I wanted to share another project I’ve been working on, showing some WIP images until I get to the final, suggestions and critiques welcome.
These are still very rough, and the topology isn’t the greatest, the pose is most likely to change slightly, but it’s close to what I have in mind.
I like the humanity in your work,
I like the fact that you’re not looking in the same places as the herd,
and most of all I like the fact that you share your journey to a destination clearly tangible to anyone who follows your progress just as it is to yourself . So yeah I always like to see what you’re up to.
With this piece , I can’t help but wonder how it would look if you put the sense of carving back in to work from which it is inspired?
Constructive observation.
The balance and/or tensions of the pelvis, chest and head are always best served if the lateral vertical alignment landmarks of the ear tragus down to acromium, great trochanter, gerdy’s tubercle and tarsal joint are followed regardless of sex. Break the rules around that rule , this and others being your fixed points for artistic liberties.
Although African art does not follow the Greek passions for oppositional tilts in balance it does follow the rule of balance from a lateral view with regard placing lateral landmarks in correct line. If the fixed points of armature i.e acromion are out of lateral alignment with the ear ,trochanter etc it can make such things as pectorals insert in direction to the acromion , make heads project or recede, make feet seem too far forward etc If there’s a narrative reason to create tensions by such devices that is a different story.
Whilst the overlaps, curves and straights ,silhouette, character,appeal and negative spaces are all considered - the balanced tilts you naturally put in to your female figures you seem to modify for your males. Being no difference between the female or male skeleton’s landmarks of vertical balance I ponder why you skew this representing the male form? Stylistically I think it’s because you’re trying to caricature the butt pull in, the crotch push out and the chest relationship currently in a particular way. Adding a tighter accentuated/caricature spinal curve above the butt to make it optically seem pulled in yet whilst maintaining balanced alignment with the furthest projection of the back is the way to go rather than pulling the pelvis forward.
An accentuated curve placed in the tuck of the spine just above the butt creates an enhanced sense of a forward traveling rib cage which culminates optically in a sense of forward thrust down in to the pubis. If you don’t believe me check out Tom Of Finland’s art (be warned the images contain frisky gentlemen with big mustaches waggling big sausages).
I hope my well meaning ramblings were of some personal and constructive relevance,
Best wishes,
Boozy
Cool proportions! I really love that horse!
Thanks dylan, it’s fun figuring things out as I go along.
Hey Boozy
thanks for such a detailed analysis, I have to confess my knowledge of anatomical landmarks and their respective names is seriously lacking, so I didn’t find it slightly hard to follow your critique.
Ill try and break it down and explore some of your suggestions, such a helpful community member, and I appreciate that