An Introduction to Drawing

5/10/2018 An Introduction to Drawing

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AN INTRODUCTION TOD R A W I N G


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AN INTRODUCTION TODRAWINGJ A M E S H O R T O N

DORL ING K INDERSLEYLONDON NEW YORK STUTTGART

IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS


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A DORLI G KINDERSLEY BOOKProject editor Susannah SteelArt editor Heather Jv[ ._Carry

Designer Dawn TerreyAssistant editor Margaret Chang

Series editor Emma FoaDTP designer Zirrinia AustinManaging editor Sean MooreManaging art editor Toni Kay

Production controller Helen CreekePhotography Steve Gorton,

Andy Crawford, and Tim Ridley

This OK Art School/Art bookFirs' published in Great Britain in 1994by Durling Kindcrs lcy Limi ted,9 Henrietta Street, London W(;ZE 8PS

Copyright EJ94Dorling Kindcrslcy Limited, London

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, storedin a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without ihe pnor writtenpermission of the copyright owner.ISBN 0 7513 0070 5

Colour reproduction by Colourscan in SingaporePrinted and bound hy Cranhicorn in Italy


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CONTENTSDrawing 6A Brief History 8

MATERIALSPencils & Coloured Pencils 12Pens & Inks 14Chalks & Charcoal 16Pastel Types 18Watercolour 20Gallery of Drawing Media 22Paper 24Gallery of Paper 26

TECHNIQUESWays of Working 28Getting Started 30The Basics of Drawing 32Linear Drawing 34Form & Modelling 36Tonal Drawing 38Gallery of Form 40Layout & Construction 42Buildings & Architecture 44Interiors & Exteriors 46Gallery of Composition 48Drawing Natural Forms 50Landscapes 52Gallery of Landscapes &Natural Forms 54Figures & Drapery 56

Life Drawing 58Portraits 60Figures in a Setting 62Gallery of Figures 64Movements & Gestures 66Drawing for Painting 68Glossary 70Index. Acknowledgements 72


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A S CHILDREN WE HAVE ALL DRAWN or painted, yet the older we become, the more we seemI'\._ to ignore the significance of drawing as a vital source of communication and pleasure.'\ Drawing is still one of the best ways to convey information directly, despite the increasingprevalence of photography. 'Scientists, and in particular archaeologists, actually prefer to

. { J : draw many items because a detailed drawing can be more precise(# and informative than a photograph, since it involves a process of. 1 1 ' selection. Most natural history field guides rely on detailed.\ ' drawings and paintings for identification purposes.'\) " - i

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AN INTRODUCTION

DRAWING

Interpreting what you seeUltimately drawing has far more to dowith learning to see perceptively thanacquiring consummate skill with yourhand. The quality of what you draw onpaper all stems from your imaginationand the way you choose to interpret whatyou see. Look discerningly at objects,consolidating all the information you see,to give your drawings a freshness andindividuality. Don't be afraid either torepeat lines or marks until a drawing

The best approachAs adults we see the world in a very different way to that of children.The stumbling block for many of us is that with a more mature perspectivewe have a much greater sense of what we think is correct and what isincorrect (although this is often widely misunderstood) and this can oftencreate inhibitions. There is, however, nothing intrinsically mysterious aboutthe mechanics of drawing and anyone can learn to draw if they adopt thebest approach. Just as with any other subject you might tackle, practiceis essential to achieve good results.

D raw in g w ell is a ll ab ou th ow y ou perceive th ew or ld a ro un d y ou a ndinterpret il i nt o y ou r o w np er so na l v is io n.


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looks right; one of the great misconceptions aboutthe process of drawing is that people try to erase whatthey think is a mistake, believing that it will spoil thefinished result. On the contrary, every mark you makereflects the progression of your drawing and oftenadds to its interest and vitality.Problem-solvingDrawing is perhaps the most direct of the arts, withan immediacy that allows you to record instantly whatyou see, and to draw from life can be both stimulatingand rewarding. Anyone who gains satisfaction fromsolving crossword puzzles is likelyto become absorbedby the practice of drawing; of discovering how tocreate, for example, perspective in a landscape or howto foreshorten a reclining figure. Curiously enough,some of the best drawings are those where an artisthas struggled to resolve the most problematic aspectsof a composition to achieve a tangible image.Familiar materialsMany of the materials covered in thisbook have been available to artists forhundreds of years, so the equipment weuse today is similar to that used by theRenaissance artists five hundred years ago.Drawing with a piece of charcoal on paperstill involves exactly the same process forus as it did for them. I find it reassuringthat the basic pleasures and benefits ofdrawing will always remain despite theburgeoning ofmodern technology andthe sophisticated equipment that isavailable to us nowadays. ,!


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Pontormo,Study for the Angel of the Annunciation,c. 1525-30,391 x 21 5 em (154 x 84 in )Pontorrno is g en era lly a ck no wle dg ed to b e o ne o ft he g r ea te st R e na is sa n ce draughtsmen and w ash ig hly r eg ard ed fo r h is p ortra its . T his s tu dy , w ithits su btle b len d o f ch alk a nd w ash , h as a beauti fu l lys en siti ve q u al ity d es pit e t he s ol id fo rm o f t he fig u rea nd th e flo win g d ra pe ry that t u m bl es a b ou t him.

BRIEF HISTORYTHE HISTORY OF DRAWING may be as old as the human raceitself. Cave paintings have been discovered dating back asfar as 10,000 years Be, so it seems that man has always beeninterested in making images. However it was during the ItalianRenaissance that artists developed profound drawing skills andthe art of drawing underpinned all other artistic disciplines.ONE R EA SO N W HY drawing was at sucha high standard during this period wasthat it related directly to the greatprofession of painting; a sculptor or apainter had a distinguished positionwithin society and good artists wereconstantly in work. Renaissanceartists such as Michelangelo (1475-1564)employed numerous assistants andran a large workshop to cope with themany commissions. Unfortunatelymost of the preparatory drawingsthese artists made for paintings -which today we would regard asimportant in their own right - weredestroyed once the project hadbeen completed.More importantly, finished drawings

were presented to clients as proposalsfor commissioned portrait workHolbein (1497/8-1543) once had theprecarious task of making a suitabledrawing of a potential wife for HenryVIII in order that she be approvedby the English king.

Northern EuropeAway from the high, classical artof Italy, the Flemish painter PieterBruegel (1525-69) used drawing todepict the everyday world aroundhim, and his realistic peasant scenesbrought him great admiration.Bruegel was one of many artistsinHolland and Flanders during thesixteenth and seventeenth centurieswho cultivated a genre that wasbased upon the lives of ordinarypeople. Although this "Golden Age"of D'~lt':}-l i7?;""I.ting owed little to Italy,8

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Hans Holbein,Charles de Solier,Sieur de Morette,c. 1534-35,33 x 2S em (13 x 10 in)H olb ein w as o ftenc omm is si on e d t o d o l ife -l ik e p o rt ra i ts . H is fi nequ a l it y o f l in e bo t hj la t te r st he f e a tu r es o f t hi s fi gu r ean d len ds him a heavys en se o f a u th o ri ty .

an artist's training was based aroundfigure drawing, which ultimatelymeant a pilgrimage to Italy.One Dutch artist who never

journeyed to Italy was Rembrandt(J 606-69), who today is knownparticularly for his graphic work on

paper. As a portrait artist he avidlydrew anyone who interested him,from old beggars to noblemen, withastonishing perception - often in hisfavourite medium of quill, brush, andbistre wash (a transparent brownpigment made from soot).


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Canaletto, A View from SomersetGardens Looking towards LondonBridge, c. 1750, 60 x 185 em (23 \1 x 73 in)Canaletto was renowned for his detailedpaintings and drawings of architecturalscenes. The wondeful clarity of this work hasbeen achieved by drawing the panoramiccomposition inpe.neil and then overlayingit with brown ink and grey wash.

Rembrandt, Saskia at her Toilet,c. 1632-34, 24 x 18 em (91f , x 7 in)Rembrandt was often at hi s best when herecorded a fleeting moment in time. Thisdrawing reflects the precision of his observanteye as he worked adeptly with first pen an dink, and then a loaded brush The result isa drawing that isboth lucid and evocativein its depiction of a domestic scene.

A BRIEF HISTORYPieter Bruegel the Elder,Summer, 1568, 22 x 29 em (BY , x II'l1in)This beautifully drawn study ojpeasant life in16th-century Flanders is actually rather formalin its design, with the scythes of the two mainfigures creating diagonals that lead the eye intothe middle and far distance of the composition.Bruegel was also keen to convey a strong socialmessage in his humorous depletion of Ii/e,

Artistic contemporariesRembrandt's great artisticcontemporary in neighbouringFlanders was Rubens (1577-1640J-As a draughts man, he was virtuallyunparalleled and was one of the fewartists who appeared to make theprocess of drawing look easy. Hedrew copiously, working not onlyon preparatory studies for the vastamount of commissions he fulfilled,but also on a much more intimate

scale, depicting his familyand servants with thefreshness and immediacythat drawing promoted.Curiously, some of the

greatest figures of theseventeenth century suchas Vermeer (1632-75),Caravaggio (1571-1610),and Velazquez (1599-1660),left little or no drawings.Although it is improbablethat these artists neverdrew at all , it is more likely

that they preferred to solve theirproblems directly on the canvasin a painterly fashion.Portrait drawingWhilst not producing the giants ofthe previous century, the eighteenthcentury kept alive the commissionedportrait. In France, Watteau (1684-1721)produced fine studies of figures,heads, and drapery in his preferredmedium of red, black, and whitechalks, while in Italy GiambattistaTiepolo (1696-1770), arguably thegreatest artist of his time, used penand wash for his drawings thatremain unrivalled to this day,


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DRAW]NG

Pencil drawingsThe nineteenth century saw a greatsurge in artistic development, whichin England began with Turner (1775-1851) and Constable (1776-1837) andin France with Delacroix (1798-1863)and Ingres (1780-1867). Lead pencilwas in use by this time and Constableused the medium to draw manysmall images of rural Suffolk in hissketchbooks with great subtlety andexpression. Turner began to developalmost unbelievable powers ofobservation and skill in his youthas he drew cathedrals and buildingswith a lead pencil.Portrait drawings were still

fashionable and studies drawn by theFrench Neo-Classicist Ingres wereso real and lifelike that there wasnever any doubt as to their likenessto the sitter. Ingres' contemporaryand great rival was Delacroix, whoby contrast was a Romantic freespirit. He not only made studies inthe traditional manner for grandhistorical pictures but also dreweverything that caught his eye. Inan age that preceded the advent ofphotography, drawing was the onlyway tha.t Delacroix could record thetrip he made to Morocco in 1832.Contemporary reports stated that hedrew night and day, desperate not toforget the rich aspects of Arabian life.The advent of modernityOf the great draughtsmen of thenineteenth century, one innovativeartist assimilated everything thatwent before him. This was EdgarDegas (1834-1917), whose life's workwas based on drawing. Even as amiddle-aged and well-establishedartist he copied works by other artiststo stretch his understanding of artand practise his techniques. Degas'enormous output of drawings, pastels,mono prints, and etchings representsan incredible achievement, but by theti-r-e he di=d in 1917, the modem art

John Constable, ElmTrees in Old Hall Park,EastBerghoit,1817,59x 50 em (23 '4 x 19'J.in)U nlike T urn er, w ho u se da w ide varie ty of m ed ia inh is d ra w in gs , C on sta blep referred to u se hism ate ria ls s ep ar ate ly tode sc ri be t he c ou n tr y si dearou nd him. He u sed ap en ci l e xp er tl y t o c ap tu r eth e o rg an ic g ro wt h o f th es ee lm t re es w it h i nc re di bl edetail so th at th ey a reeas il y recognizable .

