Comments on: Figure Quick Sketch – Torso Study

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:43:47 +0000

Great resource. Thanks for posting these. I wonder if you could talk a bit more about gesture in the Reilly method. In your examples of the beginning of the drawings being blocked there doesn’t seem to be a lot, if any, “gesture” yet in your .

I was taught to use long sweeping lines of action and motion to get the gesture. How does gesture fit in if you begin by finding plot points and laying in the structure based off of that?

Thanks again for some great information.

By: Linda

Linda — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:13:11 +0000

Hello, do you have videos for home use. Im teaching my self how to draw and I want to learn gesture and drawing people.Love the way you teach alot. I have started art late in my life and not being able togo to classesthishelpsso
And I thank you for this,
Linda

By: Pepito

Pepito — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:05:53 +0000

Hi there, great tutorial, thanks for posting it, i´ve been trying it out but get on trouble when the figure in a side view, 3/4 view or just when it´s bending, so i was wondering if you could post some examples of the different views

thanks a lot in advance

By: Kaleo

Kaleo — Mon, 10 May 2010 22:21:07 +0000

Many useful tips on your site. However, I am puzzled by two things in your torso demo:

1. the use of a ballpoint pen.

2. the odd way in which you hold it.

By: admin

admin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:34:24 +0000

Thats great stinky. Glad to see you’re out there drawing. Cast shadows usually create crisp edges because they completely block the path of light. But it all depends on the intensity of the light and the ambient. If you practice drawing with a single, dominant light source it will be much easier to see a clear shadow pattern and get those really sharp edges.

By: stinky472

stinky472 — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:36:38 +0000

Thanks very much! I believe I understand. Mainly in my studies I come across the terms “soft” and “hard” edges but never heard “crisp” and “firm” before. If I understand correctly, a firm edge is medium (not so soft but not so hard) and crisp is a hard edge (sharp contour).

I love the look of the shading using this Reilly method. It seems so economical and yet those firm edges around the core shadows really seem to suggest the roundness and turning of the forms. Since you explained to me it makes sense now why the cast shadows would have crisp edges since those are supposed to be very flat.

I think the hardest method (aside from proper construction of the form) is trying to simplify those values into a shadow pattern. Yours form such broad shapes and I find it difficult to discern a shadow pattern which covers the entire form. Perhaps I’m getting too distracted by the subtle changes in value (which makes me wonder where I should continue the contour of the shadow pattern), but this is something I’d love to master since I’m currently attending live drawing sessions where the longest pose is only 15 minutes and most of them are only 1-5 minutes.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:33:48 +0000

Thanks for checking it out stinky. Great question. Edgework is key. A crisp edge is fine, sharp edge. Think of a thin, crisp line. A firm edge is between crisp and soft. It’s a soft edge that still has shape. So it’s not quite sharp, not quite soft, but somewhere in between. It’s better if I show you an example than try to explain it. Send me a pm or I’ll post a tutorial in the future.

By: stinky472

stinky472 — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:40:57 +0000

Thanks for the awesome tutorial! I have a little question. Could you define what a crisp edge and firm edge is? I believe I understand the difference based on looking at the picture and how you drew the edges where there is the greatest contrast as opposed to those with lower contrast but want to make sure.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:05:11 +0000

Thanks for the props Carlos! Well you are in luck. NY is the original source. I dont know any specific teachers, but Reilly Method came from the Art Students League of New York. As far as I know, there are a lot of top guys and master teachers there. If you check out, please update me with a field report. http://www.theartstudentsleague.org/

By: carlos

carlos — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:37:12 +0000

i have seen many, many artists using the reilly method for figure drawing. my eye can now spot the beautiful distinctive look of these drawings and paintings. your website offers the most clear information on the subject that i’ve seen.

my problem is all of the teachers and classes for this very specific ilustration style seem to be in southern california.

do you know any teachers in ny who teach this?

thanks