Figure drawing critique needed
2yr
@mil3s
Here is a quick figure drawing I did the other day, I'm roughly trying to do it in the Russian academic style (example image attached). Any critique would be welcome.
When you work from life (which seems common among the Russian Academic folks), you have the advantage of all of the dynamic sensitivity of the human eye, which can see detail in the light and dark parts of a model that the camera really struggles with.
Feel free you give yourself the same advantage! If you have access to Photoshop (or any of the free alternatives, which have the same basic tools) just create a copy of the image with the exposure turned way up (so you can get more details from the darks), way down (so you can get more detail from the lights), or the contrast boosted (so that you can see subtle details easier).
Optimally, if you were shooting your own reference, you'd take multiple photos with different exposures, but even with an existing image this can help a lot.
Also, very "academic" approaches to drawing tend to emphasize REALLY taking your time and nailing your measurements, and then slowly building up values, very carefully (as opposed to a more "illustration" approach where you might do a drawing like this in 3 hours total). Stephen Bauman's Patreon (or he has a course on Proko.com) is one of the most accessible resources for this kind of drawing. He's not exactly a Russian Academic guy, but he does lean very far to the academic side of things (while maintaining a "not QUITE so mind numbingly rigorous" approach). The best way to nail that supernaturally pristine academic drawing look is to take your sweet time and follow the a rock solid method.
I agree with what @Leandro Alli said and I will add that the reference image is a challenging one. The light hitting the model is blown out so much that the form is flat. What you were able to pull out of it is great.
Next time look for images that don't have over exposed highlights or under exposed shadows.
This YT channel has some great examples of well exposed images: https://www.youtube.com/c/VandartGallery/videos
Also see art station for tons of wonderfully shot images at great prices: https://www.artstation.com/marketplace/game-dev
Hope that helps!
Very nice! Great proportions and very beautiful hatching. The face looks very beautiful.
I have two critiques, I belive the rib cage has too much contrast. My eyes immediately jumped to it. I think that you could simplify it a bit more, just like you did in other areas of the drawing. Maybe tone down the reflected light. And I think the edges of the ribs are a bit too hard aswell.
And my other critique would go the lower abdominal region, It's hard to see on the reference but I think that the abs ended up being too flat.
Great drawing overall! Cheers!