Eugene Delacroix, Seated Arab,c. 1832, 38 x 46 em (15x 18 in)T his st ud y is ty pic al o f th e s ke tc he s D ela cr oixm ad e d urin g h is M oro cca n to ur. H e p ro ba blyd rew th e fig ure h astily fro m life a nd a dd edw as he s o f w a te rc oto u r la te r.

movement was well underway andmoving rapidly towards a languagethat he would not have recognized,The history of drawing from this

point is a chequered one and itdeveloped quite differently on eitherside of the English Channel. WhilstFrance pursued modernism, spurredon by artists such as Henri Matisse(1869-1954), England retained a basic

attachment to drawing. The turn ofthe century in England saw the birthof several maj or art schools, all ofwhich placed a great emphasis ondrawing, and although various modern


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Vincent van Gogh, Sand Boats,1888, 49 x 60 cm (19 x 23" in)Van Gogh exploited the potential ofpen and ink to itsfull in thisdrawingt o p r odu c e an im ag e a live w ithspontaneous line. A variety of marksand stippled effects together create a

shimmering su rfa ce o f movement that ish eig hte ne d b y th e d yn am ic c om po sitio n.The strong diagonal of the quayside andt he hori zon line that cuts in to th e top ofthe drawing create an arena for thiss ce ne o f c on sta nt a cti vi ty a nd motion.

Stanley Spencer, Self Portrait,1919, 36 x 23 em (14 x 9 in)Th e stro ng con tou rs a nd su btle to nes o f th is p encil stu dylend it an impressive sculpted quality. The solidity of line ands en si ti ve t on es b el ie t he a ppa re nt s im p li ci ty offhe medium.

A BRIE F HISTORYmovements came and went, drawingcontinued to underpin students'training. The work of artists such asAugustus John (1878-1961) and laterStanley Spencer (1891-1959) bearwitness to the significance of drawingin England through the turbulentyears of the early twentieth century.One artist who has brought drawing

to the forefront of the contemporaryimagination is David Hockney (b .1937).Inspired by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973),who had an extraordinary breadth ofstyle and "was not limited by 'form '" ,Hackney takes pleasure in the lyricismand strength of pure line, Preferringthe expressive beauty of drawingsover more painterly approaches,Hackney has taken his art form to afar wider audience than ever before.

Edgar Degas, Woman in a Tub,c.1885,70x'1Ocm(27Ux27'.1in)Classically trained, Degas devised his ownmethod of working with pastels. He built themup in layers, using strokes of colour that blendedoptically to give an extraordinary richness.

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lV IATERIALS

PENCILS & COLOURED PENCILSPE NCILS ARE THE S IM PLE ST and most immediate of drawing media,enabling you to create a versatile range of strong or sensitivemarks. What we call a "lead pencil" today is actually made up ofgraphite: a mixture of clay and the mineral graphite in the form ofa rod that is usually encased in cedarwood. An array of grades existsfrom very hard to extremely soft, although artists seldom use thehardest varieties because they allow for so little expression when

drawing. Coloured pencils area relatively recent innovationand their waxy nature meansthat they retain their distinctcolours when drawn overeach other.

Silverpoint studyS il ve rp o in t, a n o r ig in a l v er si on o f t he p e nc il p o p u la r i nR e na is sa n ce l im e s, is a b ea u ti fu l m ed iu m as t hi s 1 5t hce ntu ry stu dy b y Fouquet s ho w s. T he b a sic p rin cip leo f s i lverpoin t is to le av e a m eta l d ep osit b y d ra gg in ga p ie ce o f p u r e s ilv er a cr os s s om e p a pe r p re vio u slyp rep are d w ith C hin ese W h ite watercolourpaint.

Graphite pencilsG r aph it e p e nc il s r a ng ein tex tu re fro m a h ard

BH th ro ug h to a so fi B E ,with H B h alfw ay betweent he t w o. P ra c ti ca il y, y o u

w i ll a c hi ev e g o od r es u lt s w i tha sm all se le ctio n su ch a s 2 B,4E , 6E and 8E . Ano the r op ti onis a w a te r- so lu b le p en cil th at

g iv es r ic h, b la ck m ar ks a ndca n b e d ilu ted w ith w ater to

a ' transparen t wash.

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Graphite stick and holder

Graphite sticksGraphite is a ls o a va ila bl e in s tic ks th atcall bef ixed ill a h old er o r so ld w ra pp edin a th in film o f p la stic . G ra ded In rilesa me w ay a s n orm al g ra ph ite p en cils ,th ey a re b es t s uit ed fo r l ar ge -s ca le work


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Coloured pencilsC o lo u re d p en cils a re u n lik e p as te lsin th at th ey ca nn ot b e b len de dB u i ld in g u p l ay er s o j c ro ss -h a tc hi ngca n p ro du ce w ha t is known as an"o ptica l m ix" oj co lou r - a visu ale ffe ct w h er eb y o ve rl ai d c ol ou r sa pp ea r to b le nd to ge th er ( ab ov e).

Water-soluble pencilsWater -s o lu b l e pe nci ls a r e ano the rnew innova ti on , p r ov id i ng ana l te rna ti ve t o t he wa te rc o toarb o x, T h e p e n ci l m a rk s d is so lv eo n co nta ct w ith w ate r to g ive ac ol ou re d w a sh th at y ou canm an ip u la te w ith a b ru sh

Coloured pencils

Cadmium yellow

Lemon yellow

PENCILS & COLOURED PENCILS

Water-soluble pencils

Craft knife

ErasersA p u tty e ra se r is morea da pta ble th an a p la sticeraser as you can mou ldit in to a p oin t to lif/:o utany unwanted marks.

Pu tt y e ra s er

Other equipment

Brown

Black.

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Liquid fixative

SharpenersA 1w ay s keep y ou r p en cilssh arp e n ed to a fine p oin t.A c ra ft k ni fe c re at es a l on g er ;m ore ta perin g p oin t th ana penc il s har pene r.

Pencil sharpener

FixativeS ea ! th e su rfa ce o f a ll y ou r fin ish ed d ra win gswith Q fix ative to p reve nt th e w ork sm u dg in g.F ix ative is a resin th at h as b een d isso lv ed ina solven t, so th at a s the so lven t dries o n th esu rfa ce of th e p ap er th e resin rem ains a s ap ro te ctiv e l ay er . F ix ativ e is a va ila ble in tw oform ats.' in a liqu id fo rm w ith a m ou thd iffu ser, a nd in la rg e o r sm a!! sp ra y c an s, Plastic eraser

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MATERIALS

PENS & INKSP

ENAND lNK has been for centuriesone of the most common drawingmediums. In the past pens werealmost always made from quills,although reeds and bamboowere also used. Today thereis an abundance of pensto choose from, many ofwhich can be used byartists, although the

Quill penTraditionally madefrom goosefeathers, thequill pen is still hard tobeat in terms offlexibilityand versatility. Each quit!will vary in performancedepending on the strengthand resistance of the shaft.

1R ee ds , b am bo o. a nd g oo se feathers are al lsuitable /0 b e m ad e in to n ib s. U sC ? c ra ftknife /0 CIII c le an ly th ro ug h on e en d o f a ree d

2 C ut a c urve d se ction ou t o f t he b ack a ndtr im t he from in to a p oin t w ith tw o 4 5"angle cuts Make a small c ut to sp lit th e n ib

quality of ink in most commerciallyavailable pens is often poor and willfade over time. Drawing in ink isalways a great challenge because theink is impossible to rub out and so inmany senses embodies the spirit ofdrawing. Every mark made becomes avital part of the evolution of a drawingand any mistakes can often be used ina constructive and interesting way.

Choosing a penWith so many different pens available, the only way to be sure of whatsuits your style is to test a random selection. A standard nib holder willtake a variety of different width nibs, all of which give a variation ofline depending upon the degree of pressure you exert. On the otherhand technical drawing pens, which also come in a range ofsizes, are hard and inflexible and give a consistent widthof line regardless of pressure. Fountain pens are moreconvenient and give a good variety of line.

Reed penThe common reed (Phragmites)is normally used to make reedpens and, like quill pens, eachmakes its ow n distinctive marks.Pens made from natural fibres needa lengthways split in the tip of the nibto act as a channel to hold th e ink.

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Italic nib Mapping mb Script nib Drawing nibDip pens

Steel nibs all respond well topressure togive a thicker or thinner line. Standardpenholders take most nibs, but tubularmapping nibs need a separate holder.


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Sketch penThis pen has a flexiblesteel nib in a fountainpen format.Rollerball penRollerball pens actlike ballpoint pens togive a steady ink flow.Fibre-tipped penAfibre tip allows theink toflow smoothlyin a thin line.Technical penThis pen gives bothgood control and aconsistency of line.

( ...~''''t.\' ~"I'~I~II), '\"'~'. < ~ ~ '~ '> - ~ ' " .~:;:..,~.. ',' ~lll .~ .' .;.;: r- . . . . -_--PENS & INKS

Te chn ic a l d rawing pe n

Coloured inksOf the many coloured inks you can buy,the more usual colours jor drawing areblack and a range of browns, In thepast ink was usually made withground lamp black or red ochreand a solution of glue or gum,moulded into dry sticks or blocksto be mixed with water, Prepared ina similar way, Indian ink is a mixtureof carbon black and water stabilizedby an alkaline solution such as gumarabic or shellac (a resinous substanceused for making vamish].

