of cinema, but the impact of models on paintings has only recently been given serious consideration, as in Drema Drudge’s just published novel Victorine, about the life of Edouard Manet's favorite model. 

Edouard Manet, "Portrait of Victorine Meurent," 1860, at age l8

As a teenager, Victorine Meurent emerged from poverty and joined Parisian art circles  She was already an experienced model when, at l8, she posed for this portrait by Manet.  At a time when “respectable women” avoided looking men in the eyes, Victorine's gaze is unflinching. 

Edouard Manet, "Olympia," 1863, Victorine Meurent was the model

Would Manet’s “Olympia” have created such a scandal if a different model with a less confrontational gaze had posed for the painting?  Can "Olympia" be thought of as a collabortion between artist and model with Victorine, through her pose, attitude and expression, providing Manet with such a memorable subject?

Victorine learned to sketch and paint while modeling; portraits by her were accepted by the Paris Salon..

In the following esay, Michaela Harris describes her experiences modelling for the CAC Figure Drawing group.

Michaela Harris 

Figure modeling is an activity that has captivated me since my teens. I romanticized the idea of being on the same level as people immortalized in classic and baroque paintings despite only being a struggling college student. I finally found a modeling opportunity that worked with my schedule from a job listing in the aptly named cafe, Naked Lounge. 

Mark Gailey from the Chico Art Center responded to my inquiry within a day. A long, detailed email quelled any leftover curiosity or precaution I had about modeling. I would pose for a small, experienced group who joined via referral or invite. The poses must be dynamic, but the model’s comfort is top priority. Discretion and professionalism are the core values of this group. 

Figure sessions start by taking my place on a plush platform and striking my first pose. For the first batch of poses, I tend to fall back into old ballet positions from my days as a dancer. The early parts of the session are for short term poses and warm-up drawings. More complex poses are easier to hold during this section. Two minutes eventually become five and 15 and 30, and I cringe when parts of my body inevitably go numb. But the payoff is beautiful.

My sessions with Mark and his group have been quiet and thoughtful experiences. After the first few poses, the thrill of being nude dies down slightly, and the remaining time becomes meditative. Your gaze is often fixed to one point for hours on end. Having the opportunity to clear your mind while participating in art is truly freeing.

The breaks in between each section allow me to see the artists’ progress. It’s liberating to see your natural self depicted with such care. The empowering aspects of this job come from feeling the body in a neutral state. The gaze models are held under is one of artistic merit. There are no other bodies or standards of beauty to compare in this field. We are subjects of art, not objects of desire.

A longer version of this article appeared in The Orion, the CSUC student paper.  Michaela has now graduated and has started a job as a reporter.

PORTRAITS

Raphael, “Baldassare Castiglione,” oil, 1514

A frontal position is typical for portraits in Western art.  To avoid stiffness, Raphael has given Castiglione's torso a slight twist away from frontality. 

Sandro Botticelli, “Portrait of a Woman,” 1475

Second in popularity, the Italian Renaissance profile portrait derives from classical coins. Since frontal and profile views are easily remembered they have become standard for “mug shots."

J.D. Ingres, Photograph, French Neoclassical artist, at age 78. 

The camera has recorded Ingres at age 78 with a wrinkled forehead, squinting eyes and sunken cheeks

J.D. Ingres, “Self-Portrait at 78.”

When painting his self-portrait at 78 Ingres had complete freedom to show himself as he preferred to be seen.  He has give himself larger, wide-open eyes (as befits a master of observation), firm cheeks, and a high-forehead that alludes to his brain-power. 

J. D. Ingres, "Comtesse d’Haussonville head study.," l845 graphite and chalk on cream paper 

Looking at this head study is like eavesdropping on an intimate conversation between artist and model. Her eyes suggest interest in Ingres as he draws her, and there’s a fleeting flirtatiousness in the upturned corners of her mouth.

Detail of Ingres’ “Comtesse d’Houssonville,” oil, 1845 

In his commissioned portrait, Ingres represents the Comtesse's aristocratic social persona. The formal painting has a less ephemeral, more detached feeling than the sketch.  Ingres has emphasized geometry and symmetry in her oval face;   her nose is straighter, her nostril less fleshy, the central parting in her hair more prominent. The look of an approachable woman with unique features and personality in the sketch has given way to the ideal, remote beauty of a Raphael Madonna in the painting. 

Ingres, in his portrait of the Comtesse, includes evidence of wealth in the room’s furnishings and in her fashionable gown and jewelry.  Writing implements establish that she is educated and maintains social connections through correspondence.  

(right) Ingres, “Comtesse d’Houssonville,” oil, 1845 

Renaissance inspired use of geometry in figure drawing and painting persisted in the nineteenth century. In 1904, Paul Cézanne wrote: “Everything in nature is formed upon the sphere, the cone, and the cylinder.  One must learn to paint these simple figures and then one can do all that he may wish.”

(right) 

Paul Cézanne, Portrait of His Wife 

Bridgman has also published manuals on the head.  Note the rectangles that enclose the head to the right, and the skull in the lower left. Geometry plus in-depth anatomy--that's so like Leonardo.

Bridgman's manual on heads contains geometric diagrams of proportions and facial planes. In your mind, visualize the "block" from which the central lowest head might have been chiseled . 

Sal Casa, in his CAC Figure Drawing workshops, often drew charcoal sketches of planes in a model's head and torso.

This illustration is from a different “How to Draw Faces” manual that simplifies Bridgman to an extreme degree while using the same principles.

'The painting in profile is all about color. The model wore brightly colored clothing and her face and hair seemed to reflect color in a lovely way that was a joy to paint. Portraiture is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever tried to do, and I’ve had many failures to bear this out, but it is also one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever tried to do." 

Nancy Spinadel, Pro

"Olive," roughed in

"Portrait of Olive," oil

Michael says: "Kelly (roughed in above) is a larger than life character and one of the sweetest people I know." 

"Kelly grew out his hair during 2020 and I learned a lot from  Kelly’s beard about the magical quality of grey - you can push it into a whole rainbow of color. Grey is like a portal to all colors, as it is in the “center” of a color wheel."

ELISSA BEREZNAK

People have always interested me. Now that I have been doing portrait drawings for a few years, I look at people where ever I am and draw them in my mind. My drawings are not photo realistic as I try to capture the essence of the person as well as a reasonably accurate drawing. I am still working on this skill both at home and in our group.

Marie says: "I added color to my drawing of the model because I sensed his inner brightness, How I feel while drawing and the connection I have with the movement of my arm, shoulder, and spine connects me to the person I'm drawing and the setting we're in. It's like practicing yoga and becoming present,

except my body indicates lines on paper that coincide with lines and

energy of a body or face."

Altman concludes: "Indicating light and shadow is a skill I"d like to gain over time".

Eleonora comments:

"The second is a young model... I have a harder time with pretty young faces, less texture, less angles. She was looking straight ahead, but I turned her gaze to the side just to give the portrait more interest and immediacy."