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| 8/10/24 volleyball students at Maple Leaf Park |
With subjects like these – people moving quickly but usually taking only a few specific gestures – I study the various movements for a while, then try to capture the ones that happen most commonly. The ones in which the player is anticipating hitting the ball are the easiest – I have the same amount of time in anticipation of the pose to mentally prep before I observe the hit. I found the serve to be the hardest, as it’s the most complex motion – each arm having a different movement at the same time. Not being a volleyball player myself made the job harder; I could observe the motion, but my body is not familiar with it.
In all cases, it’s really more an exercise in drawing from memory rather than observation, since the motion is long over by the time my brush pen has attempted to emulate it.
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| The middle and right gestures were serves -- a complex motion. |
I think you did pretty well with the poses...they are not easy! I took a volleyball class once and quit after I got hit in the face. I'm not too sporty. lol
ReplyDeleteI learned to play volleyball to fulfill a college PE requirement and absolutely loved it, although I never could serve worth a damn. The only thing I didn't love is the way the guys on each co-ed team refused to stay in their positions when the ball was in play and would constantly race to the net and take away the move I was ready to make to send a ball back over the net. So when while playing the net, the guy on the other side spiked the ball heavily into my face, the look on his face going from triumph to horror and hearing him say, "AlRIGHT . . . oh NO! was almost worth it, overly competitive guy. He came right under the net to check on me and I got quite a lot of attention from worried players and the teacher, sat out the rest of the class and was right back at it the next time we met. It's the only sport I enjoy playing and am any good at because I too am not particularly sporty, and frankly have never been interested in keeping score. Sorry your experience put you off it but understand totally. I got bullied into playing flag football for my dorm, something I really had no interest in doing, and quickly pulled a groin muscle. No more football for me! But I still love a good game of volleyball.
DeleteJoan, I had the same experience... got hit in the face! That was it for me, too!
DeleteI admire those who sketch anything in movement. I've tried it a few time - a sail boat out on a choppy lake for instance, and hadn't thought about it being an exercise in memory, but I realize now that you are right. With the sail boat I realized I kept waiting for it to return to the position where I'd started to sketch, which its rocking somewhat did, but I think I also thought about sketching ahead of that return, based on memory. Good point and good effort on your part to capture the action.
ReplyDeleteLike anything, it's just a matter of practice! I don't get many opportunities to see a volleyball game, though, so this was challenging fun!
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