Chinese inkUse Q Chinesebrush and inkblock (left)foreloquent ye tcontrolleddrawings.

Using the right inkOf the two basic types of ink - non-waterproofand waterproof - most non-waterproof inks willeventually fade if exposed to light. You caneasily test for fading by drawing some linesin different inks on a piece of paper andthen covering one half and leaving the otherexposed to the light for several months.

B la ck in k S ep ia in k

Oakleafdrawn withoak gal/ ink

MAK ING INKYou can make a permanentsepia ink with oak galls fromoak trees. Crush the galls andboil the powder inwater fortwo or three hours until theliquid is dark enough to strain.

R a w S ie nn a ink15


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MATERIALS

CHALKS &CHARCOAL w HITE CHALK IS ONE OF THE OLDE ST of drawing media and has.. been used in its natural state toheighten artists' drawings for

hundredS. of years. Red C h . alk, know.n as sanguine, is a rust colouredearth which can be located in areas such as central Italy. Nowadays,processed coloured chalks, or crayons, are produced by mixing thelimestone rock with pigment, water, and a binding medium. Charcoal,another natural material commonly made of charred willow, is ahighly versatile medium that has also been used for hundreds of years.Today the material is often compressed into solid sticks.

SanguineSangu ine - meaning ablood red colour - canbe used in its naturalform by sharpening apiece of the red chalkto a point and fiXing itinto a holder Processedsanguine ismade up ofiron oxide and chalkand then moulded intobars. sticks. orpencils.

Wi ll ow c h ar co a lC om p re ss ed c ha rc oa l

Sanguine Come crayol!~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . v . _ ~ . . . . . . . ~< , y " "-!"~y"< '-: ::

... ~~~ ~__ ,~__ ~~ ~ --: _ I y~ (~~ ~ :~ . , h'~ /1:'~Brown Come crayon

B lu e d ra wi ng chalk

Whitedrawing chalk

6B charcoal pencil " 1 1 1 1 ( 1- - ~~. - - - - - ; :.~_~ - . ~ ..... :> '_~ ~ :- ; ..; - : " ,..;o.: - _" - ,... ....~ .. f . - . " ~ # _ .: _ ~ . . .::t_~h._ 0'-=-~"~ F ~ ~ " " ' R : ~ ~.. .4B charcoal pencil

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CharcoalThe rich, velvetyblack quality ofcharcoal makes itone of the boldestand most evocativemediums. It is soldin different degreesof hardness andthickness. Compressedcharcoal has a moreintense appearancethan willow or vinecharcoal sticks.Conte crayonsA hard version ofchalk, these are tessprone to breakingand come in a widerange of colours.Drawing chalksSimilar in texture andappearance to pastels.these leave afinerdeposit than crayons.White chalk is onlyeffective on tonedpaper or overanother cotour.Charcoal pencilsHarder than charcoalsticks and graded.these pencils can besharpened to af inepoint for precise work.

Pastel pencilsPastel pencils areideal for creating finefines and for delicateblending.


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Drawing with Conte crayonConte crayons are a hard versionof chalk, mixed with pigment andgraphite and bound with gum anda small amount of grease. Theircomposition makes them harderto rub out than chalk or charcoal soit is difficult to erase any accidentalJines. They do, however react in thesame way as chalk when mixed withwater, with the pigment loosenedon the paper so that it acts like awash. Use a textured paper so thatthe distinctive qualities of Contecrayon will be heightened.

3 Now use the damp sponge to loosenthe pigment in the lines of crayon. The::-:5ffientshould disperse into a light wash-~a~gives the figure a sense of shape.

CHALKS & CHARCOAL

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1'"egin by wetting a large sheet ofpaper with a household sponge. Thisdamp surface wil l cause the crayon marksto absorb some of the water and so appearthicker and heavier, giving a sense ofsolidity to the image of the figure.

2 . Draw the outlines of the standingfigure with a brown Conte crayon,sketching lightly to begin with and thenreinforcing the lines once you are happywith the proportions. Don't worry aboutrepeating lines ifyou need to alter a feature.

Water has beenabsorbed by the l inesof crayon 50 that theyappear much darkerand heavier.

and add any detailssuch as the fingerson the girl's hand.

Conte crayon lookslighter and moregrainy on dry paper.

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Ii1fI!James Horta"

Study of a GirlBy mixing waterwith Conte crayonyou can achieve aninteresting drawingeffect that shouldalso encourage youto draw lucidly.

Materials

Brown Con te cravon17


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MATERIALS

Pastel boxesP aste ls a re s old in div id u ally o r in b ox ed se tsth at keep th e co lou rs clea n a nd protect them .

Chalk pastelsT he se p as te l s tic ks , w ith th eir b rillia nc e o fcolou r an d ease of han dling , are the m ostp op ula r fo rm o f p aste l. T he p urity o f pig me nti s r e ta ined by u sing ju st a sm all am ou nt ofg um so lu tio n to b in d th e v ario us qu an titie so f c olo ure d c ha lk in to a so lid fo rm .

Protecting your workThe powdery compositiono f p aste ls m ake s th ems u sc ep tib le to s mu d g in g ,so p ro te ct d ra w in g sw ith s he ets o ft rac ing paper18

PASTEL TYPES~HE OPAQUE NATURE of soft pastels and their ability to1over a surface easily means that the medium mayoften be used in a painterly fashion. However pastels cannot

be mixed in the same way that paint can, so they remain withinthe realms of drawing in as far as the dry sticks of pigmenthave to be applied individually to the surface of the paper in aseries of marks and then overlaid or blended with one another.Pastels are essentially chalk that has been mixed with pigmentand a binding medium. They vary in hardness depending onthe particular pigments and the proportion of gum to chalk.The harder they are, the better suited they are to linear work.

Pastel pencilsP as te ! p en cils a re a h ar de r v er sio n o f th e s tic ks.W hile th eir p en cil fo rm at m ake s th em id ea l f ord eta ile d w ork a nd d elic ate m od ellin g, th ey a re

le ss su ite d to c ov erin g fa rg e s ur fa ce a re as.


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Wax crayonsT he w a xy c on sis te nc y o f th es e s tic ks m ea nsth at th ey a re re sista nt to w ater. A s a res ult, th eyc an b e c om bin ed w ith w ater co lo ur w ash es top ro vid e in te re stin g te xtu re in a d ra w in g .

TorcbonsT orc ho ns, o r b len din g to ols, a re m ad e o f

tig htly ro lled p ap er a nd a re th e th ick nesso f a p en cil A s th e tip b ec om es s oi le d fr om

pastel p igment, you can peel away ala ye r a /p ap er t o r ev ea l a c le an s ur fa ce .

Water-soluble pastelsS im ila r i n c on sis te nc y a nd t ex tu re t o w a xc ra yo ns, th ese p aste ls c an b e u se d w et o rdr y a nd eith er d ra wn straig ht on to a d am psu rfa ce, o r so fte ne d w ith a w et b ru sh th atd i spe rs e s t he p i gmen t s.

Spray fixativeT he ea se w ith w hic h

p as te ls s mu d ge m ea nsth at y ou m us t a lw ay s

s ea l a fin is he d d ra w in gw ith jixa tiv e. I f y ou u se a

sp ra y th en p in th e w orkt o a v er tic al s ur fa ce t o

p re ven t a ny d rip sm a rk in g t he s u rfa ce .

PASTEL TYPES

Oil pastelsT he se p as te ls a re c on stit ute d w ith o il r ath erth an g u m, w hic h m ak es th em m ore tra nslu ce nta nd s tic ky . T he ir a dv an ta ge s o ve r s oft p as te lsa re th at th ey a dh ere to p ap er e asily , th at th eco lo urs can be b len ded , a nd th at th ey ca n beu sed fo r a va rie ty o f tech niq ue s su ch a s"sgraf fi to" (p.36) .


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: tv IATERIALS

vt.0TERCOLOURU

ED INITIALLY IN THE WEST to "colour"pen and ink drawings and heighten theirdescriptive qualities, watercolour has been a

part of drawing media for hundreds of years.It mixes perfectly with traditional drawingtools such as pencil and ink, furnishing alinear drawing with an expressive rhythmand a pronounced spontaneity. Make sure youuse permanent ink with watercolour washes

Siu4sable brushTransparent watercolour

You can blend colours ="" ' ' ' ' . . . . , , ' ' ' ' ' 'together or overlayseparate washes.

or the water will dissolve the lines of inkWatercolour is also useful because it canbe blended into a smooth gradation of tonesthat increase the three-dimensional qualityof forms in the most subtle way. Using asable brush can also enable you to make themost sensuous of watercolour drawings, withits ability to change instantly from a broad,bold brushmark to a fine, tapering line.

Transparency and opacityWatercolour is unique for its transparentlight effects. The characteristicluminosity of the medium is causedby natural light penetrating a mixof pigment and water and reflectingback off the surface of the paper (left).The more colours you mix together,the less light can penetrate and reflect,creating a much darker colour. Youcan also create stronger, heaviereffects bymixing white with a colour,or by using a watercolour paint knownas gouache or body colour. The opacityof gouache paint helps to give solidity

to an image (be low) or to createintense highlights if you aredrawing on toned paper.atercolour boxesWatercolour paint is available in a viscous form in

a tube or in a solid block called apan. Pans are mostconvenient for drawing as they can easily be used and

stored in a meta! box. Pans are sold individually so thatyou can replace particular colours as they Tun out.

Size 9sable brush

Watercolourbo y

Soft sable brushes give the best effectswith watercolour, retaining their shape farlonger than synthetic brushes. A small and

a medium-sized or a farge brush areall you needfor most drawings.

Wa t er c o loursketchbook

Opaque watercolourBuild up dark washes / . . : . : l > .of colour 10 create ' f,1 \strong shadows. "


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WATERCOLOUR

Working outdoorsDrawing with watercolour is almost synonymouswith working outdoors or from life as its fluencyand ease of handling enables you to instantlycapture even the most fleeting of light effects overa scene. If you do decide to work outside, you canorganize a simple travel ki t of basic materials thattakes up little room and is easy to handle. Use aprotective roll to store equipment such as pencils,a dip pen, and sable brushes safely. Take a hardsurface such as a wooden drawing board andclips to secure the paper down and to supportyour hand as you draw.

