Put 'em up!

I've been dutifully doing hand studies and face studies and occasionally a little study of the shoulder in a particular position.  I've been pretty happy with the result but now that those areas do not have as many glaring issues I've noticed a new problem to focus on.  (If you are new to drawing or painting this is something you need to get used to.  You will forevermore be seeking to improve on one thing or another...)

My figure's overall poses feel stiff and well, posed...I figured the best way to learn the natural rhythms and flows of the human form was through both careful observation as well as repetition/rote memorization.

Pencil on paper, 9 x 12 inches.

These are all little gesture drawings based on photographs (Thanks Google images!).  Each was done in under 30 seconds.  The idea for me is to stop letting my thinking get in the way.  Just draw what I see, then more on to the next one.  There isn't time to think about angles or proportion, it's simple quick reproduction of what I'm seeing. 

If I do enough of these over a long period of time I'm hoping I will develop an innate sense of what makes a pose balanced, fluid and dynamic.

I'm not really sure why I did pictures of boxers...

Please leave a message...

...because I'm busy painting a clementine.

Watercolor on paper, 5 x 8 inches.

Some people go for a jog, while others browse the internet.  Some people even eat during their lunch break.  If I've brought my travel kit with me (which ironically is carried in a black insulated lunch bag), I like to do a little painting.

I found orange to be a particularly difficult color to work with.  I'm sure with more practice I'd be able to achieve the vibrancy I desire.  While I am perfectly happy with this piece, the darks and middle tones read a bit more like burnt orange than orange orange.