Basic Drawing

Basic Drawing Introduction Most of us doodle. We draw when we attempt explanations and words elude us. We sketch things to jog our memories later. Some of us draw for the pleasure of expression.. For those who draw seriously, contour, gesture drawing, and basic forms are three techniques for developing basic drawing skills. Basic drawing Advanced drawing Practice Drawing is comprised of five component skills involving the perception of edges, space, relationships, light and shadow, and the perception of the whole, or gestalt. Everyone draws, and how well one draws is a measure of how well-developed one’s basic skills of perception are. Drawing well requires all five basic skills with additional refinements. You develop imagination, creativity, sensitivity, and expression through techniques and your familiarity with media. The only way to progress in drawing is with constant practice. With practice, you can easily imitate perceived edges, space, and relationships on paper. Duplicating light and shadow requires careful observation and critical analysis of the direction, intensity, and color of light and shadows cast by light. Observation also requires intimate knowledge of the surface characteristics of the object on which the light and shadows fall. Gestalt results from the development of the other four perceptual skills. Traditional drawing skills Most renown artists began by studying traditional art. After a foundation in traditional drawing techniques, experimentation and style freely develop. Picasso and Salvatore Dali are prime examples of artists with concentrated traditionalist backgrounds resulting in creative interpretations. A study of Picasso’s preliminary sketches reveals his continued dependence on contour and gesture fundamentals. Exercises Time your drawings for each technique described in this chapter. Every three minutes, change your object or your viewpoint. Vary the timed intervals by reducing times to 1 or 2 minutes. These timed exercises develop perceptual and observation skills by coordinating your eyes and hands. 3-3