Canvas roll

Transporting paperO ne o f th e sa fest w ays toca rry p ap er is to u se afo ld er o r a p la stic tu be.Y ou sh ou ld a lso in clu dea c an o r b ottle o f fix at iv ein you . r kit to prevent

fi ni sh ed d raw in g s fr omsmudging w hile th ey a res to r ed t oge th e r

Drawing boardA lth ou g h it m ay b e th e b ulk ies tp ie ce o f e qu i pm e nt , a drawingb oa rd is o ne o f th e m ost im po rta ntitem s to in clu de in y ou r kit and isa c hea pe r a nd m ore c on ve nie ntalternative than a w oo den o r metalea sel. A no th er o ptio n is to u se ablock of water colour paper whichis sold w ith e ac h sheet o f pape rlig htly g lu ed to th e n ext to g ive Qso lid , {fa t s u rfa ce o n w hich to d ra w.

.@

Co ll ap s ib le wo o den Sloat

Ca.nvas rollA protective roll is t he e as ie st w a y of

tr an sp or ti ng y ou r d ra w in g m a te ria ls .Th e rolls are u su ally m ad e fro m ca nva s

w i th e la s ti c strips sewn in t o h o ld i nd iv id u a litem s secu rely . Y ou m ay a lso w an t to ta kea sm all w oo de n sto ol if you are g~ing to bew or kin g o utd co rs fo r a ny le ng th o f tim e,

Drawing board

Paper

D ra win g c lip s

'21


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MATERIALS

GALLERY OFDRAWINGMEDIA,

OFTEN THE SUBJECT MATTER you draw willdictate what type of medium you use.A piece of detailed architecture can be drawnmost precisely with a technical pen or a finenib and charcoal proves itself a superiormedium for swiftly capturing the mood of aperson. For an elegant, rhythmical drawingof a moving figure, brush and ink offers thewidest range of expressive line. Occasionallymixing your media can introduce a whole newfacet to your work, but the success of mixingdifferent media together depends upon usingeach to its best advantage. A pencil sketch canevolve into a more substantial drawing byadding watercolour to strengthen the image,or by adding coloured pencils or chalks tobuild up the texture in a series of hatchedlines. Startling effects can be created by usinga heavily textured paper with pastels andcrayons in an array of vivid colours.

A sgraffitotechnique hasbeen used toscrape awaysome of the oilpas tel colourand producebright highlights.

Karen Raney, Les Planes BedroomWindow, 86 x 61 em (34 x 24 in)The considered way in which these oilpastels have been applied in layers hasresulted in a brilliance of colour and astrong tonal pattern that enlivens the work.

.~ , . . . . . . . . , . -. - .--~__"_.22

The oil pastels pick up the toothof this textured paper 50 that t inyareas of white pa per ca us e th ecolours to shimmer with light.

Paul Cezanne, The Castle of Medon,1879/80, 31 x 47 em (12 x 18'!, in)Although the majority of Cezanne's watercolourdrawings are quite slight, they are full ofstructure and power. In this study, pencil markshave been reinforced with watercolour togivea strong image that combines a lightness offeeling and a wide sense of space .


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John Ward RA, Siena, 33x 56 em (13 x 22 in)in th is p ic tu re th e a rt is t h a s c au g ht th e d az zlin g fy brightlig ht that sh ines on a bu stling m arket squ are w ith aclev er c om bin atio n o f watercolour a nd p en cil. R ich ,d ee p w a sh es o f w at er co lo u r h av e b ee n d ra w n in s ha de da re a s t o h ei gh te n t he c on tr as t w it h t he s ta rk w h it e p a pe rw h ile c le an p en cil m ar ks d elin ea te t he s tr uc tu re o ft he o rn a te I ta li an b u il di ng s p re ci se ly .

Jane Stanton, Horace Shadow Boxing,28 x 23cm (11x 9 in)T his vig oro us d ra win g in b la ck a nd w hite c ha lk s h as b eenb u il t u p in a s er ie s a /r hy th mic al m ar ks . in te re st in gly , th ew hite of the paper has been left u ntou ched to depict theb an da ged h an ds, w hile th e h ig hlig hts on the arm andshoulder have been produced by white c ha lk . T h is gives th efi gu r e a s en se o f s o li di ty a n d h ei gh te ns t he t on a l c on tr as ts .

T he c o n tr a stof intense blackshading and lightlydrawn linear markscreates a strongsense of movement.

GALLERY OF DRAWING MEDIA

~. . . ..~- " - .. ~ --;;.~ V Finally, rework thefruit on the table withthe brightest pastel colours.Then balance the stronghues of the still life byaccentuating the details ofthe doorway with charcoal.T ry to keep the backgroundundefined and rather pale toincrease the sense of distancebeyond the balcony.

INTERIORS & EXTER IORS

Still Life on a BalconyT his d ra w in g is b u ilt u p o j c o lo u rc on tr as ts - w ith b rig h t, v ib ra ntp as te ls d es cr ib in g th e s ce neo utd oo rs a nd d arker, m oresubdued hues evoking the shadyi nt er io r. T h is p a tt er n o j h ig h li gh tsa nd s ha do w s sets up a series ofstro ng to na l v alu es th ro ug h th ed ra w in g . w h ic h a ls o g iv es Q goods en se o f a e ri al p e rs pe ct iv e. T h ed oor w ay e ffe ct iv el y f ram es t hew ho le co mp ositio n a nd lea ds th ee ye u p e asily to th e a ctiv e f oc alp oin t o j th e fru it o n th e b alc on y.

Pastel selectionfor interior

Pastel marks havebeen left unblendedso that the drawinghas a sharp clarity.

Paste l s e lec ti on for ex te rior

KE E PING YOURWORK CLEAN

Bright paste l colours,either pale or strong intone. have been usedfor areas in sunlight.

Pastels and chalks generate afine powder as you work withthem, so. u se a sheet of paperto lean your hand on as youdraw. This technique is alsouseful with lead penci ls .

The contrast betweent he Iight balconyand the dark interiorincreases the sense ofatmosphere and theaerial perspective . ordepth, ; 1 ' ) the drawing.

James Horton47


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TECHNIQUES

GALLERY OFCOMPOSITION

A DRAW ING CAN BE ANYTHING from a quick.n.doodle in a sketchbook to a highlyfinished piece ofwork, yet composition is animportant part of any drawing. Compositionrelies upon a variety of factors, such as thearrangement of shapes and forms and thedegree of tone and colour. The more complexa drawing becomes, the more you need toconsider how individual elements will inter-relate to form a cohesive, interesting whole.An unusual viewpoint or angled compositioncan also produce an engaging work. Youmayfind after starting a drawing that you want toexplore areas beyond the existing confinesof the paper, so add an extra sheet to developthe work into a larger composition.

Jon Harris, King's Parade, 56 x 76 em(22 x 30 in)T his w ork h as a n e xtra ord in ary a bu nd an ce o f l in es a nd m ark s w hic h th e a rtist h asb uilt u p u sin g a tech nica l p en w hile a ctu ally sittin g in th e stree t. T he p ow erfu lp e rs pe ct iv e t ha t c h ar ac te ri ze s t hi s c ompo si ti on is exa gg era ted b y th e ro ad th aten gu lfs th r;fo reg ro un d a nd th en co nverg es ra pid ly to a va nish in g p oin t in th ed ista nc e. T he la rg e, d isse cte d ro ad sig n d om in atin g th e rig ht o f th e p ic tu rein cre ase s th e im m ed ia cy o f th e c om po sitio n a nd g iv es it a le ss s tru ctu re d fe el.A n etw or k o f c ro ss-h atc he d m ark s h elp s to g ive th e p i ctu re to ne a nd te xtu re.

48

Thomas Newbolt,Study for the Bandstand III, 61 x 46 em (24 x 18 in )In th is ch arco al d ra win g th e a rtis t h as u sed a n in gen io usv an ta ge p o in tfro m a tre e so th a t h e a lm o st s pie s o n th e fig u re sw alkin g b elo w h im . A s a c om po sitio n, th e d ra win g is s impleb ut d yn am ic , w ith th e f ig u res h eld ca refu lly in p la ce b y th ed ia go na l p ath a nd th e fo lia ge o f th e tre e th at f ra me s th em .


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Jane Stanton,Behind the Scoreboard, 25 x 36 em (J 0 x J 4 In)

This drawing is'one of a series the artist made while sittingbehind a cricket scoreboard. Although our attention isimmediately drawn to the two seated figures, the artistis also fascinated by the shapes within the room - the

intersecting lines of the walls, the repeated image of thedoors, and the overhanging cupboards. By placing thefigures at an angle, she intensifies our interest and

heightens the sense of drama in the scene.

Anne-Marie Butlin, Two Pears, 25 x 30 em (10 x 12 in)This carefully thought out composition transforms a deceptivelysimple still life into afascinating study. Viewed from a closeangle, the edge of the table that cuts across the picture dividesthe composition in two so that our attention on the fruit is ellenmore intense. The uneasy positioning of the pears also impliesthat the artist has sought to generate a certain degree oftension in thispicture

GALLERY OF COMPOSITION

Boudin, Beach Scene,Late 19th century,29x 72 em(l l's x 28;" in)This delightful pastel capturesthefun ofpeople relaxing on abeach. Boudin has deliberatelychosen a long, thin format toreinforce the sensation of gazingout a/ an endless stretch ofcoastline, The impressionisticsuggestion offigures and shapesin coloured pastels gives aspacious, indistinct feel to thedrawing so that the sceneappears to exist beyond theconfines of the toned paper.

49


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TECHNIQUES

DRAWING NATURAL FORMSDR AW ING NAT URAL F ORMS tends to be a genre of its own as it requiresa more observant and investigative approach: to record preciselyand in detail the appearance and workings of an animal or a plant. Youneed to work methodically to capture the particular characteristics

of your subject, rather than applying your own personal artisticinterpretation. Select a medium that is sympathetic to thequality of the object - a bold medium for vigorous drawingand the clean lines of pen and ink for more exacting work.CrustaceansCrustaceans are fascinating to lookat and the "mechanics" of a creaturesuch as this lobster are intriguing.The longer you examine how thedifferent joints are connected andthe effects of the hard shell reflecting

the light, the more realistic yourdrawing wil l be. Use a pencil firstto establish the essential shapeand features of the lobster beforeyou move on to the permanentmedium of pen and ink.

