26 August 2009
Course work: Did another sketchbook page of basic shapes, thinking about how they appear when rotated or tilted. Started work on the part of the “Basic Shapes” section titled “Improving Your Observational Skills,” (p13). Selected a Thermos bottle, a milk carton, a tea canister, an egg, and a small rubber ball: these were drawn in charcoal on A3 paper. Some of the lines are a bit shaky, and the perspective could use work. Repeated the exercise, selecting a lamp with a square base, tapered columnar upright, and trapezoidal shade, a fairly large spherical vase, and a book. I was not really satisfied with either drawing.
Reading:
How to Use Your Eyes James Elkins
Routledge, New York & London (2000)
Chapters 3-15 (pp 20-117)
The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Betty Edwards
Penguin-Putnam, New York, 1999
Preface and Introduction (pp x-xxv), Chapters 1-2 (pp2-25)
(Even though contemporary functional-imaging research casts some doubt on the left-brain right-brain hypothesis, this remains a very useful book.)
Personal sketchbook work: Did project 2, p 24, Ian Simpson, The Complete Drawing Course, using three onions in a thin plastic bag, in my A4 sketchbook. I used pencil: I think that line and wash might have produced a more convincing result. Did some of the exercises from The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, (in the companion workbook) beneficial even though I’ve done many of them before, ten or more years ago. Did a couple of hasty pen sketches in A4 sketchbook.
Total time: Over three hours
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
25 Aug 2009
Course work: Continued work on Assignment 1, Section 2, “Basic Shapes.” Did a second A3 sheet of cylinders and boxes, this time using pencil, which I prefer to ink or marker, perhaps due to familiarity (this probably suggests that I should use the others more).
Reading:
Drawing Keith Micklewright
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York (2005)
Preface, Chapter One (pp 6-26)
(Today’s reading provided a quick overview of the history of drawing.)
How to Use Your Eyes James Elkins
Routledge, New York & London (2000)
Preface, Chapters 1 & 2 (vii-xi, 1-19)
Personal sketchbook work: Stopped on the roadside and did a quick sketch of some freshly-rolled hay in my pocket sketchbook.
Other activity:My painting group met today; I finished a painting of green beans that my wife had requested.
Total time: apx. 1 ½ hrs (not including painting time)
Course work: Continued work on Assignment 1, Section 2, “Basic Shapes.” Did a second A3 sheet of cylinders and boxes, this time using pencil, which I prefer to ink or marker, perhaps due to familiarity (this probably suggests that I should use the others more).
Reading:
Drawing Keith Micklewright
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York (2005)
Preface, Chapter One (pp 6-26)
(Today’s reading provided a quick overview of the history of drawing.)
How to Use Your Eyes James Elkins
Routledge, New York & London (2000)
Preface, Chapters 1 & 2 (vii-xi, 1-19)
Personal sketchbook work: Stopped on the roadside and did a quick sketch of some freshly-rolled hay in my pocket sketchbook.
Other activity:My painting group met today; I finished a painting of green beans that my wife had requested.
Total time: apx. 1 ½ hrs (not including painting time)
24 Aug 2009
Course work: Started work on Assignment 1, Section 2, “Basic Shapes.” Did a sketchbook page with squares, triangles, circles, and ovals, and how some can “change” to others with change of viewpoint. Did an A3 sheet with boxes and cylinders: learned that a marker is not the ideal tool for fairly precise drawing, as it has a tendency to stick and slip, producing jerky lines that often don’t go quite where they were intended to go.
Reading:
The Drawing Book, Sarah Simblet
Dorling Kindersley, London 2005
Forward, Introduction, Drawing Books and Papers, Posture and Grip (pp7-23)
(This book is a delight to the eye, but the textual material read today is covered just as well in other books)
Personal sketchbook work: Repeated blind contour drawing exercise on p22, Simpson (see reference above). Used “check-back” method this time, but subject is still just barely recognizable. I think this particular exercise is designed to induce humility in the student, and it does so very well.
Total time: apx. 1 ½ hrs
Course work: Started work on Assignment 1, Section 2, “Basic Shapes.” Did a sketchbook page with squares, triangles, circles, and ovals, and how some can “change” to others with change of viewpoint. Did an A3 sheet with boxes and cylinders: learned that a marker is not the ideal tool for fairly precise drawing, as it has a tendency to stick and slip, producing jerky lines that often don’t go quite where they were intended to go.
Reading:
The Drawing Book, Sarah Simblet
Dorling Kindersley, London 2005
Forward, Introduction, Drawing Books and Papers, Posture and Grip (pp7-23)
(This book is a delight to the eye, but the textual material read today is covered just as well in other books)
Personal sketchbook work: Repeated blind contour drawing exercise on p22, Simpson (see reference above). Used “check-back” method this time, but subject is still just barely recognizable. I think this particular exercise is designed to induce humility in the student, and it does so very well.
