Arm Variations | Informal Arm Variations | Formal Arm Variations | Further Arm Variations | Finger Spacing | Finger Flexion | The Hand and the Object | The Line of an Object | The Weight of Objects | Expressive Hands | Shouting Hands | Talking Hands | Quiet Hands

REATE ARM  POSITIONS WITH A CUT-OUT

ARM VARIATIONS

may be countless, but good photographic variations are limited both by the camera's station and the effect the picture is to pro­duce upon the viewer.

Mentally to transpose real arms (which are free to move in three dimensions) into an image of arms (which appears on the two dimensional picture surface) is diffi­cult - unless you think in terms of their limitations.

Arrangements inspired by cut-out fig­ures (such as the one illustrated) incorpo­rate all of these limitations by suggesting positions relatively unaffected by the cam­era's flattening power and by avoiding the danger zones in which the arms may shrink or grow.

Make your own cut-out. You will be amazed at the interesting variations and patterns you can create and then imitate.

Trace the outline of the body on the left and transfer it to cardboard. Next cut out two parts of each of the three arm segments illustrated here. With ordinary thumb tacks, assemble each arm at the elbow and wrist. Next, turn the arm over and tack it to the body at the shoulder joint.

Now move the arms about and see how they suggest ideas from which you may work!

This figure has proved so graphic in il­lustrating the limitations placed by the camera upon arm movement in pictures that many photographers have put large-scale versions upon their studio walls and use them to direct inexperienced models into positions they want. Before an im­portant sitting they may even experiment with it themselves - create useful informal and formal variations.

INFORMAL ARM VARIATIONS

offer endless possibilities. They are inter­esting to work with and add definite artis­try and impact to a pose.

As you experiment with informal arm patterns you must establish compatibility.

One arm is usually of prime importance by its position (nearest the camera) or by its action, while the other is of secondary im­portance and is relatively unobtrusive.

When one arm moves in deference to the authority of the other, emphasis is gained in either design or impression or both.

Arms can add linear interest or become part of the design. They can combine to lengthen their own lines, with parts of the body to lengthen its contour lines, or with drapes or props to lengthen the lines of the latter.

Regardless of their purpose or pattern, the arms must stop somewhere. Think of the ten basic places at which hands stop (page 68) and arrange your cutout figure's arms with the stops in mind. Start by trying to ... put one hand behind the body while you move the other to each position. ... use the same stops with different hand or wrist positions.

... place both hands on the same hand-stop (both on the same pocket, same side of the neck, etc.). ... experiment with each hand on a different hand-stop (one in a pocket while the other is touching a lapel... etc.).

... have one arm send the eye in a specific direction while the other moves quietly to each of the stops. (Try not to confuse the eye by doing very separate and dramatic things with each hand.) ... see how many combined line arrangements you can make (or detect in our illustrations) in which the arm or a part of it extends the other arm, a part of the body or a prop.

FORMAL ARM VARIATIONS


are primarily used for emphasis and decora­tion. They are frontal in form, often unnatural in position and usually perfect in de­sign. Their arrangement can almost be deemed architectonic.

Formal patterns are created when each arm forms exactly the same pattern as the other at the same distance from the cam­era. Notice how much strength they imply when you arrange them symmetrically on your cut-out figure.

Let the hands stop simultaneously at:

... each of the ten basic hand-stops (page 68);

... ten different spots on the page in which the hand touches nothing (one hand on one side of the body and the other in a similar position on the other side);

... ten different positions on a vertical line ex­tending directly through the center of the body.

By now you will have discovered both the indentical and the inverse formal arrange­ments that fall within these strict limitations.

Identical (formal arm positions) not only form the same patterns within and around the body, but they do so in exactly the same way.

Inverse (formal arm positions) invert the patterns formed by the arms: one may go in one direction and the other, in exactly the opposite. We illustrate a few to encour­age you to try some of your own. Many of them can be arranged by placing the upper arms in opposition to each other and then making the forearms parallel.

At times, the hands do not complete this inverse pattern but send the eye off in a single direction by assuming identical positions.