B ea ch co mb ing is o neof the best ways offmdmg

i n te r es t ing ma ter ial /0 draw.

1~Arrange thelobster and seashells in a corner

where they can beleft to enable youto take your timeto study and drawthem. Sketch in thebasic shape of thelobster with light,gestural strokes onsmooth watercolourpaper, using apencil with a long,sharpened point.

2 ~Describe the otherobjects around the lobsterto establish the right proportionsbefore you put in the finerdetails. You may want to restyour hand on a sheet ofpaperto avoid smudging theexisting pencil marks.3 ~With amedium-sized

sable brush and awash of pale yellow.begin to build upthe form of thelobster. Applythe watercoloursparingly if youare worried aboutover-emphasizingany aspect of thework at this stage.

,/,

4 &. When the first wash of watercolour has dried. apply ascarlet-brown wash to the main body of the lobster ina seriesof dabs to echo the appearance of its mottled shell. TI,e springyhairs of the sable brush should give you good control as you paint.


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5 ~Lightly shadeareas of thebackground with athin wash of darkbrown to give asense of depth tothe drawing andpush the form ofthe lobster forward.

Norfolk LobsterThe artist has taken his time to study this lobster,and the result is a beautiful and meticulousdrawing with a wealth of detail The layersof colour and texture have been appliedcarefully to give the lobster a powerfulsense ofform, while the clean, crisplines of ink define particular featuresthat tum this drawing into afascinating reference work.Layers of waterceleur havebeen built up into a series ofsubtle tones that mould theform of the lobster effectively.

A coloured pend breaks upthe the flat areas of watercolourand provides texture.

7 ~Use a dip penand sepia ink toredefine the shapeand details of thelobster. Accentuateany areas in shadowwith thick, darklines, and highlightswith thin, faint linesof ink. Hatchedmarks drawn in thedarkest shadowswill also push theimage forward.

~, _-

DRAWING NATURAL FORMSMaterials

6 ...Gently shade the side of the lobstershell with the pencil to build up a seriesof dark tones. This should help to give theimage a three-dimensional appearance. Brown coloured pencil

8 4 Deepen thetones of theshell and clawswith a dark browncoloured pencil. Thepencil marks willalso add textureto the drawing andhelp to break up anyareas of paint thatlook a little flat.

Initial penel l line swhich are tecr ....:~ .'incorrect ado :c ,~evitality of the dra\',"~s.

.1 :~, I ;; ,_ J R ic ha rd E e i!


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DRAW ING LANDSCAPE S is a relatively recentdevelopment in art and it was not untilthe eighteenth century that the changingeffects of light and weather in a landscapebecame such a popular subject matter. It isalways essential to be aware of the passageof the sun across a scene as the definition ofindividual features and the length of shadowscan change dramatically. Perhaps the greatestproblem when you are drawing a landscape ischoosing which features to include and whichto leave out. A viewfinder is the best way of

TECHNIQUES

LANDSCAPES

1Use a viewfinder to select an appealingcomposition. With a pencil, measure theproportions of the hill village and draw itin a series of blocks and triangles on roughwatercolour paper. The slightly off-centrepositioning of the village creates anunusual composition and the vegetationsurrounding it can be sketched ingradually to balance out the drawing.

selecting one view from a broad panorama.Watercolour is one of the most suitablemediums to use for drawing landscapesas it enables you to capturethe transient effects of theweather quickly.

2 4 Look for any featuresin the foreground andmiddleground, such as trees ora sloping hill, that give a senseof perspective; a diagonal lineon the lefthelps to lead the eyeup to the village. Keep thelandscape to the same scaleas the village by measuring thedifferent features carefully.

3 ~When you are happywith the scale of thecomposition, add somewatercolour with a smallsable brush to capture theeffect of sunlight on thebuildings. Use a wash ofwarm red for rooftops andcool purples for shadows.


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\ "

5;' Add some yellowhighlights forbuildingsthat catch the sunlightand draw in any smalldetails, such as windowsand doors, to give eachbuilding more of a three-dimensional form,

",,",

4 A Describe the trunks and branchesofthe trees in the foreground with thesable brush and a pale brown wash. Applythe wash lightty to retain the clarity of lineand lift out any mistakes you may makewith a piece of kitchen roll.

.,

..~ -~ -4 :-

~,,-.,d . f'~\ \1~c - " ~'.. , - 'F


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TECHNIQUES

GALLERY OFNATURAL F O R M s& LANDSCAPESDRAWINGNATURAL FORMS has often broughtartist and scientist together. Many ofLeonardo's drawings, for example, workequally well as drawings from life and asdetailed scientific studies. Until the adventofphotography in the mid-nineteenth century,drawing was used to illustrate all manner ofdifferent subjects - resulting in a combinationof images that were beautiful to look at andfilledwith relevant information. Drawing is allabout the way we perceive the world aroundus, which is perhaps why artists turn so readilyto landscapes and natural objects as a sourceof inspiration. Some interesting landscapescontain not only natural features; man-madebuildings in a landscape can often strikea balance with the natural forms aroundthem so that they seem to be subsumedinto the environment.

Richard Bell, Study of aScottish Blackface SheepSkull, 9x 5 em (3'6 x 2 in )Drawn in pen and ink andwatercolour, this study picksout the shape and texture of asheep's skull beautifully. Theartist has emphasized the bonyquality of the object by addinga s er ie s o f c ro ss -h atc he d ma rk sin pen and pencil over theareas of watercolour.

Van Dyck, Study of Trees, Late 1630s, 20x 24 em (8x gv,in )Thefeathery texture of the trees in this lyrical pen and ink drawing pointto Van Dyck's concern for a stylistic interpretation of hi s subject ratherthan identifying particular trees.

Bony highlights arecreated by leavingthe white of thepaper untouched.

The deep hole of theeye socket has been

achieved by overlayingwashes of colour withhatched pencil marks.


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Paul Lewin, Seascape (AfterCourbet}, 64 x 71 em (25 x 28 in)In this drawing the artist, ratherlike Van Dyck, has concentratedon a personal interpretation oja natural scene, He has appliedpastel and charcoal vigorously todevelop a dramatic sense of moodand atmosphere, Although thepicture has a low horizon point,the sky is brought alive with strongcolour and texture to form asurface full of movement. Thiswork illustrates how a landscapecan be used as a springboardfor a personal vision,

GALLERY OF NATURAL FORMS & LANDSCAPES-Li,0..;!f'1~,,.; ,

. '~ '~,--

r' ';f\rrr '

c.;: ~ .- -\-- . - _;-

Percy Horton, Provencal Village,1960, 25 x 36 em (10 x 14 in )This work explores the relationship and structureof shapes. What fascinated the artist was how thebuildings relate to the surrounding landscapeand how by excluding any tone, he has been able toconcentrate entirely on the linear quality of the composition.

The lack of fine detail gives thisseascape anexpressionistic feelwhich is heightened by thelimited useof colour,

The dark, moody atmosphere ofthis drawing has been heightenedby a series of deep tones andheavy cross-hatching.

55


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TECHNIQUES

FIGURES & DRAPERYCLOTHES CAN DISGUISE and distort the real shape of our bodies, soit is important to understand how material behaves as it fallsin folds around a figure. The simplest way to draw a clothed figure isto work out the proportions of the body first and draw itas a series of simple forms, ignoring the flowing shapesmade by the drapery. Once you are satisfied with theshape of the figure you can begin to explore the waythe material hangs from particular areas of the body.Don't overwork the folds and gathers of the drapery .(or the image will look stiff and unnatural.

, c > ' . . . , ~0 : . . . . , . . ~ . " ~ ' : { : S . ~ "~~~"~\I~1'~' )c ; { : ~ ljV !~ ~ ,I t'. ~.,c ; , "

Sketching figuresPeople always make engaging studies. Agood way to gain confidence in drawingpeople is with a sketchbook: make quicksketches of seated figures on busesor trains and note how their clotheshang and serve to accentuatethe way they sit.

.~~ ..~".

Moving figuresI f y o u d ra w re pe ate d stu die s oia movingfigure, use a fast medium such as pencil orpen and watercolour to capture the mostinteresting features: look fo r th e way theirclothes behave as they twist and turn.

1~he folds made by drapery createinteresting patterns on and aroundthis figure. Draw the proportions of thewoman in first with charcoal on lightlytoned pastel paper, reducing the imageto a series of simple shapes. Repeat linesor change the angle of the head until youhave an accurate rendering of the figure.

2 ~ Loosely block in the essentialfeatures and skin colouring of thefigure with soft pastels until you haveachieved a reasonable human likeness.Then concentrate on describing thevarying rhythms and tones of thedifferent materials.

3 ,L:,. Draw in the deep folds created by thedrapery thrown over the seat, looking tosee how it hangs and catches the light. Youwill need to use quite a wide range of greenpastels to recreate the strong lighting effects.so first establish the shapes of the draperyin one colour.


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6 ~Draw in the finer details of thefigure with a pastel pencil; a slightlyharder version of a soft pastel in a pencilformat This will allow you to work moreprecisely on smaller areas such as theface, capturing the final highlights andemphasizing any particular features.

Malaysian Woman in a SarongThis richly coloured study of afigure givesa strong visual description of the natureof drapery and the way it can echo andenhance the rhythms a/the human body.The blended pastels on her sarong illustratehow the f ight strikes her body and gives itform, while layers of dark pastel on thebench fab r ic c r ea te the e ff ec t o f a h ea v ie r,thicker doth falling to the ground.

The shape of this figure issimple yet strong enough togive a solid image on whichto draw the hanging material.

The irregularity of the redpattern helps.to identify thecontours of the body andcreases in the material.

Bold lines of dark colour havebeen used fo r the deepestfolds of doth while the lightesttints pick up the direction ofthe strong light source.

FIGURES & DRAPERY

4 ~Build up the tonesof the woman's sarong,using dark colours for thedeepest creases that help toshape her body. Then pickout the red pattern of thecloth and observe how itsregularity is disrupted byfolds or contours.

5 ..Use a deep blue pasteland charcoal for areas offabric that cast the strongestshadows. This will give thematerial an intense, heavyfeel and a sense of depth.

\I (\~,

Main materials

PQSI~I pend!


