Drawing

What is the purpose of Drawing?

Through drawing we learn to look. Through drawing we learn to explore. Through drawing we build our understanding. Through drawing we communicate our ideas. Through drawing we express and share our emotions. Drawing might be an end in itself, or it might be a starting point towards other creative activities such as painting, sculpture, design and craft. And just as importantly, drawing enables us to assimilate information relating to other curriculum areas too, such as science, history and geography. Our urge to draw is as old as we are. Unfortunately, all too often we get persuaded OUT of drawing. But by remembering that drawing serves many purposes, and can be many different things, we can make sure drawing remains useful and enjoyable to as many people as possible.

AKO - LEARN

Contour line

Perhaps the most obvious use of line is when it is used to define the edges or boundaries of a subject. We can obviously communicate a subject's edges by using line. In most cases, when we begin a drawing, we start by drawing the outlines of the subject.

The outlines are just the beginning since line is also used to describe the details on the subject as well. Usually, we can simplify areas of contrast on a subject into a line.

In this image, we can see the photo reference next to the resulting line drawing of a flower. The flower is communicated clearly in the line drawing. However, you'll note that the drawing is not an exact replica of the reference. There are only lines used in the drawing, yet there are many more complexities present in the photo.

Line Quality/weight

Line quality refers to the characteristics of the line drawn. In many cases, line quality refers to the thickness of a line. By varying the line quality (including both thick and thin lines), we create drawings that are more interesting and provide more information to the viewer.

Range in line quality heightens descriptive potential: you can describe textures, movement, light, space, etc. Using many different kinds of lines in your drawing can also add visual interest. How interesting can a drawing be if everything is the same? Even when the subject or content of a drawing is not readily recognizable, varying line quality can imply space, movement, light, and so on.

Here is a great website on using line quality for awesome drawings

www.studiolaforte.com/laforteclasses/line-quality---types.html

Value and Shading... life without outlines

Seeing in Values

We see dark to light and all the gradations in between, and the gradations or shades are what we call values. The artist finds the value, the darkness or lightness of a surface, and takes that information to render the form. This is what gives size, shape, and depth to the form of the subject. We are all familiar with shadow and light, but it is the gradations of different value levels that give us a sense of form.

There are three things to learn in this sub-unit

Value [tone]
Shading with various media
Light and shadows on forms

Using line to create value

Hatching is a drawing technique in which value created through a series of thin strokes or lines that are more or less parallel. other ways to create value with line can be seen here.

Watch the video and create your own value scales using line in your visual diary.

Using shading to create value

lets start with looking at graphite pencils and value - watch the introduction to graphite video and complete some value scales in your visual diary using 2b 4b 6b pencils.
What to avoid when shading - watch the video..
Now to shade a sphere. This will be demonstrated to you in class - if you are away you can watch the video and read through the slideshowabout how to avoid outlines

Exploring different media

now that you can shade and make a sphere, lets explore and learn different media. watch each tutorial and complete in your visual diary.

WAIHANGA- CREATE

Each of the following activities should demonstrate your ability to render your blocks to look 3D. Each drawing should be around A5 in size and you may like to put more then one on a page you can see on this example sketchbook how the student has put multiple explorations on a page. You can work seperatly and glue in the sheets as well.

Activity - pen drawing

Using one of the above techniques, render one of your photographs in pen in your visual diary. work 1/2 page size.
Start by blocking in the basic shape and edges of the shapes within the block
Look at where your darkest values are and begin to add value in your selected style.
continue to add your values to show a full range of the 5 values to give your drawing form [3D]
photograph your finished work and add to PADLET as we will be adding more media to this drawing!

Activity - Pen and Indian ink drawing

lightly draw in the shapes from one of your other photographs
Use washes of indian ink to render the value of each shape that you see. *you may find it easier to turn your photo to grey sacle [b&w]
If you cannot remmebr how to use teh indian ink from year 09 - watch this tutorial video

Activity - Charcoal drawing

Work on grey/brown paper [called toned paper]
Use pencil to lightly block in your shapes
Use vine charcoal firstly too add in the middle values
Then use compressed charcoal for the shadows
Erase highlights with a kneadable eraser and use white charcoal to add in bright sections

Activity - White pencil on black [reverse tonal drawing]

Work on grey/brown paper [called toned paper]
Use pencil to lightly block in your shapes
use white pencil or white charcoal to render your blocks values

Activity - colour pencil

Work on grey/brown paper [called toned paper]
Use pencil to lightly block in your shapes
use colour pencil to build up your shapes and blocks. remember to layer layer layer.

Page updated

Report abuse