FURTHER ARM VARIATIONS

become evident as the body turns in a side or J view to the camera.

If you care to experiment again with the cut-out idea, you can trace these additional body views and tack the original arms to either of them.

In the side view, the arms should be attached with one tack in the center of the shoulder. The 3/4 view seems more realistic if the arm furthest from the camera is plac­ed behind the figure.

Once again the arms will perform for you camera wise and demonstrate the great variety of positions available to you in their pinwheel action.

Try arranging all arm positions with spe­cific intent. Definite thought must be given to their relationship to each other. As in the full front views, one usually attracts more attention than the other and is placed in a way that will not detract from its effec­tiveness.

These pinwheel arms should send your creative ideas spinning into new variations and patterns. Give them a whirl, for arms are seldom used to the extent of their ver­satility and adaptability in creative arrange­ments.

FINGERS SPACED AT EVEN INTERVALS

FINGERS GROUPED: ONE-THREE-ONE

LETS TAKE THE HAND

out of its box. (If you remember, on page 65 we purposely enclosed it in a box to avoid confusing five-finger detail.)

But, let's not, while seeking variation, open the box too hastily - for a handful of thumbs may fly out! Release the hand from its compound bulk very carefully for odd finger arrangements can look like many things they are not. Remember the hand shadow grams you made when you were a child? The donkey's head; the duck, the wolf! So it is in pictures, hands can take on the appearance of unretouchable deformities ... a handful of bananas, a snake's head or even a lobster's claw can appear from nowhere and cling to the end of the arm.

Release the fingers . . .

as though you were cutting the stitching on a glove in which all the fingers were sewn together. Release the thumb first and if you use the hand in this stage, be sure to watch where the thumb goes.

As you set the remaining fingers free, give them identity. You started with the thumb, release the index finger next; there's no mistaking that one. Next the middle finger and the ring finger and last and least the little finger, the pinky. When directing fingers, you'll find it much clearer to think of them in these terms rather than first finger, second finger, third ..., etc. in which one can very easily be mistaken for the other. Equipped with these descriptive terms, any model can take direction with­out looking at her fingers ... to see if she has the right number!

Finger spacing . . .

varies; it may be even or uneven ... one-two-two; one-three-one; three-two; etc.

FINGER FLEXION

is the simple movement of the fingers clos­ing (or opening) shown here to the right in profile.

Finger arrangements are measured, not only by the degree of flexion (how much the fingers flex), but also by whether the flexing is simultaneous or heterogeneous.

When the fingers are clenched simultane­ously in tight flexion, the fist becomes square and tense. As the hand opens and the fingers are but slightly flexed, it reaches its most relaxed and graceful state. The hand is longest when the fingers are fully extended.

Gradual finger flexion (from one edge of the hand to the other) terminates in an interesting diagonal. When the hands are fairly open and the fingers flex in different degrees at the same time (starting with the index finger flexed ever-so-slightly and the middle finger more-so, etc.) there is easy grace in the position. As this heterogeneous flexing continues and comes to the closed fist, we find a relaxed fist closed on the diagonal that denotes strength without depicting anger (like the squarely clenched fist).

Whichever edge of the hand is nearest the camera is the leading edge. When the thumb edge leads, the long line of the ex­tended index finger is prominent (if the thumb does not separate too much and di­vert attention) and is considered an ex­tension of the forearm. If, however, the index finger is crooked at the base (big-knuckle) joint, this elongating line is bro­ken. A more photogenic curve results if this joint remains straight (or is slightly in­curved) and the other joints of the index finger are flexed.

HANDS AND OBJECTS

achieve a harmonious relationship in pic­tures through their line and import.

The line of an object . . .

is important. The line of the hand can flow with it or oppose it. If the object has only form, the hand either conforms to its shape or purposely goes counter to it. Each posi­tion creates a definite mood or pictorial pattern - or both.

Can you picture... [Chapter Incomplete]

Click Here to download the complete PDF ebook (including the rest of this chapter).

Or are you ready to move onto the next lesson? Click Here