Old World Techniques for Drawing
Figure 1. The Cast Set Up, Sight Size Measurements
The cast hangs with a plumb line in front of it to assist with measurements from side to side. Determine and adjust lighting. The source must remain the same
throughout the duration of the drawing. The cast and the drawing paper rest on
the same plane in space. Sight size measurements will be taken approximately
four feet away - you are standing in between the cast and the drawing paper.
Decide on which eye to use and close the other when you measure . Draw in the
vertical plumb line on your paper. Using a hand held plumb line and extending
your arms in front of you, align the string with the edge of the top and bottom
of the cast so that you can comfortably see where it would exist on the paper.
Draw the positions on the paper. You have now captured the height of the cast
relative to where you are standing. Transfer other measurement marks to paper.
Transfer the position of the basic shapes at this point only using small tick
marks or small, light lines with your charcoal.
Figure 2. Big Shape Block-in
Continue vertical measurements, lightly drawing in of all major shapes of the
cast. Keep value scale very simple - 3 or 4 midtone values - this helps you see
the relationships of all shapes. Block-in the big shapes according to sight size
meaurement and simple values. Repeat this with the horizontal measurements, going
back to double check the relationships between the vertical positioning and horizontal
positioning of the shapes. You might say at this point that the big blocked in
shapes are the planes of the drawing. TIP: Squint your eyes down to see big value
shapes. Squint down to find lost, diffused and hard edges.
Figure 3. Shape Definitions within Planes, Light Modeling
Begin to define and refine shapes, values and understand relationships between
them within each major plane. Don't worry about shifting, erasing and remeasuring.
Drawing is just a series of corrections! It will happen and hopefully you catch
a mis-step early on, so always double check measurements. That's why the values
are kept light and you don't spend too much time detailing a specific area. Only
after the whole structure measures accurately do you move on to drawing in the
details.
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Figure 4. Completed Cast Drawing
THE
COMPLETED CAST DRAWING: Intense definition of shapes within shapes
within planes by modeling values, always double checking size relationship
of planes and shapes within. SQUINT DOWN to find lost, diffused and hard edges.
Final modeling with pinpoint sharp charcoal allows for careful definition of
values and edgework.
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