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TECHNIQUES

LIFE DRAWINGT .HE HUM AN BODY is generally thought. to containevery aspect of form, visual complexity, andsubtlety that an artist will encounter. Drawing ahuman figure regularly will help you to improveyour powers of observation and drawing skills, but.it is often hard for artists to find people willing todevote their time to sit as models. By joining a lifedrawing class you can take your time to study figuresand to glean different ideas and techniques fromobserving other artists. While you should learn topay attention to the anatomical proportions ofthe human body, a life drawing class will also allowyou the freedom to express a mood in the way amodel sits or stands, or a certain characteristicfeature in their personality.

Broad strokes of inkgive the impressionof shadows.

Five minute poseThis decisive yet eloquent study ofa womans back shows howa f ew expressive fines and the minimum of detail can create aconvincing image. The study was drawn with a Chinese brushan d ink wh ich encourages a lyrical style full of control.

Lines have beenrepeated until theshape of the headlooks correct.

The life roomA life drawing class provides aregular, disciplined period wherethe problems and complexities ofthe human figure can be tackled.

~ - /j/ 1 f " ~ ;f;./t';fdt t " i f I . ( ~ , '. - - -- -. ( " " u : and not waste time concentratingon incidental details.Ten and fifteen minute poses

still demand a certain speed, butthey allow you to develop yourstyle beyond the purely gestural.Take this extra time to look for thedynamic angles and planes of the


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body. Look also for the way themodel sits or stands and affects thedistribution of weight through thebody, using a plumb line if necessaryto determine the balance of thefigure in relation to a true verticalline. With any short pose it isimportant to develop the drawingonly as far as the time will allowand not to over-emphasize anyindividual char acteri sti cs.Taking thirty minutes to an hour

to draw a figure will give you thechance to develop more intricate

Two hour poseWith more time t o s tu d y h is p er so n a/ c ha ra ct er ,th e a rtist h as exp lo red the m oo d of this m ana nd g en er ate d a s tr on g a tm os ph er e o fb ro od ln gcontemplation. The wide range of tonal valuesd ra wn in ch arc oa l g ives th e fig ure so lid ity ,w h ile th e w eig h t o f h is b od y p u lls d ow nw a rd st o g i ve a f or ce fu l s e ns e of gravity.-Four hour poseSubt le blending and a power fu l pe rs pec ti ve g i vet hi s d r aw ing a s en su o us y et controlled feeling.T he a rt ist h as ta ke n h is tim e m od ellin g th efig ure, p ickin g o ut th e h ig hlig hts w dh ca re sothat the f inal impression is of a w om an bathedin su ffu sed su nlig ht. Th e trea tm en t o f th e b edand the highlights thai h av e b ee n p ro du ce dw ith a n e ra se r a dd to th e s oftn es s o f th e s ce ne .

LIFE DRAWINGaspects of character and study theform of the body in some detail.Work up a series of tones withsolid shading or cross-hatchingand hatching to give the bodya sense of depth and volume.With poses of two hoursor more, a different processevolves. The proportions of thebody are more significant so usethe size of the head as a basicunit of measurement. The bodyshould be approximately sevenand a half times larger than thehead. Think also about the lightsource: enhanced or distortedeffects created by the light as itshines from different angles cancreate a fascinating study. Lookfor the patterns made by shadowsacross the body, how some areas ofthe body are plunged into obscuritywhile other muscles or features areaccentuated by an intense brightlight. Describing the surroundings atthis stage will help to put the figurewithin a more realistic context.

One hour poseHere the lig ht h itting the back of the bodyillu m in ate s so me o f th e m an y p la ne s a nd fa ce tsof the hu man fig ure . Su ch dips and cu rvescaused by m u sc le s a nd b on es b en ea th th e s ki no re im po rta nt to d ep ic t a s th ey g iv e s ub sta nc eto th e stu dy . A lth ou g h th e sh ad in g is roughlyexecuted, the e ff e ct g iv es a rugged realism

The contrast of stronglights and darks givesthis drawing atmosphere.

The setting hasbeen included 10give the drawing astrong sense of realism.


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LightingLighting can radically affect the appearance of anindividual A full light shining straight on to the facewillf latten the features and give you lit tle chance toexplore the depth of the head. Light shining on the sideof the head creates a more interesting study, but if youwant In exaggerate someone's personality or create...: 'I';~L~'::;1~~'f'i: " ' : : : ' i ; ~,_j h>h t: 'n g t h er : t:'(1~i f; 1 ,iC~~;

TECHNIQUES

('

60

PORTRAITSr'"f"1HE NE ED TO DE PICT a person's individual characteristics sets1ortrait drawing apart from figure drawing. The best approachto take when you draw a portrait is to study the construction andform of the head, noting the proportions of particular features in jrelation to the size of the face. You may like to experiment withthe lighting to create an atmosphere or reflect the mood of thesitter and such unusual effects may help you to look at yoursubject in a fresh way. If you need to gain practice capturinga human likeness, try drawing a self portrait so that you canstudy at your own leisure.

Capturing a moodOften the medium you use will reflect the moodof the sitter. A bold, heavy drawing In charcoalmay signal an angry or defiant mood, apencildrawing will enable you to describe Q range oftones to give dimension to aportrait, while

r:_ a delicate pen and ink drawing canpick up the subtle nuances-, of a person's character.

v-,

1

ProportionsTo draw a portrait successfully,you need to be able to produce Q solid,lifelike image of a head with recognizablefeatures that identify the sitter. Work out

the symmetry of the face by dividing it .roughly into three equal parts. The top section

isfrom the crown to the brow; the central sectionis from the brow to the end of the nose; and thebottom section is from the end of the nose to thebottom of the chin. Draw the eyes approximatelyone-eye's width apart and measure the trianglemade by the eyes and the end of the nose asthese are important features and define theparticular shape oj theface most accurately.


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Self portraitSelf portrait studies are a goodway to practise drawing humanfeatures, although they oftenportray a rather confrontationalgaze as a result of you staring atyourself in the mirror. Select themost essential and interestingfeatures as you draw - if you. attempt to capture every detailyou may end up with anoverworked drawing.

1~Set up a mirror in a convenientplace so that you can see yourselfeasily and, ifpossible, where the lightwill cast shadows for an interestingeffect. Sketch the shape ofyour headand features in pencil on a broadsheet of textured paper, keepingthe drawing as large as possible.

Yellows and orangeshave been used forwarm lights, and coolmauves and greys forareas in shadow.

PORTRAITS

2Block in the main areas of the face

and hair with oil pastels, applying eachcolour loosely to cover the paper effectively.Oil pastels give a rich, colourful effect andadhere to the paper easily. Use a clothdipped in turpentine to wipe away mistakesor colours you may want to change.

Self Portrait StudyOil p as te ls g iv e th is s el f p o rtr ai ta r ic he r, d ee pe r e ffe ct th an w ou ldo rd in ary p aste ls. T he s lig htt ra ns pa re nc y o f th e o il p a s te ls a ls oa ll ow s s ep a ra te l in es o f o ve rl ai dc olo u r to c re ate an optical mix.T he size o f th e p a pe r is significanting i v ing t he a r ti st mo re con fi d en c eto draw boldly and ca ptu re thes tr ong l igh t in g e ff ec ts ca st a c ro ss

Karen Raney th e s id e o f h er fa ce .

Pastel marks have beenbui It up in layers to createan optical mix of colour.

3 _,..se a finger or a pieceof material to blend pastelmarks together if you want togive a smoother texture to someareas of skin. Make sure thepastels are soft so that you canblend them easily on paper.

Main materials

61


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TECHNIQUES

FIGURES IN A SEITINGlit -I' 1

Descr ib e a bac kg roundEstablishing a focal pointThe human eye is similar to a camera lensin that it cannot focus on everything at once,so you will need to work systematically toestablish the figure as a focal point first andthen go on to develop the background scene,

1~ketch the figure lightlyfirst in pencil on a toned,semi-rough watercolourpaper. Then draw in thefountain and the mostprominent features of thebuildings. Once you haveall the proportions drawncorrectly, return to the figureand strengthen the image.

62

FIGURE S ARE AARELY SE EN in isolation - usually theyare situated against a backdrop, either indoorsor outside. Invariably this background is a significant

element in a drawing, but the most important thing toremember is that you should always relate the figuresto their surroundings. The interaction between the twoneeds to be organized carefully within a compositionto give a strong sensation of depth and create a seriesof spatial relationships. Try not to include too muchbackground detail so the emphasis of the drawingremains centred on the figures.

r

2 ..As this cafe scene. is situated outside in asquare, the quality of Lightismuch stronger, casting shortdark shadows and producingbright highlights, Mixsomecool washes of water colourfor areas of the fountain andbuildings that are in shadowand apply them with asmall sable brush,


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FIGURES IN A SETTING

3~epresent the way the light definesthe form of this figure with darktransparent washes for shadows and white'gouache for the highlights. White gouacheis essential for describing strong Lightandpale colours if you are working on tonedpaper. Redefine details such as the hat witha pencil These subtle lineswill give a bettersense of form and shape and help to pushthe figure further into the foreground.

4 . s o . Use a charcoal pencil to delicately shade smallfeatures such as the stonework on the fountain.This refined form of charcoal retains the dark, heavyquality ofthe medium, while the pencil format allowsyou a greater degree of control and precision.

Town SquareT his fig u re a nd th ese ttin g b eh in d h er b othc omp le men t a nd b ala n ceo ne a no th er , th e f ig u reb le nd s in to th e sc en ewh il e s ti ll l oo ki ngp ro m in en t e no u g h asafo ca l p oin t. T he sc aleof th e b ac kg ro un d a ls or e la t es propor tiona l ly toth e fig u re a nd t he l ig h tc ast a cr oss th e w h oles cen e l in k s i nd iv id ua lfe atu re s in a series o fs tr ong t ona l cont ra s ts .

The shape of thegirl's hat provides aninteresting featureagainst the fountainin the background.

Opaque highlights are used to givea feeling of hot, bright light, while

dark, transparent hues describe thesnort shadows of early afternoon.

Our attenti.eo: +ccuses primarilyon the giri ,,,,,, then on ':',differe nt features beyoll~i.

5 '< 1 Use a dip penand black inkto draw in the finaldetails, redefiningany pencil marksthat may have beencovered by thewashes of colour.

Materials

The strong senseof perspective givesthe impression of alarge area of spacebetween the figureand the fou ntain.

