Construction Drawing (straight line block in)

White prismacolor on black canson mi-teintes paper

Drawing with white on a black surface is an invaluable experience and one that should be practiced often and integrated into our working methods. We have likely been making dark marks on white paper most of our lives. This exercise nudges most of us out of our comfort zones and forces us to see shapes opposite of our normal modes. I have had students in the past who have drawn dark shapes with white pencil creating a "negative" effect. Drawing shapes that are unfamiliar make us scrutinize the shapes more closely and as a consequence our drawings become more accurately defined.

Shadow massing the figure

As the shadow shapes are described I look at them one at a time and move on relating them to all other shapes. Horizontally where is it comparatively, vertically where is it relative to other shapes, what is the angle between it and other shapes? Often I start with a simple shape I know I can define, I use straight lines to describe it.

First Post, First Month 2011

Most of the drawings you will see on my posts will have been completed within a time range from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Some will be less. I do not typically do figure drawings as finished pieces of art, they are studies and drawing practice done in the classroom as demonstrations.







I hope I am not too old to understand how or why I should do this or to simply keep up the demand of regular posting and updating. I want to make this valuable for me as a professor and artist, for my students in any help I can be for them and those who love figure drawing and want to improve their ability to see. I hope to help my students who are anxiety stricken, excited, eager to learn and striving for excellence in depicting the human form. My goal is to share my passion, excitement and love for drawing with others and to have those who share it with me, give helpful information about blogging and drawing.