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What is sighting?
What is sighting?
Sighting is the use of a sighting tool (10” to 12” skinny dowel) by an artist to translate a 3-dimensional reality onto a 2-dimensional surface.
Sighting is the use of a sighting tool (10” to 12” skinny dowel) by an artist to translate a 3-dimensional reality onto a 2-dimensional surface.
Why sighting?
Why sighting?
When drawing from observation, the 3-dimensional thing that you are looking at occupies space up and down, side to side, and backwards and forwards. Your drawing does not take up this third dimension. It is important to recognize the need for this translation.
Why not just draw from photographs? There are many problems that occur when attempting to draw from photographs. Most importantly, photographs do the translating from 3-D to 2-D for you. They often flatten or distort the image too much and take away the illusion of 3-dimensionality. This is why it is important to first learn how to draw from observation.
How to sight:
How to sight:
STEP 1. Hold your dowel in your non-dominant drawing hand (if you are right handed, hold it with your left and visa versa).
STEP 1. Hold your dowel in your non-dominant drawing hand (if you are right handed, hold it with your left and visa versa).
STEP 2. Extend your arm towards the object(s) you wish to draw and lock your elbow - this will ensure a constant scale.
STEP 2. Extend your arm towards the object(s) you wish to draw and lock your elbow - this will ensure a constant scale.
STEP 3. Hold the sighting stick firmly between your finger and thumb keeping the stick parallel to your face at all times. The tendency to tilt the stick forwards or backwards should be avoided as this can create distortion in the drawing.
STEP 3. Hold the sighting stick firmly between your finger and thumb keeping the stick parallel to your face at all times. The tendency to tilt the stick forwards or backwards should be avoided as this can create distortion in the drawing.
note: The 2-dimensional space that your sighting stick takes up represents your picture plane. Imagine a clear piece of glass that levitates between you and the 3-dimensional thing you wish to draw.
note: The 2-dimensional space that your sighting stick takes up represents your picture plane. Imagine a clear piece of glass that levitates between you and the 3-dimensional thing you wish to draw.
PICTURE PLANE: the flat plane occupied by the surface of a drawing, can be compared to a pane of glass through which we look at elements arranged in space.
STEP 4. Squint one eye shut (always squint the same eye), and take either a measurement, angle, or horizontal/vertical landmark.
STEP 4. Squint one eye shut (always squint the same eye), and take either a measurement, angle, or horizontal/vertical landmark.
STEP 5. Without changing the angle of the sighting stick, bring the measurement down to your drawing paper and trace the intended line.
STEP 5. Without changing the angle of the sighting stick, bring the measurement down to your drawing paper and trace the intended line.
3 Applications of Sighting:
3 Applications of Sighting:
- Relative Proportions:
First, establish a unit of measure for your drawing. This should be an object in your composition that you can see the entire width or height of. Once this object is lightly drawn, you can use it to measure out the rest of the objects in your composition.
First, establish a unit of measure for your drawing. This should be an object in your composition that you can see the entire width or height of. Once this object is lightly drawn, you can use it to measure out the rest of the objects in your composition.
* Align one end of the sighting stick visually with one part of the form and place the tip of your thumb on the sighting stick that corresponds with another part of the form, and then use this measurement to sight the width and height of other parts of the composition.
* Align one end of the sighting stick visually with one part of the form and place the tip of your thumb on the sighting stick that corresponds with another part of the form, and then use this measurement to sight the width and height of other parts of the composition.
2. Angles and Axis Lines:
2. Angles and Axis Lines:
Axis Line – an imaginary line that runs through the core of the center of a form.
Axis Line – an imaginary line that runs through the core of the center of a form.
* Align the sighting stick visually along the observed edge or axis and bring that angle down to your drawing surface.
* Align the sighting stick visually along the observed edge or axis and bring that angle down to your drawing surface.
- Think of the face of a clock when taking these measurements to ensure correct angles when translating the angle to your drawing.
- Think of the face of a clock when taking these measurements to ensure correct angles when translating the angle to your drawing.
- Keep in mind the angles relationship to horizontal and vertical. You can use the edges of your drawing paper as a reference.
- Keep in mind the angles relationship to horizontal and vertical. You can use the edges of your drawing paper as a reference.
3. Vertical/Horizontal Landmarks:
3. Vertical/Horizontal Landmarks:
Landmark – a visual point of interest in a composition that can help to create correct proportions in a drawing.
Landmark – a visual point of interest in a composition that can help to create correct proportions in a drawing.
* Hold the sighting stick either horizontally or vertically and look for points of the composition that line up horizontally or vertically with other parts.
* Hold the sighting stick either horizontally or vertically and look for points of the composition that line up horizontally or vertically with other parts.
Sighting Handout.pdfPage updated
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