J am e s H a rr on


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TECHNIQUES

GALLERY OFFIGURES

FIGURE S HA VE A LWAYS been a fascinatingsubject matter for artists; after all, almosteveryone is aware of, perhaps even intriguedby the people around them and how theymove and act. To draw figures successfullyand understand your subject, you must capturenot just the right proportions and shape of ahuman body, but the character of an individual.Details that may only be subconsciouslyobserved on an everyday level, such as thecolour of someone's eyes or the way theydress, can be deliberately exaggerated ina drawing to transform the personality of afigure and emphasize their character. Whatall of these artists have achieved in theirwork is a convincing portrayal of human lifethat encapsulates each individual succinctly.

64

.t'\\

~ 'f .IRubens, Study oj a Crucified Man,c.1614-15, 53x 37 em (21 x 14Y"in)Th is work in brown chalk is typical of the many studies'Rubens would have made in preparation for a painting.Rubens used the drawing to familiarize himself with everyaspect of this ma n's torso, bringing out the complexitiesof human form with remarkable subtlety He describes thecontours of the body and the muscles on the chest withprecise yet evocative lines. His use of brown chalk isactually quite sparing and understated, though the tone

of the paper and white chalk highlightsgenerate Q strong feeling 'ot solidity,

Sue Sareen, Beth,58x41 em (23 x 16 in)This portrait brings out thecharacter of the sitter mostsensitively. Whife not makingaparticularly detailed study, theartist has conveyed the personalityof thisfigure effectively with smalldetails such as herposture and theposition of herfeet The additionof colour reinforces the looselydrawn image and accentuatesthe slumped position of thiswoman in her chair.


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Norman Blarney, RA,St Andrew, Fisher oj Men, 36 x 23 em (14 x 9 in)This work is a study for a mural and the drawing has been squared upready to be transferred on to a wall. The most noticeable aspect of misstudy is the high viewpoint the artist has chosen. The rapid descent towardsthe foot, and the arms that appear too long for the body, are caused by anacute foreshortening of the whole figure, Again, Blarney has assiduouslyexplored and studied hisfigure to create a profoundly fascinating drawing.

The mathematical workingsleft on the drawing showhow precisely the art ist hasworked and how importantscale and proportion aretothe Sense of the drawing.

T his a rm has been beautifullydrawn so that it is bothanatomically correc t andfull of vital expression,

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GALLERY OF FIGURESDiana Armfield, RA,Studying the Menu atFortnum's, London,44 x 2h:m (17:,Jx 100 in)In thispastel drawing the artist hascleverly arranged her compositionso tho t the focus of atten tion isactually on the group offigures inthe middle distance, in spite of thespacious foreground. The lack offinished detail in theforegroundhelps to lead the eye straight to thetables of seated customers, whoappear more dominant than theyreally are. Although these figuresare relatively small, their movementshave been thoughtfully describedand there is even a suggestion oftheir characters, Most importantly,they appear very much part oftheir environment, giving thework a strong sense of unity.


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TECHNIQUES

MOVEMENTS & GESTURESONCE YOU HAVE gained confidence drawingpeople sitting still for you in a controlledenvironment, try drawing a scene full ofmovement and vitality. This type of subjectmatter requires a different approach as you

need to be able to memorize a certainamount of information every time

you look away from thescene, since itwill changeconstantly,

D an ce rs . w ith th eir a bil ity tom ov e g ra ce fu lly a nd p ow er fu ll y,m a ke f as ci na ti ng s u bj ec ts .

1..hoose a richly toned blueIngres paper and capture thisatmospheric evening scene ona balcony as quickly as possiblewith charcoal, reworking anylines swiftly and repeatedlyuntil you are happy with thepositioning of the figures.

