Sculpture drawings - David Constance Art

Introduction

I began studying sculptures to improve my figure drawing and became fascinated by the drama and the subtlety expressed by these amazing artists from the past.

At certain times of day the light is exquisite on the Parthenon sculptures in the British Museum. Hopefully I will capture it before they finally go home to Greece. Soft carbon pencil and wash.

The cast of Michelangelo’s ‘Rebellious slave’ is dwarfed by the ‘David’ nearby but definitely not overshadowed. I’ve attempted it at least a dozen times, this is my best effort so far. Pencil on paper.

Jason & the Minotaur sculpture at the V&A Museum, London. It was challenging to show the level of detail while keeping the dynamics of the pose simple. Nero pencil on A3 paper.

This pencil drawing of Michelangelo’s “Crouching Boy” is the first where I felt I had captured the tension in the figure and given a good account the intimate space created.

The most wonderful Henry Moore sculpture I’ve seen. I think it’s amazing that something unrealistic can suggest so much about how bones and limbs can feel. Worth the trip to Tate Britain alone.

Front view pencil drawing of the sculpture above – concentrating on the linear qualities rather than subtleties of form.

Another Henry Moore wonder in Tate Britain. Pencil on paper.

An experiment alternating between two viewpoints of Michelangelo’s ‘Rebellious Slave’ drawing one into the other while trying to keep each visible. Watercolour pencil and wash.

It’s difficult to give a sense of the flashing highlights on black stone of this Rodin sculpture, but it was so much fun drawing with this water-soluble carbon pencil that I just went for it.

This great show of George Baselitz sculptures and drawings at the Serpentine Gallery was so inspiring I had to have a go – and the staff were very encouraging. Pigment liners on paper.

Drawing of ‘Snow Lady Gourd’ a stunning ceramic work by Kate Malone at the V&A Museum. Quite a challenge to get the relative positions of the spheres, the surfaces and the light. A lot of erasing took place.

Study of bust of William Hogarth by Louis Francois Roubiliac, National Portrait Gallery. Graphite pencil on A3 paper.

Study of a detail of ‘Samson Slaying a Philistine’ by Giambologna. V&A, London.

2 studies of the gesturing hand of ‘Eve listening to the voice‘ by Edward Hodges Baily, V&A London. Sepia conte pencil on toned paper.

Conte pencil study of ‘Torso of Banovic Strahinja by Ivan Mestrovic. V&A, London.