wet canvas drawing 101 #1 -- structure of objects, straight lines

8/14/2019 Wet Canvas Drawing 101 #1 -- Structure of Objects, Straight Lines

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JayDs Basic 101 Drawing :Class1

Introduction

Welcome to Basics 101. I have to warn you that these first few sessionswill be boring but they will pay off for you if you do the projects and takeadvantage of the companion guest lecture series.

Each class will be divided into three sections.:

1. I will present the subject and do a demonstration. You may either follow

the demonstration or improvise one of your own as long as you stay ontrack for the class.

2.. You will present the result of your class assignment and talk about theprocess and any problems that you had doing the assignment. Allmembers of the class may participate with comments during this phase.Also, at this phase, you may also present questions to me, which the classmay answer, either I will answer or non-class participants may answer.

3. The Guest Lecture Seriesthis series can be found at

http://www.artgraphica.net/free-art...wing-basics.htm Members of WetCanvas have volunteered to provide demonstrations pertinent to the classmaterial. I encourage you to check out this useful archive. Right now thelectures are only a few but more will be coming so make sure that youconstantly check back for the lecture. If you have something that you mightfeel will contribute to the lecture series, please contact either Gavin(Zarathrustra) or myself by pm and we will tell you how to get set up for theseries. One other thingDO the demonstrations that have beenpostedyou can only benefit from doing them.

NOTE: this is a mechanics class so we are sticking to the bare basics hereand we should make an effort to limit philosophical opinions. Now, on to theclass:


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Why Drawing is Important

Drawing is planning. Much of the successof any piece of art depends largely on howwell it has been planned. Planning in art isdependent upon drawing and the final lookof a finished piece will dictate how piecewill look. I remember reading passageupon passage in watercolor instructions(Ray Smith for example) and publicationslike Watercolor Magic where great

emphasis is placed upon drawingthe idea being that no matter howstrong your technical skills are in your chosen media, if you have notrendered a fine initial drawing your piece will look amateurish, unfinished or

empty.

This is an arguable point whenyou look at, say, the works ofhumorists like James Thurber orJules Pffeifer whose drawings areless then awe inspiring. However,they have taken their seemingINABILITY to draw and havemeshed with their words so thatnot only istheir

humor in the words but there is humor in thedrawingthe two blend and that is what drawingmust do for you it must blend so that only yourintended idea is not distracted by a weak hand,

much like a choir with the Sopranos, Altos, Bassand Tenors, your drawing are songs and thedrawing and the media technique are the harmony produced.

The Masters knew this fact and as Jose Parramonwrites drawing is the mother and the father of allarts. Drawing has long been entwined in the


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traditions of techniques such as painting, architecture, sculpture and evenin such visual endeavors as film making. As a woodcarver, I create a threedimensional drawing, turn it into a two dimensional pattern, transfer thepatter to my block of wood, bandsaw out the the shape and begin, using

my gouges to shape the piece. The entire time I am carving, I will beREDRAWING or restating the drawing so that my cutting does not throwme off track.

Drawing is the dawn of the artistic process..

Lesson 1

We now come to Basic 101 which will emphasize breaking the drawing

down into its geometric components, creating a harmony and finally a piecethat will sing the artists song.

A word of caution: there are many different ways to approach this subjectand just as many popular books. There may be personal philosophicalissues regarding drawing that do not mesh with what I am writing. I ask thatyou put aside the philosophies and just take this class for what it isamechanics class to help you to better envision your own personal approach.

Source material

The textbook that we will be using is How to Draw What You See by Rudyde Reyna.

In preparing this course I have drawing from other sources such as BertDobsons Keys to Drawing, Gene Franks Pencil Drawing (Walter Foster),Pencil Drawing Techniques edited by David Lewis, Barnes and NoblesDrawing: A Step by Step Guide, Drawing in Pencil by Jose Parramon.

Hence, if I seem to be veering off with courses that you cannot find in thebook, rest assured that I am drawing upon other related sources.


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Materials:

1. How to Draw What You See by Rudy de Reyna (This is an optional requiremen

2. A number two office pencil(equivalent to a 2b) or an HB or 2B pencil (thebrand does not matter).

3. A sketchpad (the quality of the paper is of not matter at this point, thesize should be 8.5 inches by 10 inches or better)

4. A regular eraser. If you have a number two, the eraser on the end of thepencil is fine. I use a Sakura Electric eraser but that is purely a luxury.

