Figure and Ground Relationship

For this series, I have decided to use a thick, dark line to outline the figure. You can see this in the detail above in the forward hand, arm, and leg. 

Where the shadow meets the edge of a drawing, as shown in the back hand and arm, I will usually not use a hard line.  This allows the dark values do the work of the line. 

With the rock overhead much of the figure is in shadow.  So both the rock and figure cast shadows on the ground.  I kept this shadow minimal so as not to overwhelm the figure.  However, I used the cast shadow to bring out the highlights and middle gray areas of the foot and leg. 

Drawing Six Started

I have begun drawing 6. I decided that the last drawing should be a standing pose. So there will be two kneeling, two bent over, and two standing poses for these first six drawings in the series. Here is the initial line drawing with a little value added in the shadows.

Now I have begun to put in darker areas. In the drawing above there are only two values of shadows. I filled in the cast shadow on the ground. The cast shadow will determine some of the values in the figure, so I needed to get it in progress. I believe this figure will have short hair. Everyone asks if these are drawings of my wife, Maura. They are not. I used a professional model for all six of the drawings.

Now I have put a lot more detail in the back, darkening the shadows around the shoulder blades, spine, and legs.

Drawing Five Near Completion

Here is drawing five, close to completion. Today, I worked on the shadows. We artists like to call shadows values. First I worked on the rock's shadows. They were too regular. Rocks, like all natural things, are irregular. They still need further darkening. I added the exterior contour line. After looking at it now; I will probably make the lines darker still. I am pleased with the arm in the background; the value gradation turned out well. Where the hand comes close, but does not quite meet the shadow on the floor, is a nice tension. I'm going to darken the cast shadow on the ground below the figure. The shape of the cast shadow on the ground is more interesting than all the previous drawings.