Technique Project #5:
Blind Contour Drawing
Blind Contour Drawing
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Supplies Needed
Your range of drawing pencils from hard to soft (F, 4H, 2H, H, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B) Loose drawing paper A mirror |
Goal of this project
Further linking the relationship of the hand and the eye with the continuous movement of the contour line. Observing the subject matter and studying it beyond the mark making on the paper.
Further linking the relationship of the hand and the eye with the continuous movement of the contour line. Observing the subject matter and studying it beyond the mark making on the paper.
Visual Art Vocabulary
Blind Contour- A type of drawing in which the artist does not look at the paper or the "result" of the mark making as the drawing is progressing. The pencil or mark making tool touches down upon the surface and continues moving for the short duration of the drawing without being lifted.
Blind Contour- A type of drawing in which the artist does not look at the paper or the "result" of the mark making as the drawing is progressing. The pencil or mark making tool touches down upon the surface and continues moving for the short duration of the drawing without being lifted.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Place drawing paper on your drawing board or smooth drawing table
2. Get out your range of pencils
3. Place a mirror on your drawing table so that you can easily see your face, while still comfortable drawing on your paper
4. Follow the instructions in the video tutorial. Blind Contour Drawing means; observing the model, keeping eyes off of the paper and only on the subject matter (in this case, your reflection), once you place your pencil down do not lift it again until the drawing is complete
5. Set a timer for 1 minute at first, then attempt shorter amounts of time as you continue these drawings. I recommend doing at least 10 of them! Try towards the end of your drawing session doing only 30 second Blind Contour Drawings! A stopwatch, cell phone timer or kitchen timer are great tools. You can even have a drawing partner or friend time you by looking at their watch.
6. Have fun with the Picasso-esque results!
1. Place drawing paper on your drawing board or smooth drawing table
2. Get out your range of pencils
3. Place a mirror on your drawing table so that you can easily see your face, while still comfortable drawing on your paper
4. Follow the instructions in the video tutorial. Blind Contour Drawing means; observing the model, keeping eyes off of the paper and only on the subject matter (in this case, your reflection), once you place your pencil down do not lift it again until the drawing is complete
5. Set a timer for 1 minute at first, then attempt shorter amounts of time as you continue these drawings. I recommend doing at least 10 of them! Try towards the end of your drawing session doing only 30 second Blind Contour Drawings! A stopwatch, cell phone timer or kitchen timer are great tools. You can even have a drawing partner or friend time you by looking at their watch.
6. Have fun with the Picasso-esque results!
Technique Project #6:
Apply the Chiaroscuro Technique
to Drawing from Life
Apply the Chiaroscuro Technique
to Drawing from Life
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Visual Art Vocabulary
Horizon Line- The point where the sky and ground would meet in a landscape. Shading- In two-dimensional work, the depiction of relative darkness in areas where light has been partially blocked. |
Supplies Needed
Your range of drawing pencils from hard to soft (F, 4H, 2H, H, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B) Loose Drawing Paper Ruler A small sheet of paper for cover sheet Art Gum Eraser A desk lamp or clamp light An egg or a small ball Goal of this project To begin applying the chiaroscuro technique to drawing from life and exploring the full range of value in a simple form. Explore from observation the effects of light on an object. |
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Take out your loose drawing paper.
2. Get out your range of pencils
3. Set up a small and very simple still life using one egg. I like to place my egg on a white piece of paper and typically also tack up another white piece of paper behind it to give me a fully clean background.
4. Set up your desk lamp or clamp light so that it casts an interesting shadow underneath the egg. Move it around at several different angles until you find a composition that interests you. Remember, the shadows are really what make this project interesting. Watch how different a little movement of the light changes the shadow drastically.
5. Create a centered box to be the format of your composition. Use the method we practiced in the previous module (The Value Gradient Project) for doing so.
6. Begin with your lightest/hardest pencil first to lightly draw in your composition. Please note that drawing a "horizon line" which is where the surface that your object is resting on and the background meet (in this case, the table and the background meet at a horizon, just as would happen in a landscape where the land and the sky would meet would be the horizon line.
7. Begin creating a map of value areas by lightly drawing in the lines of where darker and lighter value areas meet. Observe these shapes closely and draw them as they really are, not as you believe they should be! This is super important to remember because often times our brain tries to get in the way of what we are doing and start.
8. Slowly build up the areas of value using the chiaroscuro method of layering up to softer/darker pencils. Leave the lighter areas light. Leave the mid tone areas. Pay close attention to how the shape of your subject matter locks in with the shape of the cast shadow.
9.Have fun! You are drawing from life using a time honored method! Nicely done.
1. Take out your loose drawing paper.
2. Get out your range of pencils
3. Set up a small and very simple still life using one egg. I like to place my egg on a white piece of paper and typically also tack up another white piece of paper behind it to give me a fully clean background.
