The expressive gestural start is great, but at some point I need to measure for accuracy.
I really enjoy starting a figure drawing this way. It’s fluid, it’s expressive and a lot of fun. But when you start getting further and further away from the starting point (most of the time it is the head) there arises a need for measurement. I didn’t do any measurement on this drawing and it shows the most further from the head.
If you look at my comparative overlay you will see that the legs are way off not only in length but in width. I also have some issues with not making the torso as wide as it should have been also. I also see a normal issues with my drawings here. The further I get away from the head the larger everything gets.
At some point during the drawing process, I would guess early on so it is easy to correct, I need to measure and make sure my larger masses are correct, or else the rest of the time spent is doomed to fail.
I know it shouldn’t be a surprise that even an artist’s eye won’t be exact, but it is interesting how the drawing leans away from the photo. I don’t see anything precisely wrong with the distortion, but I know it’s important to be as exact as possible.