Year: 2020

Gesture & Contour: The first two sessions will be an overview of the course, which is based on 10 Ways of Seeing and Drawing: Gesture, Contour, Mass, Space, 2D Shape, Figure-Ground, Stepped Tonality, Light-Shadow, Perspective, Composition.

We will ALSO look at using various materials, such as compressed charcoal, conte, and soft pencils, to create interesting marks and effects useful for drawing.

Download Images Resource Binder 1 PDF.

Opening Presentation Videos for Introductory Drawing

CONTOUR MATERIALS AND CONTOUR – Part 1 of 2
Click the play button to start the videos.

CONTOUR MARKERS – Part 2 of 2

CONTOUR – BLIND CONTOUR FACE Exercise Demo

More Videos

Watch these two videos related to these topics discussed in the first session.

TEN WAYS OF SEEING AND DRAWING – Part 1, 30 minutes

TEN WAYS OF SEEING AND DRAWING – Part 2, 11 minutes

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Next Session #2: Gesture & Contour Continued

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Gesture & Contour (continued) – Contour, meaning to draw the lines seen in a subject with enhanced tactile content. This is done by creating the strong belief that you are ‘touching’ the object edges with finger tips or surfaces with flats of fingers. This “intention or belief” is imprinted into the marks and then on to the viewer.  Edges (imagine finger tips touching). These marks are seen as lines; For surfaces (imagine finger flats touching). These become smooth or rough textured surfaces.

Download Images Resource Binder 2 PDF.

Download Images Resource Binder 2B PDF.

Watch this video on Gesture and Contour (1 of 6):

Watch this video on Gesture and Contour (2 of 6):

Watch this video on Gesture and Contour (3 of 6):

Watch this video on Gesture and Contour (4 of 6):

Watch this video on Gesture and Contour (5 of 6):

Watch this video on Gesture and Contour (6 of 6):

Watch this video on Mark-Making and Gesture:

***Mark Making and Gesture Sagrada Familia (Compressed Charcoal) 1-1 {jan 31 2015}

***Watch video:    VIDEO ON LINEWEIGHTS      Lineweights {Nov 2016}

Lineweights matter in ‘communication’ with the viewer. Generally we prefer to look at a ‘line enhanced’ drawing largely because of its communicative power. This video shows a systematic way of enhancing lines.

Lineweight Assignment:  Draw some abstract objects/shapes as in the video. Apply lineweight strategy to enhance object with the 4 types of weights described in the lesson demo: Draw object lines first;  then darken ‘flylines’; next apply  joint lines; and finally apply  textures, such as woodgrain, to some surfaces.

Next Session #3: Mass and Space

3D Mass:   The 3D volumetric ‘heft’ of a Form  – this can be depicted as a ‘wireframe’ scribble but with a feeling of weight. “Section” is an important form-giver for mass. Section is like cutting across a fruit or like the ribs of a boat. All the ‘Ways of Seeing’ interact with each other to reinforce a given image. Even ‘Contour’ edge lines can affect the expression and clarity of a Mass drawing.

Download Images Resource Binder 3 PDF.

This Session focuses on “Space and Form”, or Space-Form,  as important partners in perception.  Recall that it is important how we ‘position our mind’ in seeing and drawing – for contour we learn to believe strongly that we are actually touching the edges and surfaces of the subject; for gesture we imagine we are describing the subject by miming with arm movements;  for  form we can imagine sculpting the subject as if in clay;  for space it is useful to think of space as an actual tangible, moldable substance, like water or smoke vapor surrounding and flowing up against and within the object, for example a sculpted head underwater.  The point of these ‘working metaphors’ is to create both a stronger perception, a strongly expressive drawing, resulting in a strong reception by the viewer.