4. Set up your desk lamp or clamp light so that it casts an interesting shadow underneath the egg. Move it around at several different angles until you find a composition that interests you. Remember, the shadows are really what make this project interesting. Watch how different a little movement of the light changes the shadow drastically.
5. Create a centered box to be the format of your composition. Use the method we practiced in the previous module (The Value Gradient Project) for doing so.
6. Begin with your lightest/hardest pencil first to lightly draw in your composition. Please note that drawing a "horizon line" which is where the surface that your object is resting on and the background meet (in this case, the table and the background meet at a horizon, just as would happen in a landscape where the land and the sky would meet would be the horizon line.
7. Begin creating a map of value areas by lightly drawing in the lines of where darker and lighter value areas meet. Observe these shapes closely and draw them as they really are, not as you believe they should be! This is super important to remember because often times our brain tries to get in the way of what we are doing and start.
8. Slowly build up the areas of value using the chiaroscuro method of layering up to softer/darker pencils. Leave the lighter areas light. Leave the mid tone areas. Pay close attention to how the shape of your subject matter locks in with the shape of the cast shadow.
9.Have fun! You are drawing from life using a time honored method! Nicely done.
Design Challenge #3: Visual Journal Still Life using Contour Line Drawing & Palette Technique
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Visual Art Vocabulary
Contour Line Drawing- A type of drawing in which the artist draws the lines following the visible edges of a shape and those along the important interior shapes, often varying the weight of the pencil to create lines of darker value or lighter value to show more information about the subject being drawn. |
Supplies Needed
Your range of drawing pencils from hard to soft (F, 4H, 2H, H, HB, 2B, 4B, 6B) Your Visual Journal Water Color set Water Color Paint Brush Fruit for slicing or other object for still life (toys, utensils, a twig, tea cup & saucer, flowers or a slice of cake are some of my other favorites!) Goal of this project To develop an understanding of contour line drawing and drawing from still life and creating a unified composition using a limited palette in which no more than 4 colors are selected for the painting. Portion of this project. |
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Take out your visual journal
2. Get out your range of pencils
3. Set up a small and very simple still life using only one or two items. I find things placed at an angle of some kind are often most interesting and show more of the character of the object you are drawing.
4. Draw the still life using the contour line method of drawing as shown in the video tutorial.
5. Follow all of the edges, move your pencil to show the surface of the object, the inside of the object. Keep your pencil moving. Vary the weight of your pencil, allowing it to be lighter pressure to have lines of lighter value and heavier pressure to create lines of darker value. Flash your eyes back and forth from your subject matter to your visual journal paper. Stay moving with your pencil and stay moving with your eyes.
6. Once you have completed your contour line drawing, select a limited palette of no more than four colors from your water color selection. Show your limited palette choice somewhere on your page. This type of palette automatically unifies your piece by creating harmony and balance through repetition.
7. Paint your piece, paying attention to value (lightness & darkness), mark making, and the full composition on the format. With watercolor pieces in a visual journal it is common to leave some of the white or blank of the paper to show through so as to keep some of the lightness of value in the piece, but do consider the painting from all corners and edges, as one whole composition.
8. To enjoy this project further, repeat as often as desired! No cup cake or tea cup is safe!
1. Take out your visual journal
2. Get out your range of pencils
3. Set up a small and very simple still life using only one or two items. I find things placed at an angle of some kind are often most interesting and show more of the character of the object you are drawing.
4. Draw the still life using the contour line method of drawing as shown in the video tutorial.
5. Follow all of the edges, move your pencil to show the surface of the object, the inside of the object. Keep your pencil moving. Vary the weight of your pencil, allowing it to be lighter pressure to have lines of lighter value and heavier pressure to create lines of darker value. Flash your eyes back and forth from your subject matter to your visual journal paper. Stay moving with your pencil and stay moving with your eyes.
6. Once you have completed your contour line drawing, select a limited palette of no more than four colors from your water color selection. Show your limited palette choice somewhere on your page. This type of palette automatically unifies your piece by creating harmony and balance through repetition.
7. Paint your piece, paying attention to value (lightness & darkness), mark making, and the full composition on the format. With watercolor pieces in a visual journal it is common to leave some of the white or blank of the paper to show through so as to keep some of the lightness of value in the piece, but do consider the painting from all corners and edges, as one whole composition.
8. To enjoy this project further, repeat as often as desired! No cup cake or tea cup is safe!
Art Talk #3: The Effects of Light
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Visual Art Vocabulary
The Effects of Light Sfumato Tenebrism Goal of this Lesson To understand the roots of the chiaroscuro technique & deepen the understanding of the effects of light as seen in Art History, thus applying to your own art practice. |