Lesson 4: Human figure

How can you sketch a human figure with just a few lines? What should be light and what should be dark? And how can you express posture, emotion and character in just a few lines?

Of course we look at the master Rembrandt to see how he used this technique, but we also use the photographs of George H. Breitner.

##MATERIALS

• Pencil

• Sharpener

• Eraser

• Drawing block

• Sketch paper

In this lesson we look at:

• Standing man with bag, Rembrandt van Rijn, ca. 1629 - ca. 1630

• Standing man with stick, to the left, Rembrandt van Rijn, ca. 1629 - ca. 1630

• Poorly dressed farmer, hands on his back, holding a stick, Rembrandt van Rijn, approx. 1630

• Street view of the intersection Lindengracht Lijnbaansgracht in Amsterdam, George Hendrik Breitner, ca. 1890 - ca. 1910

• Horses with coach on the Leidseplein in Amsterdam, George Hendrik Breitner, ca. 1890 - ca. 1910