Structural model of profile drawing - Hokusai, Matisse, Picasso, Durer, Moronobu

Whenever I search for “Hokusai manga”, a page about "The Blind” will come up on top.

 This book is popular among manga artists, but painters don't seem to be interested in it.

Rather than viewing this as an introductory book on how to draw, it is interesting to see it as containing the secrets to achieving artistic effects.

Of the 24 images on the double-page spread of ``Hokusai Manga '' only one is a profile image.                   

Hokusai [hokusaimanga Mekura]

                           arc-circle model

 In the West, profile is a traditional method for coins and portraits.

                     Matisse [Pierre aA Fieu] 1947 

               arc-circle model  

This picture is made up of only nine line- segments made up of arcs of circles of seven different sizes.

I found very interesting Picasso drawing which clearly shows typical technique of arc-circle method.

                          Picasso [ Profil sculptural de Marie-Thérèse]


                   Picasso [ Profil sculptural de Marie-Thérèse] arc-circle model

It doesn't matter what role Marie Therese played in Picasso's private life.

Anyone who habitually enjoys collecting Picasso's digital works will notice that this shows typical Picasso technique.

It is difficult to explain Picasso's technique based on his so-called masterpieces ``Guernica'' and ``Avignion.''

We should start with simpler shapes.

 Though　Picasso　and　Matisse　were　inspired　by　Cezanne, the method was　well　known　among Renaissance artists.

                Albrecht Dürer　Constructed Head of a Man in Profile, ca. 1512–13

                arc circle model

Dürer, who wrote ``Four Books on Human Proportion,'' seems to have a similar temperament to Hokusai.

Now I remembered Moronobu' s [Mikaeri bijin]is also a profile painting.



             Arc-circle model


Collecting profiles is not a scientific classification method. 
The final classification should be based on geometric shapes. 
 Collecting simple shapes is just the first step in making a geometric comparison. When you look at a picture as a network pattern, it becomes geometric. You can easily see the elements that can be measured.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Geometrical quantification of taste judgment in the case of Harunobu

Image
     Koryusai on the left  Harunobu on the right I found a work that imitate Harunobu's "Gojorei" by Koryusai, who is said to be a follower of Harunobu.   It is well known  that it is based on Harunobu's work [Gojounorei] . It can be imagined that the kimono figure on the left was brought from somewhere and synthesized without changing the kimono figure on the right. Musically speaking, the right and left kimonos are not made with the same scale. It will be clear if I make arc model. As all the parts are not made at the same time, Koryusai could not adjust the harmony  and balance. Early ukiyo-e painters shared patterns and  drew similar pictures. Harunobu's artistry lies in how well it is structured. All the curved lines are arcs  and the circles of the arcs are limited. the largest and the second largest circles make basic structure.                   Harunobu [Gojourei]  ...
Read more

An AI robot with no artistic appreciation ability can mechanically select works that are harmonious and balanced.

Image
  My daily image search for Matisse's drawings reveals that  there is a mixture of casually drawn pieces and well-balanced pieces, but they are easily distinguishable with taste judgement. The latter type is often lithograph. Recently I found something a little unfamiliar.      Henri Matisse, Plate 153. Florilège des Amours de Ronsard, 1948 At first glance, their hairstyles are almost same and they are facing right but they are different in size. The two shapes are just barely on the right,  so it looks like Matisse is trying for best one profile, but if you look closely, it's a pretty well-balanced composition. I can guess that this to be carefully crafted.   Harmony can be achieved by using only arcs of a limited number of circles, and balance can be adjusted by bundling those circles together.  Only a limited number of artists who know about this technique are already using it.  Conversely, an AI robot without artistic appreciat...
Read more

Picasso "Female Nude with Arms Raised"　1907 in the Sainsbury Collection ; more interesting than Les Demoiselles D’Avignon

Image
In the previous blog "Cézanne, Seurat and Beardsley arrived at the same technique", I wrote two conditions of modern art from the level of formalism: Constructing with only arcs of a few circles of different sizes creates harmony. Then the circles can be used to create a balanced structure. 　    Picasso “Female Nude with Arms Raised” 　 1907 in the Sainsbury Collection    Picasso “Female Nude with Arms Raised” 　 arc-circle model According to the explanation of the museum that owns this work, it is a study for Les Demoiselles D'Avignon, But if you look at the work itself 、 this painting is more complete. Comments without a structural model don't make much sense.  The model reminds me of Seurat's "Study of Model".    Seurat "Study of the Model"    Seurat "Study of the Model" arc-circle model.
Read more