Above: Model poses range in duration from 30 seconds to 15 minutes in the Agitator drawing sessions.

Since 2018, Agitator Gallery has hosted live model figure drawing sessions within the gallery.

Figure drawing, also known as life drawing, is the art of accurately representing the human figure. The ultimate goal of figure drawing is to capture the essence of the human body—its muscles, texture, postures, and movement. It is a great way to learn about structure and anatomy. It can help artists develop a better understanding of form and shape and helps them in mastering proportions, angles, and other details.

Figure drawing has been central to artist training since the Renaissance. Practicing figure drawing is essential for understanding human movement and form complexities. It requires the artist to observe the figure in detail, paying attention to proportion, form, and movement and it allows for experimentation as an artist learns to capture action, movement, and emotion in their drawings, as well as create dynamic poses that have an emotional impact on the viewer.

By practicing figure drawing, artists can also learn how to use lines and shapes to create a sense of movement and energy. Drawing from life is one of the best ways to capture figures in motion because it lets you observe the figure’s movements directly.

A Figure Drawing Salon: November, 2023

Local artists share samplings of their drawings created during Agitator figure drawing sessions.