LINE: Contour and Gesture Drawing

Friday morning began with a slide presentation on Contour Line followed by a series of contour drawings. Students used graphite pencils, ball point pens and markers. In the drawings below, notice the various ways of addressing contour. In particular, the "accented" lines (swelled, darkened and broken lines) add a greater sense of volume.

Devon Ste. Marie-Rubin

Sabin Thapa

The afternoon section began with a presentation on Gesture Drawing.  First the class made drawings addressing the cross-contours of gourds.

Jim Paschal

Jim's drawing demonstrates the cross-contour method. Notice how the lines wrap across the form. Spacing and accenting the lines can add an increased sense of volume.

Julianna Cheplick

Julianna's drawing is composed of one continuous line. Notice how the line creates a bird cage-like structure with vertical cross-contours (i.e. caged volume).

Lupita Perez

Lupita's drawing employs the Scribble gesture technique. Scribble drawings address the mass of a form as well as the light patterns. In addition, everyone's line quality and character is different, some appearing soft like lamb's wool, as in Lupita's drawing, others are coarse like a gnarled wire brush.

Will Dargie

Will's drawing demonstrates the mass technique. Similar to scribble, mass drawings illustrate the solidity and volume of the form as well as the light patterns.
The class finished with a series of drawings combining the techniques as well as one emphasizing the negative space (not pictured).

LINE: Gestural Method

Last night class began with a slide lecture on Gesture Drawing: the act of quick, spontaneous and all encompassing rendering of an artist's subject. To begin, the class made cross-contour studies.

Graham Metcalfe

Graham has established a slightly downward view of the gourd. Notice how the lines move across the front of the form, bending at the ends to address the way the edges recede. In addition, he has "accented" the ends to suggest the way light is striking the form.

Andrameda Martinez

Next we made Continuous-line drawings. The idea is to use one unbroken line that wraps around the form addressing the exterior edge as well as the cross-contours. Notice in Andrameda's drawing that the cross-contours move vertically as well as horizontally. The thing to remember is how Line illustrates the "structure" of the form.

Joanna Alvarez

Joanna's drawing is an example of the Mass technique. These drawings address the volume and solidity of the form while also illustrating light patterns. Notice how Joanna has used dark values on the shadow side of the form to establish a light source. In addition, the dark values push receding planes back. The examples being the neck and the base of the gourd.

Crysta Maguire

We ended the evening with a drawing emphasizing the negative space: the areas around and within the objects. The drawing above is a group of gourds. The objective of this drawing was to "suggest the objects". In other words, to draw just enough without drawing too much. Take note of the variations in tonalities as well as the lighter and darker marks employed.
Note: Not shown from last night is an example of the Scribble technique and the combined techniques of Line and Mass together.

LINE: Contour

Last night the spring 2016 semester kicked off with a series of contour drawings and continuous line drawings use ball point pens, pencils and markers. I'll update with pictures after tomorrow night's class.

FINAL PROJECT: The Jungle

Ashley Garr

Bret Hardesty

Drew Horton

Three examples of the final project from fall 2015. Each example exhibits originality and a strong degree of craft as well as addressing light, form and texture within a balanced composition.