From the course: Drawing Foundations: Figure
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Recognizing symmetry and asymmetry using the plumb line
From the course: Drawing Foundations: Figure
Recognizing symmetry and asymmetry using the plumb line
- It's important to recognize symmetry and asymmetry in the body. When the shoulders angle down to one side and the hips angle down to the other, this is called "contrapposto," an Italian word, simply meaning "counterpose." Look at how the shoulder on this side is higher than the shoulder on this side. We can drag a line between them to show the dramatic angle of these two points to each other. If we then drop down to the hip points here and here, we can drag a similar line across to see the angle of the hips to each other. Now look, this angle and this angle oppose each other, counterpose. Once we recognize this opposing angle, we may want to come in and connect these two lines with a "C" curve. This "C" curve echos what the spine is doing. So we have a line for the shoulders, a line for the hips, and because they oppose each other, we know that the spine is curved in that direction. Another thing that reiterates that idea is that this totally connects to the primary gesture of the…
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