Chapter 1

The Power of FORCE

FORCE is a challenging topic to teach. It is far less obvious to witness than measurement and
proportion. Those topics are also, at times, difficult to instruct since they demand the visual clarity
of the artist for the awareness to occur. FORCE is invisible. It is not tattooed on the body. I have
experienced over the years that FORCE is more quickly understood if, at first, the artist draws striving
for the FORCE “experience.” Drawing with the line that I will present to you conveys a physical
activity. You must “feel” FORCE running through the figure by mimicking and understanding rhythmic
FORCES in the body. In the first few chapters, I will cover the basics of FORCE. For a deeper
understanding of the theory, read FORCE: Dynamic Life Drawing, 10th Anniversary Edition (2017).

This anniversary edition of FORCE has video tutorials that present what the FORCE experience of
drawing looks like as you see me create them.

At the time of publication of this book, I have been teaching drawing for 26 years. In those years I
experimented alongside the students I taught on what types of marks work best for FORCE and why.
I observed and became aware of students’ habits when they entered my classes and investigated why
they had those habits and how to change them. Some students changed quickly, others took much
longer…some never changed or grew at all.

If you are an instructor using this book for your class, don’t judge. In my early years of teaching, I
would have my own thoughts on who I thought would excel quickly and who would never get it early
in a term, and at times I was extremely surprised by the students’ results. Stay open to each student;
inspire them to learn! You will be amazed at who can take off like a rocket with a bit of focus and
encouragement.