Mueller's Art 9 Class: Drawing

Introduction to Basic Drawing Technique

What is drawing?

A technique of producing images on a surface, usually paper, by means of marks in graphite, ink, chalk, charcoal, or crayon.

The Drawer's Vocabulary

http://www.ndsion.com/faculty/blasdel/drawvocab.html

The Basic Elements of Drawing
This web site contains some fabulous warm up projects to get you started. As you work through this course, warmup drawings will be assigned to you for specific projects. (see web site below)
http://www.learn-to-draw.com/drawing-basics/05-drawing-elements.htm

The differences between the left and right sides of the brain
Before you begin this drawing course it is important to understand how the left and right sides of the brain work. Check the website, out I think you will find it very interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1LW888-Bs4

Unit 1-How to Create a Successful Drawing

Project #1
The four basic steps to drawing using a still life.
basic shape, details, values, lines of emphasis & depth of field.

When young artists first begin experimenting with drawing they often run into pitfalls that can cause frustration. Quite often they become discouraged and tell them selves that they are not good at drawing, and they give up before they have the opportunity to experience success. For some people it's just easier to say "I can't draw". This doesn't have to be, yes there are those naturally artistically gifted individuals who make it look easy, but that doesn't mean the average everyday Joe can't learn to have success with drawing.

The Four basic steps to successful drawing gives those "Left Brainers" an opportunity to tackle a drawing in a series of very simple steps. These steps will take you through a basic drawing process that covers four basic drawing steps. If the begginner can follow these steps they will experience improvement in thier drawing.

For project 1 you will draw a still life. Still lifes can be very intimidating because of the detail that goes into the drawing. Don't be intimidated, attack the drawing using these four basic steps. Have a great time, and you will see it will turn out better than you expected.

Step 1 - Basic Shape
In step 1 you will simply look at the still life and find the central object. From there you will draw the basic shape or contour of that object.(do not include any of the details) You will continue to add other additional shapes from that point on until all of your shapes are included.

Once you have completed your basic shapes. Look at your drawing and ask your self the following questions: Are my proportions accurate, are my perspectives correct? Is my drawing centered on the paper? If your answer is yes then you are ready to start step 2.

Proportions: the relationship between different things or parts with respect to comparative size, number, or degree; relative magnitude or extent; ratio.
Perspective (from Latin perspicere, to see through) in the graphic arts, such as drawing, is an approximate representation, on a flat surface (such as paper), of an image as it is seen by the eye. The two most characteristic features of perspective are that objects are drawn: (how you see something)

Step 2
After you have completed your basic shapes you will begin to add your details. Details are every thing that is inside your basic shape that identifies what that shape is. For example if you were drawing a pile of shoes, the details would be: the tread, laces, stitching, labels, logos etc. It is very important to make an accurate portrayal of those details, for example some times if there is printing or writing in the subject matter,beginning artists simply print it out in their own handwriting. Remember draw what you see don't let your left side of the brain dictate to you it's perception.

Step 3
Once you have completed your details, you are ready to add your values. Values are important because they give your drawing the sense of 3-dimensional space. Values are the ranges between white and black. (see value scale) Before you begin to place your values into your drawing make a value scale. This scale will help you develop your value placement strategies. I always start with my darkest values first and work back to my lightest.Values can appear in either black and white or colour.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1522073/how_to_draw/

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=drawing+tutorials+online&mid=C600ABF1F556D8C8E866C600ABF1F556D8C8E866&FORM=LKVR39#

Step 3
Lines of Emphasis & Depth of Field

For the last step you want to create the illusion of depth and three dimensional space in your drawing. You can do this by using two methods.

1.Lines of Emphasis - these are strategically placed lines usually in the foreground of your drawing. It is important to remember that these lines are not lines that out line an object, they are lines placed into your drawing to separate subject matter. For example going back to the pile of shoes, the shoes in the fore ground will appear sharper. By placing in sharper and darker lines we pull those shoes further in to the foreground, thus creating that sense of depth or three dimensional space.

Lines are tools for communication. When an artist uses lines to define the edges of an object or to describe its surface they are like someone telling a story. A good storyteller knows that it is not just the story, but the telling of it, that makes for success. The qualities of the lines in a drawing are like the timing, vocal inflections and emphasis that a storyteller uses.(see web site below for more imformation on line use)

http://daphne.palomar.edu/design/line.html

Depth of Field - foreground, midground, and background

Fore-ground In order to make a convincing drawing it is important to understand depth of field.
Depth of field is made up of three zones foreground, midground, and background.
subject matter in the fore ground will be more defined. The lines will appear sharper, there will be strong contrasts, and the values will appear richer, the details will be clear and defined. Lines of emphasis appear primarily in the foreground.
Mid-ground
As you begin drawing in the mid ground, keep in mind that the subject matter in this area is further away from you. The details will be fuzzier and less defined. The values will be fainter, and lines of emphasis less apparent.

Back-ground
The back ground should be minimal, faint lines and values with no lines of emphasis. This creates the illusion of depth, thus adding to the feeling of depth or 3-D space in your drawing.

Here is a drawing tutorial you can try for fun to build your skills.
http://www.free-online-art-classes.com/Learn-Basic-Drawing.html

Project #2
Gesture Drawinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga6WjxaXRC0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGnMar2pAI

Project #3 Contour drawingUnit 2-Experimenting with line drawings

Vanessa 2005

Continuous Contour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL3LiR_pvsU

Blind Contour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjJhZ4DYh50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeT37QO9pPQ

Project #4
Searching Line Drawing

Unit #3 Profile Portraits
In this project you will continue to build your skills in portrait drawing.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=profile+portraits&view=detail&mid=F78B1DDB3762D0E841CBF78B1DDB3762D0E841CB&first=0

Unit #4 Understanding Perspective

Project 5
1 Point Perspective Drawing Using a Vanishing Point. (project 1 only for those who have not completed it in art 8)

1 point perspective drawing technique on just about any subject matter. Here are two different techniques- a room and a city scape.