This process depends upon assessing afluctuating image and distilling it beforeyou begin to draw. Dancers or animals aregood subjects to begin with as they oftenrepeat movements or gestures, but try to adopta loose style so that you can capture theessence of an image quickly Working in thisway, your drawings should have a freshnessand immediacy that isdifficult to achieve in aregulated situation.

~~~~.~0,;"-.~~ "~~ I-. I.r'- . i

Suggesting movement I ".The speed at which you need to draw a moving image meansJ1i}~%'"that.y.ou have to be adep~ ~t suggesting information A~'~~)l .J

and giving clues with the mirumurn of linear marks -~ -- :A" " tr J~ : :: :' "" ~ : :_ " ' \and shading. The best media to use for such fast . - 1 : . , ;'";.1~~;;~,:.~. _ . . _ , " " " " ' " , , : - - ,work are those that enable you to cover the paper , \ .' - : $ r ~ ~ ~swiftly, such as watercolour or pastels. ._ _. - . ",_ S tu d y a ni ma ls s u ch a slio ns a nd tig ers a ndn ot ic e h ow th ey m ov e.

2 L'>. Asthis scene is fullof movement and fleetingimpressions. use your imagination to selectinteresting colours. Note any areas illuminated bythe light with a bright orange-yellow pastel andloosely block in the background with deep, richblues and purples.

3< 1 To give a more impressionistic, hazy feel tothe background, merge the blue and purplepastels by smudging the colours together gently

around each figure with your fingers. Be sure towash your hands after to avoid soiling the drawing.


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MOVEMENTS & CESTL'RES

4 'l Buildup the form ofeachseated figure with a seriesofdark tones, using charcoal toredefine any outlines againstthe dark background. Try tocapture the position or stanceof the five diners - whether theyare resting their elbows on thetable, or leaning on the armrestof their chair - rather thanattempting to discern facialexpressions and small details.

5 .4. As these figures all face one another around a table, theyshould be linked by a focal point to give the composition someunity. The bright, magnetic light of the candles in the middle ofthe table provides this focus, so use a pale, bright pastel colourto delineate the flickering flames.

Main materials

Selectiono fp o st e; co lo u rs

6~Once you havedrawn in themain source of light,use a combinationof light green, warmred, and deep yellowto pick out the softhighlights on eachfigurewith looselyhatched marks.Evening Mealon a BalconyT h is n ig h t s ce ne i sf ul lo f fl ee ting impres s ionsa nd s u g ge st edm ov em en t. O nly th ee ss en ti al f ac ts h av eb ee n r ec or de d w ith as er ie s o f g e s tu r a l l in e sb ase d u po n a fewg lances and a g oodv isu al m em ory . T helack of attention 10detail gives thisimpres s ion i st ic s t udya s hiftin g rh yth m a ndstr on g s en se o j m a ss.

Soft highlights ~" :;to rro ae :'e = ~ - - ~ :each "'g _ r=.

. : . . ' -- _


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TECHNIQUES

Analysing the subjectIn th e ch arco al w ork a bo ve, theartist Jo hn W ard ha s stu died thea na to my o f th is f ig u re in te ntly soth at h e ca n de sc r ib e h e r p e r f ec tl yin "Zandra Rhodes Dress " ( r igh t ),

Standing figureF ig u re s sh ou ld re la te to theirs u rr ou n d in g s, s o t hi s i ma g e s ho u ldb e sc ale d to a n a pp ro pria te size tol oo k r ea li st ic w i th in t he i nt er io r.

Interior studyT he e ss en tia l d eta ils o f th is sc en ea nd th e lig h t s tr ea m in g t hr ou g h_I~~t :''jol;'~!()W.Jprovide a good~ltr;UL'- (~ferenc:.~f , Y r a p::diliin("~,68

DRAWING FORPAINTINGHIS TOR IC ALLY, TH E M AJOR ITY of artists'drawings were used solely as studies forlater paintings. They were a means to an endrather than an end in themselves. Althoughdrawing now has a much higher status andis accepted as an art form in its own right,drawings are still often used as preparatorystudies for other works. A drawing, or a seriesof drawings, can help you familiarize yourselfwith your subject matter, investigating, forexample, the play of light and assimilating allthe information so that you have a precisevisual reference as you paint. You can alsocombine several preparatory drawings intoone painting by tracing each individual studyand linking them in a strong composition.

Collating informationMaking preparatory drawings for a painting is a goodmethod of testing imaginative ideas visually on paperbefore you commit yourself to canvas. The images beloware a mixture of sketches and detailed drawings that weredrawn at different times. By scaling the figures down andtrying them out in different areas ofthe room setting, youcan establish where they work best to create the mostharmonious relationship. If you include several separatedrawings in one composition, you can prevent themlooking superimposed by making subtle tonaladjustments as you paint.

Seated girl at a windowIn this pen and w ash stu dy the fig hth it s t he girl fro m the sa me d irectio n asit d oe s th e sta nd in g f ig u re , T his c re ate sa re ad y a sso cia tio n b etw ee n th e tw o.


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Creating a compositionORA W 11 \1 G FOR Pr.:

14 Begin by copyingthe basic outlines ofthe interior study on totracing paper with a softpencil, keeping the sketchsimple and well-defined.Secure the tracing paperdown with masking tapeto prevent it moving.

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3~osition thetrace of thestanding f ig ur e o v erthe original interiorwatercolour study,moving it arounduntil a suitablecomposition beginsto materialize.

2 Ii > Scale down anyimage that is toolarge. Then trace aroundthe outline of each figure.

5AOnce you have drawn inal l the images. add in theremaining features and detailsto give a comprehensive scenethat can be transferred to canvas.

Each figure ha s beenplaced in an appropriatepart of the settin g.

The most relevant informationhas been included to give thecomposi tion clarity and interest .

" "~ . -.-.James Horton

Establishing a SceneThe a r ti st h a s s u c ce s sf u ll y p l a c edth ese tw o fig ures in a strongcomposi t ion in p r epa ra t io n f ora d e ta il ed p ain tin g E ac h f igureh as b ee n a cc u ra te ly s ca le d to lo okreal is t ic wi th in th e in terior set ting .

4 < 1 Transfer a . : :the tracings ::-:-_to paper, either ~:.heavily shading :_~"opposite side 0 : ~ ~tracing paper 2--_: : 'drawing the I::::'5::again. or by u;;ir:~carbon paper.

Materials

68 penci.

Tra rillgpaper


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TECHNIQUES

GLOSSARYABSORBENCY The degree to which thepaper absorbs the paint, often due tothe amount of surface sizing.ACJD~FREE PAPER Paper with a neutral pHthat will not darken excessively with age(unlike acidic bleached wood pulp).AERIAL PERSPECTIVE The effect ofatmospheric conditions on our perceptionof the tone and colour of distant objects.As objects recede toward the horizon, theyappear lighter in tone and more blue.BINDING MEDIUM The substance that holdspigment particles together and attachesthem to a surface. Water-soluble gum isused for soft pastels, wax for crayons,and oil for oil pastels.BLENDING A soft, gradual transitionfrom one colour or tone to another usingeither a torchon or a finger to smudgethe colours together.BLOCKING IN Laying in a broad areaof colour.BODY COLOUR Also called gouache. Atype of watercolour paint characterizedby its opacity.BRACELET SHADING A form of shading inwhich semi-circular lines are repeatedlydrawn close to one another.

W a te rc ol ou r s tu d y70

CHARCOAL Willow, vine, or othertwigs partially burnt and carbonizedin airtight containers.COLOURED PENCILS Wax-based crayonsin a pencil format and available in a wideselection of colours.CONTECRAYON Chalk-based pastels witha square cross-section that are midwaybetween soft and hard pastels in texture.Sold in a range of up to 80 colours.CROSS-HATCHING Parallel marks overlaidroughly at right angles to another set ofparallel marks.EASEL A frame for holding a drawingwhile the artist works on it. Artistsworking outdoors tend to use easels oflight construction. A good sketching easelallows the drawing to be held securely inany position from horizontal to vertical.ELLIPSE A circle whose apparent heightappears to diminish the further it tiltsaway from you.ERASER A tool for removing pencil andother marks. In the past artists used rolledbits of bread or feathers. More recentlyartists have used standard rubber erasers,soft putty erasers, or artgum erasers,although the new plastic erasers areextremely clean and versatile.

Graphite pencilSable brush

FEATHERlNG Laying roughly parallel marks,often over a previous area of colour, tomodify the strength of colour or tone.FIXATiVE A resin dissolved in solventwhich is sprayed on to a drawing to fixthe particles to the surface.FORIVI The shape of a three-dimensionalobject, usually represented by line or tonein a two-dimensional drawing.GRANULATION The mottled effect madeby heavy coarse pigments as they settleinto the hollows of the paper.GRAPHITE PENCIL Standard pencils aremade from a mixture of graphite and claythat is encased in wood. The mixture isinitiallyfired and subsequently impregnatedwith molten wax. The proportion ofgraphite to clayvaries and it is this whichdetermines the hardness or softness ofthe pencil. Graphite has a "silvery" ormetallic sheen ifused densely.GRAPHITE STICK A thick graphite pencilused for large-scale work that is fixedin a graphite holder rather than encasedin cedarwood.HATCHING Making tonal gradations byshading with thin parallel marks.HIGHLIGHT The lightest tone in a drawing.Hz OR HOT-PRESSED PAPER Paper with avery smooth surface.

Waler-soluble pencil

Charcoalpencil

S ep ia i nk


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HUE Describes the actual colour of anobject or substance as it would appear onthe colour wheeLLIFTING OUT Modifying colour andcreating highlights by taking colour offthe paper using an eraser or sponge.LINEAR PERSPECTIVE The method ofrepresenting a three-dimensional objecton a two-dimensional surface. Linearperspective makes objects appear smalleras they get farther away by means of ageometric system of measurementMODELLING Describing the form of a solidobject using solid shading or linear marks.MONOCHROMATIC Drawn or painted inshades of one colour.NOT OR COLD-PRESSED PAPER Paper with afine grain or semi-rough surface.OAK GALL INK Ink made by crushing andboiling oak galls. The galls are formed byparasitic insects living off oak trees andtend to appear in Autumn.OIL PASTEL Pastel bound by oil as opposedto gum. The oil gives this type of pastel aslight transparency and a strong adherenceto the support. It comes in a less extensiverange than soft pastels.OPAQUE COLOUR Se e Body colour.OPTICAL MIX When a colour is arrivedat by the visual effect of overlaying orabutting distinct colours, rather than byphysically mixing them on a palette.

ROUGH OR COLD-PRESSE:) _o-~rough surface.SABLE Mink tail hairwatercolour brushes.

SGRAFFITO A techniquea scalpel or sharp knifepain t is scraped off the r -" = - _ ' : : - :Often used for textural ; ; = - : : ~ - : . : :SHADING Usually refers :~ :-::-of shadow are represen.e ; _~~ :and is invariably linked w.;; =:- =SIGHT SIZE The measure::-.,=-~_::- -:_-~distant object as you see ::. - :-transferred exactly to the : - ' - ; - =SILVIlRPOINT A method o:-~:: -- =a fine piece of silver is dr:;_;_;~: = :c-_piece of prepared paper: :::::-- = _ - : :wa tercolour provides a rna.: O'.::~:_which the tiny particles 0: , , : > =~ _ : _ : :__ - - : :SOFT PASTEL The origina. "-:.:' - :_common form of pastel. Y r . : : : - - ~ - " - . = _ - = -of gum used in their manufatr.rc.; ~a very soft texture.STIPPLING A method of dra-:.--::_;-tiny dots of colour are app.isc :_:_~together to create an area c:'::-:-_~

"f

Penci l s tudy

GLe;:-

-t, _ - -:-he texture of the pap:::.~ ~~- ::apers - as opposed to 0:-:-- - -~~standard grades of sur" ~: ~_ = - ::':-:ii-rough (cold pressed C:~ :_ =-:::11 (hot-pressed or HPJ.

- = - ~ ::_;O;"--:=_~LPEN A relatively recec;--:: ~:::::1in which the tip of the ;--::-- _ ~ ~_:: inflexible and designed:: ;_ . - -~ _ o: ;;m width of line regard less -- - :;:: ,:, sure placed on it.- = - : c: -:-:-:e degree of light reflsctec -

-;..;_ ~ iD ER Two L-shaped pieces :: = -- _ - = ~ _ a framing device. This is : .. .__~ _::_: ~l'S length and the scene :: : ~

- ::::__-,e seen through it., . -_;-_::r-, layer of colour, often unifc+r -= - ~ ; _ ; : : : : ed across the paper with", ::- _

-'-'- -:-:"',:::nOUR A quick-drying paint ::-~--- - ~:-_;__,dpigments and a water-sc.,.; :

:: - ::. - ~ ~.edium such as gum arabic. :-:-.':- : ; = - -- - - :5 characterized by its lum incs -- ,' ; ' _ ;' _ '="=:S :5T The process by which wax_ . = = : -_ ~ = " : - i : : used to protect areas of the- - : ~ : - = - . - : : : ' _ watercolour paint is applied- , , , . ' 0 : ~ ' '';a~ercolour paper is measured.- : : : : : : - _ :_ - - :c is per ream) or g s m (grams::-' _:::-~:e-:-_etre).lt comes ina large range

- = ; :: :: although the standard machine-- _:__::_:::'.':5 are 90lb (190 gsm), 140 lb (30e,,- ~;;::-::; (356 gsm) and 300 Ib (638 g8m .- - = - - = - : : ~ - - : = ~ papers, 260 lb and over,;~- :;-::__. :: not need stretching.

-. :-:OTE ON MATERIALS r-; ::: - " : _ 5 ~ n g Chrome colours when_ = _ . . : ~ ~ : -i,e:!) watercolour as they:~~- "-":T'.::"canr health risk There. ; - : : : . = .. : - : ~ e ; -,',--:chny other pigments.:~:.-::=::.~'-~s,sake sensible: ~ - = :0.:'::-:::-.5::__11 avoid licking: :- _ ~ : -_ = 5 , ;. -: :~ paint on them. S ::':~astels generate a good ::e~ :--j:s so it is best to avoid inr.2.:::-::~~~p.gment powder as far as pC's, ', ::= :.:you are working indoors. r.:~:;; 5_ =[he room is well ventilatec. The brush sizes g iv er , : :-. : :-_ _: " :: -refer to Winsor & :\ ew.; = - : : - _ _ _ : ; : _ - : ::They may V2'} ">


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DRAWING

INDEXAacid-free paper, 24acrylic gesso, 26aerial perspective, 30, 47animals. 50architectural drawings,

44-5Armfield, RA . Diana, 65a tr no sp he r e, portraits, 60Bbackgrounds, 30figure drawings. 623

bamboo pens, 14Baroque. 40beachcombing, 50Bell, Richa rd, 51, 54B la rn ey . R A, Norman, 65blending tools, 19 'body colour, 20Boudin, Eugene, 4 9bracelet shading, 36,37Brue gel. Pi e ter th e

Elder, 3. 9brushes, 20architectural drawings,45

line drawings, 34buildings, 445Butlin, Anne-Marie, 49CCanaletto.Pcan vas rolls, 21Caravaggio, 9ce rbon pap er , 69cartridge paper, 2 4, 2 8, 3 5cave pain tings, SCezanne, Paul, 2 2chalk pastels, 18chalks, 16-17gallery'. 23keeping work clean, 47paper, 26

charcoal, 16capturing a mood, 50line drawings. 34

charcoal pencils, 16Chinese ink, 15clothes, 56 7coloured inks, 15coloured paper, 24, 27coloured penci ls , 12"13,36colours:aerial p er sp e c ti v e, 3 0optical mixing. 13,35composition. 423

drawing for painting,68-9f igures in a setting, 623gallery, 489interiors, 4 6 7landscapes, 523

Constable, John, 10Conte crayons, 16, 17craft knives, 13crayons. 16"17, 19cross-h atchi ng, 13, 36, 67crustae eans, 50 1cubes, 32Ddeconst ruct ing images , 43Degas, Edgar, 10, 11Oelacroix, Eugene , 10dip pens, 14drapery. 5 6 7drawing bo ards , 2 Idrawing eh a lks, 16drawing clips, 21Eell ipses, 32-3equipment, 13eraser s, 13, 389eye level, 31, 44Ffea thering, 36, 37fib re- ti pp ed pens, 15figure drawing:drap ery . 56-7drawing [or painting,639gallery, 64 5li fe room, 58-9movements andgesture" 667

setting, 62,3fixative , 13, 19, 21focal points, 62foregrQund, 30foreshortening, 32form. 36-7gallery. 401to naIrawing, 389

fountain pens, 14Fouquet, Jean, 12Fraser, RA , DonaldHamilton, 41GCallwey, Kay. 2 7gesso primer, 26

ACKNOVlLEDGEMENTSAuthor's acknowledgementsJames Horton would like to thank all the artistswho have contributed to this book, especiallythose who entrusted their drawings into mysafekeeping. Thanks also to the photographersat the DK studio whose helpfulness and cheerfulnature made every photo session a happyoccasion. Particular thanks to Steve Gortonwhose patience and professional skill madesure that the location shoot in

An Introduction to Drawing

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