Ultimate Guide to Learn Gesture Drawing

Categories: Pencil PerceptionsPublished On: April 21, 20210 Comments15.7 min read
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Gesture drawing is a type of loose sketching form that captures the basic form of the subject and expresses its movement. It is one of the favorite styles to draw figures that are full of emotion, although it can be used to draw any still figures or subject of your choice. As an artist, gesture drawing would seem more freeing than the other forms of drawing. It is an expression that is neither realistic nor abstract and is pretty simple wherein your hand tends to follow your eyes. Given below is an ultimate guide for learning gesture drawing that would help you develop the skill better.

Draw what you see

Imagine that you’re talking to someone and describing the subject with your hands as you talk. These hand gestures are much similar to the ones that you’d make when you are drawing gestures. These marks are much deliberate and quick. You’d look at the object and try to sum it up by drawing a few marks, just like you might describe it in words. Every mark, just like every word, is crucial when it comes to gesture drawing since it says something about the object.

When you make pencil art and draw gestures, you need to draw what the subject is doing and not what it looks like. You’d need to sense the object that you wish to draw. For Best Drawing Examples click here.

Exploring the feeling and form

When you are learning how to draw gesture drawing you must remember that this form of art tends to explore the movement and form of the subject in space. It can look realistic but the drawing would just possess a sense of the form.

Gesture drawing doesn’t refer to an abstract drawing or an outline and does not represent the subject photographically. Instead, it gives you the feeling of the subject. 

Making use of expressive marks

Gesture drawing, by nature, is a form of art that is done quickly. You look at the subject and notice its direction of pressure or weight, points of tension, spaces as well as protrusions into space. In figure drawing, you use circular, flowing marks due to the rounded human form. However, you can use different types of marks in gesture drawing as well. The perfect example of this contrast is the gesture drawing of a clenched fist. 

Gesture drawing exercises

You can make use of your favourite drawing medium to draw gestures. To make soft lines, you can use an ink pen or a pencil. You can also use charcoal or chalk side for making drawings with a strong feeling of both form and weight. Try pressing more heavily on one side of the charcoal or chalk for making tonal gradations. 

Hope these tips were helpful to you in learning what gesture drawing is all about. If you wish to learn in detail about this form of art, you can be considering taking up online art classes or some drawing lessons online. These would benefit you by dwelling the skill in you and making you an amazing artist!

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