SESSION  3  – Intro Drawing Presentation – Space Form –  Color and Tonality – Emily (1 of 5)  {July 14 2020}

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SESSION  3  – Intro Drawing Presentation – Space Form – Skull and Man Who Wasn’t There Overview – Emily (2 of 5) {July 14 2020}

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SESSION  3  – Intro Drawing Presentation – Space Form –  Sculptural Dwg. and Skull – Emily (3 of 5)  {July 14 2020}

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SESSION  3  – Intro Drawing Presentation — Space Form – Nine Peppers – Emily (4 of 5)  {July 14 2020}

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SESSION  3  – Intro Drawing Presentation – Space Form – Five Pineapples – Emily (5 of 5)  {July 14 2020}

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Video:    Mass Drawing – Al Arab, Moma, Fall Wtr-1

3D Space:   Space is an important 3D entity. – It’s  not just the negative emptiness between positive Volumes-Forms. Think of a subject immersed in water, or smoke. Draw the water as if you were waving your hands and touching, encountering the subject and pausing the medium where it stops against the subject. The sum total of stoppages implies the form, making it seem to rise from the page, almost like a hologram . The water metaphor helps. Positive Form and negative Space are equal partners in 3D perception. The concept of drawing the space to depict the form is a little strange at first, but improves your overall perception and strengthens a drawing.

Video:   Tony’s Demo Of Spacehead-1

3d Mass-Space Assignment: Wire frame any object such as a boat or bowl of fruit…try to do a space drawing of same. Hint – Select an object that has clear obvious ‘spaces’ such as a rhododendron vs a daisy.

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Gesture:  Like the miming gestures one might make with the hands and arms when describing the lines of action in a subject, for example, a vase of flowers or a building. Gestures are perceived ‘lines of force’ , also called ‘lines of life’ or ‘lines of energy’ Whatever the term we use, they make things expressive in important ways. They can be very much more expressive by using certain mediums, such as compressed charcoal sticks, which allow for dynamic hard, soft and edge control. Softer mediums, including water-based materials, can also be paired with various papers making them great for shading and value studies.

Gesture Assignment:   Find 3 objects with some detail, but not too fussy nor too simple. Example – an old worn boot or shoe. Flowers in a vase, crumpled clothing or bag. Create gesture drawings of each – try to do each one of the images several times, to enhance your understanding of gesture.

Video:    Gesture Sagrada Familia

Next Session #4: Space: Form & 2D Shapes

Download Images Resource Binder 4 PDF.

SESSION 4  –  Space-Form and 2D Shapes Figure-Ground (1 of 7) {July 21 2020}

SESSION 4  –  Space-Form and 2D Shapes Figure-Ground (2 of 7) {July 21 2020}

SESSION 4  –  Space-Form and 2D Shapes Figure-Ground (3 of 7) {July 21 2020}

SESSION 4  –  Space-Form and 2D Shapes Figure-Ground (4 of 7) {July 21 2020}

SESSION 4  –  Space-Form and 2D Shapes Figure-Ground (5 of 7) {July 21 2020}

SESSION 4  –  Space-Form and 2D Shapes Figure-Ground (6 of 7) {July 21 2020}

SESSION 4  –  Space-Form and 2D Shapes Figure-Ground (7 of 7) {July 21 2020}

Mass Drawing – Al Arab, Moma, Fall Wtr-1 {DATE}

3D Mass:   The 3D volumetric ‘heft’ of a Form  – this can be depicted as a ‘wireframe’ scribble but with a feeling of weight. “Section” is an important form-giver for mass. Section is like cutting across a fruit or like the ribs of a boat. All the ‘Ways of Seeing’ interact with each other to reinforce a given image. Even ‘Contour’ edge lines can affect the expression and clarity of a Mass drawing.

3D Space:   Space is an important 3D entity. – It’s  not just the negative emptiness between positive Volumes-Forms. Think of a subject immersed in water, or smoke. Draw the water as if you were waving your hands and touching, encountering the subject and pausing the medium where it stops against the subject. The sum total of stoppages implies the form, making it seem to rise from the page, almost like a hologram . The water metaphor helps. Positive Form and negative Space are equal partners in 3D perception. The concept of drawing the space to depict the form is a little strange at first, but improves your overall perception and strengthens a drawing.

Tony’s Demo Of Spacehead-1 {DATE}

3d Mass-Space Assignment: Wire frame any object such as a boat or bowl of fruit…try to do a space drawing of same. Hint – Select an object that has clear obvious ‘spaces’ such as a rhododendron vs a daisy.