Total time: apx. 1 ½ hrs
23 Aug 2009
Course work: Completed work on Assignment 1, Section 1, “Making Marks,” pp 6-7.Another twelve 5 x 5 cm boxes in sketchbook were filled with a variety of linear and non-linear marks, using an assortment of drawing instruments. Spent some time working out a proposed program that will allow me to study my way through the reading list without too much difficulty, while still allowing some time for non-reading-list books. Reorganized my Learning Log from a collection of hastily-written notes.
Summary Observations on Making Marks Exercises(Check and Log):
There is a good bit of pleasure to be had by random doodling as well as by more formal efforts to think of yet something else to make a mark with, and yet another kind of mark to make. I did find it was somewhat difficult at times to tell just what was expected of the student: some of the exercises seemed virtually identical. After filling 54 5 x 5 cm boxes, I’ll be happy not to see another one for a while. I did learn to make quite a variety of marks, many of which may be of future value. The nature of the marks strongly influences the emotions felt by the person drawing both at the time and upon later viewing: a collection of dots requires calmness to produce, and seems to induce calmness in the viewer. Bold, jagged lines can hardly be drawn by a calm, reflective mind, nor are they a stimulus to reflection. Large, flowing circular patters are a pleasure to draw and to view subsequently (some seem quite reminiscent of Pollock). I can see that redoing some of the exercises in color would be not only interesting, but beneficial. My favorite part of this exercise was the first one: producing the large doodles. This seemed less confining than the later work in 5 x 5 cm squares.
Reading:
The Complete Drawing Course, Ian Simpson
Running Press, Philadelphia, PA 1993
Lesson 2 (pp 22-25)
(This reading introduces contour drawing, and suggests three exercises)
Personal Sketchbook work: Five partial sketches of one of the cats, incomplete because of feline hyperactivity, done in my A4 sketchbook.
Exercise on p22, Simpson (see reference above). Only the willing mind could recognize the subject in this blind contour drawing.
Weekly Thoughts on Learning Experience: Made a lot of marks with a lot of tools in a lot of 5x5cm boxes. It was interesting to try our some new media, and to work at thinking of yet another mark to fill yet another box. The most relaxing part of the exercises to date: the large doodles, which are just plain fun.
Total time: apx. 3 hrs
Course work: Completed work on Assignment 1, Section 1, “Making Marks,” pp 6-7.Another twelve 5 x 5 cm boxes in sketchbook were filled with a variety of linear and non-linear marks, using an assortment of drawing instruments. Spent some time working out a proposed program that will allow me to study my way through the reading list without too much difficulty, while still allowing some time for non-reading-list books. Reorganized my Learning Log from a collection of hastily-written notes.
Summary Observations on Making Marks Exercises(Check and Log):
There is a good bit of pleasure to be had by random doodling as well as by more formal efforts to think of yet something else to make a mark with, and yet another kind of mark to make. I did find it was somewhat difficult at times to tell just what was expected of the student: some of the exercises seemed virtually identical. After filling 54 5 x 5 cm boxes, I’ll be happy not to see another one for a while. I did learn to make quite a variety of marks, many of which may be of future value. The nature of the marks strongly influences the emotions felt by the person drawing both at the time and upon later viewing: a collection of dots requires calmness to produce, and seems to induce calmness in the viewer. Bold, jagged lines can hardly be drawn by a calm, reflective mind, nor are they a stimulus to reflection. Large, flowing circular patters are a pleasure to draw and to view subsequently (some seem quite reminiscent of Pollock). I can see that redoing some of the exercises in color would be not only interesting, but beneficial. My favorite part of this exercise was the first one: producing the large doodles. This seemed less confining than the later work in 5 x 5 cm squares.
Reading:
The Complete Drawing Course, Ian Simpson
Running Press, Philadelphia, PA 1993
Lesson 2 (pp 22-25)
(This reading introduces contour drawing, and suggests three exercises)
Personal Sketchbook work: Five partial sketches of one of the cats, incomplete because of feline hyperactivity, done in my A4 sketchbook.
Exercise on p22, Simpson (see reference above). Only the willing mind could recognize the subject in this blind contour drawing.
Weekly Thoughts on Learning Experience: Made a lot of marks with a lot of tools in a lot of 5x5cm boxes. It was interesting to try our some new media, and to work at thinking of yet another mark to fill yet another box. The most relaxing part of the exercises to date: the large doodles, which are just plain fun.
Total time: apx. 3 hrs
22 Aug 2009
Course work: Continued work on Assignment 1, Section 1, “Making Marks”, pp 6-7. Half a page in the sketchbook was filled with marks made by holding the pencil in different grips. A full page was devoted to making various marks with charcoal, ranging from attempts at hatching (not very successful) to large, bold marks made with the side of a stick. Another page of twelve 5 x 5 cm squares was filled with a variety of marks made with purchased and improvised instruments ranging from a 0.05 mm pen through a pen I made from a wild turkey feather to a finger.