5. A kneaded Eraser

6. a blender (q tips, toilet paper, your finger, tortillions or blending stumps)

7. A pencil SharpenerI use an electric sharpener but that is a matter of preferen

8. A drafting brushoptional but highly recommended.

Your Studio Space:

For the purposes of this course, your studio space is simply where you doyour drawing. It can be an elaborate building, a comfy specially build room,the corner of a room (like I have) a kitchen table or an outhouse in WhizBang, Kentucky. Draw where you feel comfortable. My personal space is aflat surfaced drawing table with an electrical outlet attached. On top of thatI have a portable drafting table that I can remove and put away when I amdoing mats or whatever. I have a half sized file cabinet of to one side andon top of that sits my light table. I have a magnifier lamp as as a light

source along with an Ott light and, of course three windows which allownatural sunlight to shine through. I have included a photo of where I work.Regardless, do not draw on a flat surface as it can distort your perceptionof your pr object. Try to work with at least a 45-degree angle.Drawing on a flat as opposed to angled surface is a poor drawing habit.When working on larger papers (over 10 inches) your line of sight will no


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longer view the entire surfacewhich can in turn lead to adistorted perspective. Eventhough this problem is minimal

with the size of paper that I amsuggesting for this class, it willbecome a problem if you decideto work on larger surfaces. It isbetter to break this habit nowthen have it crop up as a majorproblem later. If you are notusing a drafting table like I like todo and instead are using adrawing board, consider the following tip: place one end of the board so

that it rests in your lap and rest the other end against a surface like a table.This allows you the benefit of working on an angled surface and offers theback support that you will need to free up your hands.

Lighting:

As I mentioned before, I use several combinations of light sources: an ottlight, natural sunlight, and a magnifier lamp. You do NOT need everyone ofthese light sources but you should try to find one that best approximates

natural sunlight. I use the combination of lights in positions when combinedeliminate the shadows projected from my hand. The ott light works well andthere are also light bulbs that you can pick up at Wal-Mart that alsoapproximate natural sunlight.

If you are left handed, position the light behind your right shoulder. If youare right handed position the source light behind your left shoulder.


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A Word About Pencils:

It is very easy to be wondering aimlessly through a crafts or art store andsuddenly stumble acrossthe tins! Beware of pretty boxes and lovely

packaging. Most of you are going to discover that, sooner or later, youreonly working with a chose few while the other members of those pretty tinssleep away like vampires in a coffin. Whenever you can try to buy openstock. These are pencils that you can buy individually and you can buildyour personal stockpile to suit your own artistic tastes.

Not all pencils are the same.

There are probably as many types of pencils as there are artists. Every one

of us has personal preferences that we feel offers the best results. I leantoward mechanical pencils, 0.5mm and 0.3mm but I also like Prismacolorsketching pencils that are graphite. To me, these offer me the best control.Take your pick and look around. When you go to a store ask thestorekeepers to let you test pencils to see if you like them. If the storesdont offer this service look around some more or get your friends at WetCanvas to post some examples before you make a purchase. I haveposted some samples of different pencils for you to see.

The graphite or lead pencil is thepencil that is generally used fordrawing. Pencils are categorized bytheir degree of hardness. B through9B denote softer pencils while Hthrough 9H denote harder leads. Fand HB denote more neutralgradations. The softest leadproduces the most intense darker

values. You can use a 2b, an F or anHB to lay out your drawing beforeproceeding but really the choice isentirely yours.


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Holding a pencil:

In the following photos, Jennifer demonstrates how a pencil is held for

drawing. Not that she also has a drawing board resting against a table asshe works on a sketch. Being anambidextrous family, Jennifer isdemonstrating these pencil for thebenefit of people who are left as wellas right handed.

The first position is called the writingposition and is held like you are goingto write a letter. This position affords

you a great deal of control and isexcellent for detail work.

The second position is called the underhandposition or the cupped position and is goodfor doing straight lines, sketching andgesture drawing. This is the position that I favor.

NEVER DRAW FROM YOUR

WRISTALWAYS TRY TO WORK FROMYOUR ELBOW. Not only does working fromyour wrist promote carpel tunnel syndromebut you create tight confined drawings.


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Keeping your drawing clean:

When drawing with graphite, use a

slipcover to protect your clean surface.Take a clean piece of paper and slip itunder your drawing hand on top of thedrawing. This will protect the drawing frombeing unnecessarily smudged. There aremany variations on the theme when itcomes to protecting your drawings.

Here Jennifer is using typing paper as aslip cover as she works on her drawing.In the next photo she is using a draftingbrush with the bristled pointed towardher. The brush serves as a bridge uponwhich the hand rests. This is the methodthat I prefer because I have my brushhandy to brush away erasure marks or

any other unwanted particles.


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CLASS ONE: BASIC STRUCTURE OF OBJECTSSTRAIGHT LINES

Paul Czanne, in writing to a colleague, wrote that all forms in nature arebased upon geometric shapes. Draw these simple shapes, he said, and

we will be able to draw or paint what we wish since simple geometricshapes underlie all objects.

Every object, be it you, a Michelin Tire or a tall standing Sequoia has itsfoundations in geometric shapes: The cube, the cylinder, the cone, and thesphere. They may not be geometrically perfect and sometimes you have toreally look to find them but they are there and if you know what to look foryou can build you drawing relying on these basic shapes. Knowing this factcan allow you to build a drawing with depth and dimension.

The first lessons in this class are the really obvious but let us not pass themby.