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Next Session #5: Tonal Design Concept

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2D Shape:   The positive 2D silhouette-shape is like the flat shape of a leaf or cloud or its shadow (this shape usually seems to be the subject and often has a name, like”leaf”). The negative 2D silhouette-shape is just the shape between leaves or clouds (between the main subjects and usually has no particular name).  Positive Shapes and negative Shapes are equal partners in 2D perception.

Silhouette and Tonal Abstraction exercise   – Tonality  Continued (Video 4 of 8)

2d Shape Asssignment: use 5 images (your own nor those provided), create an analysis of positive and , more importantly negative 2d shapes. For example draw the shape of several leaves as a shaded toe. Then draw the shaded shape of the space between the leaves. The purpose is to improve your perception of positive and negative flat, 2D shapes, also called “Silhouettes”.

Figure Ground:   Introducing the concept of ‘figure-ground, a shape or object has 3 main ways to contrast with the background using tone only: The shape can be darker than it’s background, lighter than its background or transitional (part is darker and part is lighter). The ‘transitional’ is also called a “figure-ground reversal”. You take control of this and you can draw any subject or situation in one of these three ways. All three can even happen together in a single drawing.

SHAPE 2D, FIGURE-GROUND, AND TONALITY CONCEPT   (Video 2 of 4)

Stepped Tonality Abstraction-1

This video again shows the Tonal Abstraction, but takes it into face, still-life, landscape and building.
Silhouette and Tonal Abstraction exercise  – Tonality  Continued (Video 4 of 8)

Here are  3 more videos showing the Tonal Concept – a way of thinking about drawing which can also be applied to painting. This is shown as an abstract image, but the same principle can be used for representational images.  It is strongly recommended to watch video 1 of 3 – the other two are optional to see how the “grisaille”  can be used to move into color. A “grisaille” is a term used for a monochrome image, often in grays, that can be used to plan or as an under-painting for a color painting of any subject. Historically, grisaille underpaintings were in grays, browns, blues, or even greens. Look up the term in google or wikipaedia.

Four Seasons (Winter) Tonal Concept

Four Seasons (Winter) Tonal Concept (Video 2 of 3)

Four Seasons (Winter) Tonal Concept (Video 3 of 3)

Download Images Resource Binder 5 PDF.

Session 5 Intro Drawing Online Presentation Tonal Concept VASE FIGURE GROUND (1 of 1) {July 28 2020}

TONAL  CONCEPT
This is a way of understanding, creating and critiquing the abstract design under any drawing or painting. It is not the only way, perhaps, but is the best way the author has found in 40 years of experience through thousands of drawings and paintings. If you follow it and practice it you will create strong compositions of any subject in any medium…you will have a method, a technique and a sequence that will allow efficient and effective execution, better than wandering aimlessly through a drawing process. All artists have a ‘method’. Learn this one and make it your own. It is described in the videos and on a concept sheet in the resources binder pdf for this session.

Session 5 Intro Drawing Online Presentation Tonal Concept ABSTRACT PRINCIPLE (1 of 4) {July 28 2020}

Session 5 Intro Drawing Online Presentation Tonal Concept FLORAL-SAILBOAT-FACE  DEMO EXAMPLES (2 OF 4) {July 28 2020}

Session 5 Intro Drawing Online Presentation Tonal Concept GUNDERSON SLOUGH PLUS INK TEXTURING (3 of 4) {July 28 2020}

Session 5 Intro Drawing Online Presentation Tonal Concept INK TEXTURES CLOSE-UP AT END (4 of 4) {July 28 2020}

Next Session #6:

Modeling – Modeling with Shade & Shadow

Session 6 – SHADE, SHADOW, REFLECTION, INK RENDERING

INK TEXTURE RENDERING

These videos show the Tonal Design process employed to create ink renderings of some Boats at Gunderson Slough, Fraser River. To learn about this we are using my photos. But of course we can use purpose generated value study images of our own. “Glazing” is making one ‘wash’ , or pass, of texture layered OVER the top of  another to deepen or darken the tones.  “Tiling” is placing one shape NEXT to another to create different tones. Either can be used. Here we use Glazing to make the design objective clear. Of course, both Glazing and Tiling can be used in drawing and painting, especially useful for transparent mediums like watercolor.

Download Images Resource Binder 6 PDF.