Observations: The difference in marks made with different grips was interesting: precision is greatest with the normal “pencil” grip, and least with the
“underhand” grip: freedom of marking seems greatest with the “overhand” grip. Trying to produce interesting marks with a diversity of devices was a challenge, which I only partially met.
Personal sketchbook work: a series of drawings of a very old and rusty hand-forged nail, done with four different drawing instruments, in my (approximately) A4 sketchbook.
Total time: apx. 1 ½ hrs
Course work: Continued work on Assignment 1, Section 1, “Making Marks”, pp 6-7. Half a page in the sketchbook was filled with marks made by holding the pencil in different grips. A full page was devoted to making various marks with charcoal, ranging from attempts at hatching (not very successful) to large, bold marks made with the side of a stick. Another page of twelve 5 x 5 cm squares was filled with a variety of marks made with purchased and improvised instruments ranging from a 0.05 mm pen through a pen I made from a wild turkey feather to a finger.
Observations: The difference in marks made with different grips was interesting: precision is greatest with the normal “pencil” grip, and least with the
“underhand” grip: freedom of marking seems greatest with the “overhand” grip. Trying to produce interesting marks with a diversity of devices was a challenge, which I only partially met.
Personal sketchbook work: a series of drawings of a very old and rusty hand-forged nail, done with four different drawing instruments, in my (approximately) A4 sketchbook.
Total time: apx. 1 ½ hrs
19 Aug 2009
Received course materials, unpacked and checked contents against included list. Read introductory material and Student Handbook. Completed Student Profile Sheet. Looked through course and prepared a tentative work schedule. I hope that this course will help me to improve my drawing skills, which are less than optimal at present. I plan to spend at least some time on the course every day, and will probably devote more time to it than the 400-hour estimate.
Total time: apx. two hours
Received course materials, unpacked and checked contents against included list. Read introductory material and Student Handbook. Completed Student Profile Sheet. Looked through course and prepared a tentative work schedule. I hope that this course will help me to improve my drawing skills, which are less than optimal at present. I plan to spend at least some time on the course every day, and will probably devote more time to it than the 400-hour estimate.
Total time: apx. two hours
Friday, August 21, 2009
21 Aug 2009
Course work: Continued work on Assignment 1, Section 1, pages 3-4 “Making Marks.” Two more sheets of 18 x 24” newsprint were filled with large, sweeping doodles made with biro and a carbon stick. Twelve 5 x 5 cm squares in sketchbook were filled with smaller doodles done in media ranging from fine dip pen to carpenter’s pencil. Twelve 5 x 5 cm squares in sketchbook were filled with marks made my various drawing materials.
Observations: Large formats require a large, bold marking device, and small ones are best served by a small sharp marking tool. Large, sweeping curvilinear doodles done primarily from the shoulder seem to happen almost independently, with little input from the brain.
Reading:
The Story of Art, E.H. Gombrich
Phaidon press Limited, Oxford 1978
Preface and Introduction (pp 1-18)
The Complete Drawing Course, Ian Simpson
Running Press, Philadelphia, PA 1993
Introduction, Basic Drawing Materials, Lesson One (pp 6-21)
(The latter reading was a discussion of common drawing materials and their uses, with a lesson on mark-making.)
Personal sketchbook work: a small pencil sketch of one of our cats sleeping on the porch, done in my pocket sketchbook.
Total time: apx. 2 ½ hours
Course work: Continued work on Assignment 1, Section 1, pages 3-4 “Making Marks.” Two more sheets of 18 x 24” newsprint were filled with large, sweeping doodles made with biro and a carbon stick. Twelve 5 x 5 cm squares in sketchbook were filled with smaller doodles done in media ranging from fine dip pen to carpenter’s pencil. Twelve 5 x 5 cm squares in sketchbook were filled with marks made my various drawing materials.
Observations: Large formats require a large, bold marking device, and small ones are best served by a small sharp marking tool. Large, sweeping curvilinear doodles done primarily from the shoulder seem to happen almost independently, with little input from the brain.
Reading:
The Story of Art, E.H. Gombrich
Phaidon press Limited, Oxford 1978
Preface and Introduction (pp 1-18)
The Complete Drawing Course, Ian Simpson
Running Press, Philadelphia, PA 1993
Introduction, Basic Drawing Materials, Lesson One (pp 6-21)
(The latter reading was a discussion of common drawing materials and their uses, with a lesson on mark-making.)
Personal sketchbook work: a small pencil sketch of one of our cats sleeping on the porch, done in my pocket sketchbook.
Total time: apx. 2 ½ hours
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