Filling in the Gaps - Visualising the human form
May and June 2025
a 3- day ONLINE workshop by Somnath Pal
Many artists find themselves trapped in a creative rut, struggling to visualise the human form from unconventional angles. Often, gaps in our understanding of form and structure hinder our ability to break free from repetitive drawing routines. This workshop is designed to bridge those gaps—not merely to refine your technical skills, but to empower you to discover your unique artistic voice through dynamic figure drawing.
Day 1: Embracing Form, Shape, and Gesture
Begin your journey by delving into the fundamental elements of form and shape, enhanced by lateral thinking techniques that inspire you to break away from repetitive, conventional approaches. Explore how gesture serves as a powerful guiding tool in visualising the human figure from a multitude of perspectives—whether seen from extreme low or high angles. You'll examine both the bony framework of the body and the interplay between movable and immovable joints, uncovering how these elements can be creatively manipulated to twist, turn, and reimagine the figure. Specific examples and exercises will illustrate, for instance, how a subtle shift in the hip’s orientation or the flex of a shoulder can dramatically alter a pose, providing a fresh visual narrative.
Day 2: Deep Dive into Muscular Mechanisms and Visual Composition
On the second day, shift your focus to the underlying muscle mechanics that breathe life into every form. Gain an in-depth understanding of how muscles interact beneath the skin, allowing you to accurately render the nuanced tension and relaxation that occur in complex poses. Through targeted exercises, learn to visualize muscle groups from challenging camera angles—whether capturing the dramatic perspective from a low viewpoint or the expansive clarity of a high angle. This session is designed to elevate your ability to depict twisted and contorted forms with anatomical accuracy and expressive flair, ensuring that every drawing is imbued with a sense of dynamic realism. We will also be exploring the rich interplay between influences, personal interests, and artistic expression. We will talk about personalizing your approach to figure drawing, where lensing and composition are used to enhance the emotional and conceptual depth of your work. Additionally, discover how thoughtful composition can serve as a motivational tool, guiding the viewer’s eye and adding layers of meaning to your drawings.
Day 3 - Personal feedback and time for Q&A
This day is dedicated to reviewing all the practical exercises you did in class and as homework. You will receive personal feedback from Somnath and have time to ask all of your questions.
This workshop is suitable for intermediate to advanced artists. A good foundation in figurative drawing is advised in order to get the most of this workshop. If you are uncertain if this workshop is for your level write us an email (info@drinkanddrawberlin.com). Both traditional and digital artists are welcome!
Somnath Pal aka Som (as he prefers to be called) is a Superani artist and an animation filmmaker, art director and comic book illustrator based out of Mumbai, India. He graduated as an Electrical Engineer but soon gravitated to the visual arts and pursued a two year Masters Programme in Animation from IDC, IIT Bombay. His absolute fascination with the visual media has seen him don multiple hats including production design for the award winning live action film Court to animating and directing his own animated short Death of a father, to working with a VFX studio as an art director. His love for sequential stories has brought him back to drawing for comics making his debut with Crocodile Black for Boom Studios in collaboration with Phillip Kennedy Johnson. He is currently working on an erotic thriller based out of India. In addition he is working on his animated short “Getting Ready”.
Date and Time?
Saturday, May 31st 2025 // 10:00 - 15:00h CEST
Saturday, June 7th 2025 // 10:00 - 15:00h CEST
Saturday, June 14th 2025 // 10:00 - 15:00h CEST
Where?
ONLINE on the Drink and Draw Discord Server. About 5 days prior to the first workshop day you will receive an email with the Server invitation and all other relevant info.
Who?
Tickets?
265,00 Euro
What do you need to bring?
A good internet connection, webcam and mic are optional.