A word about materials:  Use archival ‘vellum’ versus transitory ‘trace’. Felt pens can sometimes ‘bleed’ into the areas next to lines over time, especially on vellum due to oil in the paper. So felt pens are ok for practice or reproduction, but prefer to use good, stable ink in a fountain or technical pen capable of very fine marks for permanent work, especially given how much time is involved. Use a straight-edge, like a drafting triangle as a ‘bumper’  for straight lines. But try not to draw harsh drawn lines, rather use dots and dashes to imply lines.

A few other notes on process: A single small drawing, such as that shown in the video takes about one hour. A large drawing, say 24” x 30”,  can take several days. So images with lots of white space, such as sky and water, may be preferred. You will usually work small, about 6” x 8 “ for the same reason of time. In part, this may be why most engravings are quite small. Be patient, consistent and careful and you will have a good result. . Imagine how old-time engravers did something like this to create reproducible printable images for books before photo engraving. The process becomes quite contemplative and relaxing  after a while.

Practice making ink textures such as those shown.  Invent your own ink texturesif  you like and look some others up, such as hatching, cross-hatching, etc., through google or books on the subject. Watch the videos on Tonal Design or Tonal Abstraction to best understand the process.
I have used a photo (taken by myself, so I own copyrights). You might consider this a branch of photography or a hybrid of drawing and photography. But of course you can design your own image, not using a photo. Imagine doing a larger drawing in charcoal or gray felt pens and photo-reducing it.  The important thing is to have clear, defined,  posterized tonal steps. You can translate either mentally or by photoshop into blackwhite in 3 to 4 tonal values.
Look at pointillist drawings by Seurat.

Place pencil register marks in case the image is moved and overlay a sheet of vellum, placing the same register marks on the vellum which are erased later. You might also try drawing over the photo image with light pencil lines that can be gently erased after the final ink-work is very dry.

1. Identify the lights-whites. All else is texture-rendered on the vellum to about 50% mid-tone.
2. Identify the darks. Render these to about 85-90% dark tone, best not filled-in to black. To see the darks you will have to remove the underlay image, but there are enough landmarks to be able to find their position.
3. Check to make sure the tones are clearly a step different from each other. If two tones are too close, the effect appears  ‘muddy’ or undefined. Be interpretive and make overall adjustments for aesthetics.
4. Finally, clarify the finer details, such as lines, masts, windows, etc. Wait a little while, come back to the work later and make any overall final adjustments for aesthetics.

Here are some related Demonstration Videos, plus a few extras on Fraser River Boats.:

Tonality: The goal is to translate a continuous toned image (like a typical black-white or even color photo) into 3 or 4 tonal values. This can be seen as a ‘posterization’ : The lights give Sparkle. The darks give impact. The mid-tones give subtlety and richness. This creates a ‘tonal design’ versus a mere ‘continuous-toned documentation’. The tonal shapes can be smoothly blended one to the other or ‘posterized’ – suddenly shift one to the next.

Ink Rendering Gunderson Slough Boats 33 Min (1 Of 2) {Aug 4 2020}

Ink Rendering Gunderson Slough Boats 22 Min ( 2 Of 2) {Aug 4 2020}

Shade Shadow Reflection (1 Of 4) {Aug 4 2020}

Shade Shadow Reflection (2 Of 4) {Aug 4 2020}

Shade Shadow Reflection (3 Of 4) {Aug 4 2020}

Shade Shadow Reflection (4 Of 4) {Aug 4 2020}

Fraser River Boats Tonal Ink Textures (1 Of 3)  {Aug 4 2020}

Fraser River Boats Tonal Ink Textures (2 Of 3) {Aug 4 2020}

Fraser River Boats Tonal Ink Textures (3 Of 3) {Aug 4 2020}

Light-Shadow:   Select a light source and with that source in mind, logically create a light surface shape, shaded sides and cast shadows. This is what we normally try to do when shading naturalistically. Several standard lighting situations can be applied, particularly to figures, headforms, buildings, all objects.

Tonality Assignment:  Draw a SIMPLE still-life, e.g. some fruits in a bowl. Shade the drawing using the principles in Figure-Ground and Light-shadow demos. Try to render in only  3-4 tonal values.

Next Session #7: Perspective and other Geometrics