This blog...

...was initially for pieces done on a computer, but has since become a free-for-all. Here you'll find process work (digital and otherwise), sketch pages and studies, sometimes with commentary.

You can see the rest of my work here.

Remember kids : if you can't make pretty designs, at least make pretty lines!

-Paul

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Girl/Girl Compo Experiment

I'm in the process of fine-tuning this approach into something Babe Lab-able, but if you let the ABSTRACT influence your 'intimate couple' shots rather than individual body parts, you'll get a more conjoined look.


1) Establish a 'portrait' or 'landscape' canvas orientation.
2) Abstractly partition the canvas into unequal 'active' and 'inactive' areas.  This can be almost anything, but keep it fairly streamlined.  DO NOT THINK ABOUT BODY PARTS AT THIS STAGE.
3) Partition the 'active' area into two unequal parts.  These will become a holding space for the two figures.  You want one to dominate.
4) Toss in some random diagonals for design grist.
5) Divide the canvas into thirds (represented by green dots here).
6) Use all of the above as a ROUGH spatial division plan, placing something of focal interest at one of the four third points.  Break from the abstract as needed, but try to keep its essence.

...

To randomize step 6, which is where the bulk of your invention will take place, go to the folder on your hard drive where you save all your naugty .jps (Don't pretend you don't have one.), and create a slideshow which changes every 15 seconds.  Use this to give your brain flashes of situations, angles, hairstyles and wardrobes to use in your compositions.  DO NOT LINGER ON ANY ONE IMAGE.



As a further test, I tried having a friend make a random shape for me and seeing what I could get out of it. I also had them choose the orientation of the dominant figure [represented below in red], 'bottom, left.'  Past attempts at drawing intimate couples failed because of this lack of a dominant figure, but the *really* encouraging news is that a figure (especially a partially obscured figure) can be fit into any simple abstract.  Your subconscious will have fun deciding how. The abstract is the answer!

4 comments:

Paul Reinwand said...

Reminds me of Loomis' approach to composition when he struggled w/ ideas, from Creative Illustration I believe. Love trying new approaches to brainstorming, thanks for sharing!

Paul Richards said...

Yeah, it's a form of informal subdivision, for sure.

Oscar Baechler said...

Came to mention Loomis also XD

Some other techniques I use when I can't get inspired:draw an abstract line of action, then attach figure. Abstract line of symmetry, then draw alien monster. Abstract shapes, then a figure. To go even more Freud, draw the abstraction, then sleep on it and fill it in the next day.

Thanks again for the always great posts!

Paul Richards said...

Sleeping on it is a great idea -- never tried it!