1. Drawing Straight Lines

Materials: for this class, the only materials that you will need are a numbertwo pencil (you may sub in an HB or a 2B but the standard office pencil willdo fine) and a sketchpad of your choosing. DO NOT concern yourself withthe quality of the paper. Newsprint is just fine. If you want, you could use a

legal padwhatever work for you. Work within your comfort zone andcertainly within your budget. Put away all of your rulers, protractors, rollingrulers and any other tool that might help you to draw a straight line. If youare sitting on a train or a bus or plane you are not going to be whipping outthe old T-Square. Always be prepared NOT to use your standard tools.

It isnt really THAT hard to draw a straight line. I hear people say all thetime I couldnt even draw a straight line there is usually a nervous laughand then there is that look of longing because you know that they long to

take a pencil in hand and do what you can dodraw a picture. The funnything is that anyone can draw. It may not be of a sellable quality and it maynot be exact but anyone can pick up a pencil and draw. Most people whocannot draw have, generally speaking, convinced themselves that theycannot draw either through their own failed experience or throughcomments of family and peers. We all know the feeling and we have allbeen there. When you draw a celebrity and you show it to your mother or a


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sibling and they say whos that?Well, you know what I mean.

First, decide how you are going to hold your pencil. There are several ways

to hold a pencil. The first is the writing position, the second is the under thepalm position. Now, practice drawing using these hand positions. Trydrawing a series of squiggles, lines, and circles in order to bring thesepositions into your comfort zone. When you do these exercises DO NOTDRAW FROM YOUR WRIST. WORK EXCLUSIVELY FROM YOURELBOW.

Everyone operates from an angle. Its a favorite direction for you to draw.Finding the angle that is comfortable for you easily draws a straight line.

Using the wrist will tighten up your control and will produce a shaky line.Using the elbow permits more control of the pencil thus producing a smoothflowing line


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1. Start by drawing a straight line across the paper. Now draw thesestraight lines over and over except each time, before you draw the line, turnthe paper and try to draw a horizontal, vertical and a diagonal line. Do this

over and over again until you discover an angle which gives you acomfortable feeling straight line.

Do this using the writing position and then do it again using the underhandor cupped position. See if you can note the difference.

2. Take another sheet of paper and this time, again, start dashing off thosestraight lines as quickly as you can. This time DO NOT turn the paper

Do this using the writing position and then do it again using the underhand

or cupped position. See if you can note the difference.

Again, when you make these linesdont worry about being carefulthis isan exercisefire them out as rapidly as you cantry to get them straightbut dont worry if you do notworry about taxes and deathdont worryabout getting the straight line down the first time. That is what practice isfor. Which brings me to another point: PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!Make time to do these exercises and you will create improvement in yourself.

Well, this is the end of class 1. I told you this was a basic course but dontlaugh just yet because it will get progressively difficult as we move throughthe 30 weeks.

Thank you for joining us.

Class Assignment: Read the chapter Eye Level: Foundation of Perspective.If you have already read it great! Take a look at the picture you did for thepre class exercise and see if you can not anything about the perspective ofthe piece and then locate where you think the vanishing point occurs. If youhave questions, contact me.


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Notes from JayD;

Step 1--Well, first you need to do the pre assignment--pick something outthat you want to draw but has been very hard for you--this is your choice--

draw it and don't worry about accuracy and then post it--you will be comingback and re doing this drawing at various stages.

Step 2--read the lesson and do the lines assignment that Jennifer has done.

Step 3---create 20 three dimension spheres using ONLY LINES

Step 4--redo your original drawing this time in LINES only just like you didwith the spheres.

More notes:

To start with, this weeks assignments are:SEE MY COMMENTS IN ALL CAPS

1. Post our pre-class "intimidating subject" attempt. YES

2. Practice drawing straight lines from the elbow, not the wrist. YES, YOURWRIST WILL THANK YOU LATER AND YOUR TENNIS GAME WILL IMPROVE.

3. Draw 20 different sizes of circles and shade using only straight lines.(can the lines go in different directions or one-way?) post results--ANYWAYYOU WANT--HINT: CONSIDER WICKER FOR EXAMPLE--JUST MAKESURE YOU END UP WITH A 3D SPHERE

4. Read the chapter on perspective lines (if we have the book)--PLEASEBUT THIS IS OPTIONAL

5. Draw the chair from the weekly drawing thread (Is this to be done as astraight line drawing, or just draw it to get a feel for perspective?) post

results--CHAIR IS OPTIONAL BUT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

6. Find the vanishing point(s), eye level line, perspective lines etc. on ouroriginal drawing. (do you want this posted?)--YOU CAN SAVE THIS UNTILTHE SECOND CLASS IF YOU WISH SINCE IT IS MAINLY PREPARTORYFOR THE CLASS ON EYE LEVEL AND PERSPECTIVE.


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7. Redraw our pre-class drawing using lines (do you want this to bereducing the subject into basic straight-line forms, or do you want curvedlines, cross hatching etc... basically redraw with no blending?) post results--

REDRAW USING THE SAME TECHNIQUES THAT YOU USED ON THESPHERE--THE SPHERS ARE A PRACTICE RUN FOR THIS FINALWEEKLY ASSIGNMENT.

wet canvas drawing 101 #1 -- structure of objects, straight lines

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