Portrait Drawing Lessons:
Drawing Conceptually - A Drawing of Medusa

Portrait Drawing Lessons - Drawing Conceptually 1

For the realist, figural artist the bulk of training lies in observing and understanding the structure of natural form. This training is an absolute necessity if we wish to pursue our expression further than simply rendering what we see. There will come a time when you will want to tell a story, express a narrative, where you will then have to

create the image out of your head relying on both memory and your understanding of anatomy and planar construction of form.

In the 18th and early 19th Centuries history painting was considered the ultimate genre for painters. One of the reasons for this was the high technical command required for bringing a concept to a plausible realization (i.e., a painting).

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Portrait Drawing Lessons - Drawing Conceptually 2

Theodore Gericault’s massive painting The Raft of the Medusa, 1819, is widely considered the penultimate achievement of history painting. The Raft of the Medusa is based on the true story of a French government frigate that sank on its journey to Senegal in 1816.

As with the Titanic sinking of 1912 there were insufficient lifeboats. A raft was hastily built and was meant to be attached and pulled by the lifeboats. Unfortunately the lines broke and the raft was cast adrift with 150 men onboard. Rescue came 17 days later. There were only 15 survivors.

With 150 men crowded onto an unstable raft adrift under a merciless equatorial sun and with little water and food unspeakable horrors soon erupted. Fights broke out between officers and enlisted men; African against European. On the first night adrift it is reported that 20 men were hacked to death with machetes and the travails only worsened culminating in a group of sailors cannibalizing the corpses littering the raft in order to maintain their strength so as to survive another night of murderous mayhem.

Before embarking on this major project Gericault preceded the work with innumerable studies: composition, sketches with posed models, color studies, etc. Needless to say, there were no photographic references in 1816 from which to work from. Gericault built up this monumental work from scratch working mostly from his imagination.

For this lesson we will tackle a more accessible project; we will construct a portrait in graphite working without any references other than our acquired skill set of drawing.

Portrait Drawing Lessons - Drawing Conceptually 3

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Arnold Bocklin, Medusa, 1878

The Greek and, later, Roman, myth of Medusa has been a favorite subject for artists throughout several millenia. All of the works illustrated here were painted out of the artist’s heads without a sitting model. Sketches drawn from life may have been used but, sooner or later, the artist must rely on their imagination and understanding of form and structure.

The Story of Medusa

Medusa was one of three Gorgon sisters, Stheno and Euryale were immortal, Medusa was not, who were vicious monsters with brass hands, sharp fangs and hair of venomous snakes.

The Roman myth of Medusa portrayed her as a beautiful maiden whose crowning glory were her locks of hair. Unfortunately, in some versions, Medusa was attacked and raped by Poseidon, the Lord of the Sea, in Athena’s temple.

Unjustly accused by an enraged Athena Medusa was punished by having her hair transformed into serpents and her face so terrible to look upon that she turned whoever looked upon her to stone.

The attack upon Medusa by Poseidon resulted in pregnancy. Alas, her ordeal was to continue: Perseus was dispatched by King Polydectes of Seriphus to bring back her head as a gift.

Perseus was outfitted with winged sandals, a Hades’ cap of invisibility and a mirrored shield. Thus attired Perseus decapitated Medusa and from her severed neck the winged horse Pegasus and the golden giant Chrysaor sprang forth.

Portrait Drawing Lessons - Drawing Conceptually 6
Rubens, Medusa, 1618