Painting The Figure In Watercolor

The figure is included in this book for the benefit of those readers who have studied in life classes and who have had some basic training in figure drawing and anatomy. Figure painting is not for the beginner. However, those who lack the required experience may find in this section of the book enough stimulation to arouse an interest in drawing the figure.

As with every picture, we start with composition and placement of the subject. What will be the most interesting pose, the most striking? Should we use a full-figure or a half-figure? Should the figure be standing or reclining? Would a front, side, rear, or three-quarters view be most effective? If you are working from a model, you are now faced with the active problem of creating your composition, background, lighting, arrangement of accessory objects, etc. In landscape painting, nature conveniently provides all of the props, which you can paint as is or re-arrange. But in painting the figure, the entire arrangement and structure of the picture is up to you. You are completely on your own.

As can be seen in the drawings shown on the opposite page, I arrived at the composition after making several thumbnail sketches. I felt that the final arrangement was a provocative pose and that night light would add to the atmosphere or mood. In sketch 1, I started with the triangular motif for proportionate division of space and for a strong design. As is commonly known, the triangle is the most powerful of all abstract forms. Sketches 2 and 3 as well as the small-figure action sketches are possible alternates to the first pose. Sketch 4 shows the results of a process of elimination. Here the composition has been simplified to accent the figure.

When I decided on the final pose, I very carefully drew the figure, accentuating the rhythm of the torso and the arms, with the legs remaining fixed. The background was drawn in last, with the same careful attention to details.

LILI

In painting any watercolor, I paint from light to dark. I work this way in painting a figure because it is difficult to recapture the light areas once the dark tones have been painted. Since I do not recommend the use of opaque white pigment, all white areas must be carefully planned.

When starting to paint, lay in the large areas first — such as background, floor, screen. Before finishing these areas, start painting the figure in light tones. However, the background must be dry before this is done. When the paint on the figure is semi-dry, paint in the large shadow areas in middle tones, carefully following the construction of the figure. Then add the darker tones in the spine, right side of back, and buttocks. After the figure is completely painted, soften the edges on the light side with a one-quarter inch oil bristle brush. When complete, do the background.

After the background has been painted, take a final wash of ultramarine blue, cadmium orange, and cadmium red and wash over the entire background to soften any hard edges. The same thing can be done over the figure in warm colors if the edges appear hard. The colors used in the figure are: Indian red, cadmium red, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, sepia, Hooker's green, and black.

In my painting of the figure, here is the actual sequence of color application. I first laid on a very light wash of yellow ochre. While this was still wet, I used Hooker's green, Indian red, and sepia in the shadow area; in the buttock area I added a touch of alizarin crimson to these colors. After this application and while the picture was damp rather than wet, I deepened the values, using the same mixture of colors. Then, after the picture was dry, I accentuated the spine by using my bristle brush to lighten the area indicated. Colors in the hair are black, ultramarine blue, mauve, and a touch of burnt sienna. In the feet I used the same mixture as in the figure only I used slightly more alizarin crimson. The figure was painted on a 300-pound rough rag paper.

LILI

The Single-Line Figure
 
The use of the single line figure is as old as the Hieroglyphic Age, and yet in modern day art this form of expression is still ageless and useful. To get the "feel" of drawing a figure in every possible action, make literally hundreds of these one-dimensional drawings and don't think of it as a chore. This can be a lot of fun.

With these primitive indications you can portray glee, dejection, sorrow, defiance and actions of all kinds. When you have the framework and action desired, dress the figure up, starting with your basic line. See the figures below. The beginner would be wise to keep the figure small to avoid excessive detail.

Wrist And Arm Exercises
 
Opposite, the figure is shown seated, standing, and prone. In the seated figure we start with a single line to determine action and proportion. Note the use of the triangle to give rhythm and to aid in the structure of the entire figure without the use of a model.
Try several figure sketches in different positions and observe how the use of the triangle helps your drawing. This method is especially good when working from life because it will help give your drawing movement, action, and grace. You will note that in drawing the triangle you will be using wrist motion almost exclusively. Working with the wrist is good for getting detail. However, for freedom and boldness in drawing, the circle is a much better form. In drawing the circle, make a conscious effort to move your entire arm, not just your hand. Practice in drawing the single line figure (see page 37) is an aid in learning rhythm and proportion. The final sketches, shown at the right, use both wrist and arm motion and therefore both the triangular and the circular figures should be Practiced. Below are simplified illustrations, showing the use of the triangle and the circle in constructing the human figure. The line and circle at left shows that the figure is divided in half. By adding to this vertical, the figure is broken up into its abstract form. I drew these with a quill pen on smooth hard-

surfaced paper.

The Six-Step Figure

Your landscapes and other outdoor pictures may look lonely without figures. Here is a very simple way to add figures to your paintings even if you don't understand the first thing about anatomy. It might be called the six-stroke figure.

Use warm and cold colors, experimenting until you are satisfied with the result. See small figures on page 45 for color ideas. Figures will be more successful if you do not allow any color to dry during the painting operation. In other words, let the colors run together; this will provide a spontaneous result.

Peopling A Landscape

On pages 40 and 41 we see what looks like a commuter, complete with bowler hat and attaché case. Here I have equipped the same character with a wool cap and gun (or maybe it's a Geiger counter), and set him walking down the road. It is interesting to notice how different the scene is in the bottom picture without him. My purpose in showing the two pictures is to contrast the effects rather than to demonstrate that one is better than the other.

Notice, too, that in the picture in which I have included the figure, I have lightened the sky and lowered the horizon line. This tends to make the figure appear larger than it really is. If the horizon line were placed high, the same size figure would have been dwarfed by the immensity of the landscape.

No Skating

This scene was observed in a small Connecticut resort town. It struck me immediately, and I could hardly wait to translate it into a painting. The awkwardness of the children and their disappointment in not being able to skate established the mood.

This painting was carefully drawn in pencil before final rendition in color. It is obvious that the figures in this painting were not done with six strokes like the little sketches below. Each one required several pencil drawings before completion. Such large, complicated figures must be drawn carefully after establishing the poses. A demonstration of my method of figure painting is given on pages 32-35.

Small Figures

The small figures at the bottom of the facing page were executed in the same way as the little man in the sequence demonstration on pages 40 and 41. In this case, however, I show a considerable number of figures in different poses in order to explain more clearly the effectiveness, speed, action, and freshness of this method of figure representation, which is so vital to watercolor painting.
 
Before putting the actual figure in your painting, make several practice attempts on scraps of the same kind of paper to get yourself into the swing of it. Do it in the same spirit in which a golfer takes a couple of trial swings before actually hitting the ball. Then when you put your figure in the actual painting, you'll do it boldly. You can't be afraid and be a good watercolorist.

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