PROPORTION: Sighting

Dylan

Emily

Rachel

Ryan

Last night we discussed Proportion and the measuring technique called "sighting."First the class made drawings by trying to identify the ideal solids within each object. For example, a wine bottle has a large cylinder for the body, a cone for the shoulders and another cylinder for the neck. The objective was to establish a three-dimensional armature of the objects. Important things to note in the drawings above are 1. The use of central axis lines for symmetrical objects. 2. Identify the parts (i.e. ideal solids). 3. Draw the forms transparently (see Rachel's drawing). 4. Pay attention to the negative space and relate the proportions of one object to another (see Ryan's drawing). Once the objects were drawn, students then used the "sighting" technique to check proportions and make corrections.

PROPORTIONS AND "SIGHTING"

Alfredo Rodriguez

 Yesterday the class began with a series of drawings addressing the proportions of a wine bottle. The objective was to accurately render the proportions by identifying the ideal solids within the structure of the form. Before moving onto more complex forms, the class made a drawing of two bottles. One was centered while the other was cropped. The objective here was to emphasize the negative space, in particular, the space between the bottles.

Alfredo Rodriguez

 The next couple of drawings illustrate the identification of the ideal solids within the forms. The purpose is twofold. First, building the structure will create a more three-dimensional form and aid in placement of the values. Second, simplifying the forms into root shapes and the ideal solids will speed up the sketching process by keeping the drawing flexible rather than trying to be too precise too soon.

Eddie Ortiz

Savannah Church

Savannah's drawing illustrates the angles and planes of rectilinear forms. As with curves, when rendering angles, it helps to compare the angle to straight base lines and axis lines. In addition, you may use a straight edge or pencil to visually line up and compare the angle on the still life transferring it to your drawing paper.

PROPORTIONS

Katheryn Pitkin

Monday night students made drawings with the goal of rendering accurate proportions. The method was to identify  the Ideal Solids within a more complex form building the structure of the object with line and then measuring the proportions through "sighting." Notice in the drawing above how Katheryn has used a vertical axis line to aid in maintaining symmetry. She has also placed ellipses at all of the major structural changes (i.e. the base of objects, the widest point, where two shapes join and at the top of the objects.

TUES. 2/7 PROPORTIONS: Organizational Line

Frank Vallin

Lily King

The T/Th class started proportional studies. We began with studying the proportions of wine bottles and then onto more complex forms. Frank's drawing above illustrates the organizational line process. A closer look reveals the central axis line, helpful when rendering symmetrical objects.  Also note the placement of ellipses at every planar shift (i.e. the cylindrical body, cone-like shoulders and the cylindrical neck).  These lines add three-dimensional structure and establish locations for tonalities.
Lilly's drawing illustrates a more "finished" image with tonal areas addressing the "categories of light." The organizing lines have blended into the tonalities. Both drawings exhibit strong attention to the negative areas as well.

Mon. Feb. 7 PROPORTIONS: Planar Analysis and Organizing Lines

Brian Vance's drawing above illustrates the properties of Organizing Lines and Planar Structure.  Both approaches add volume and structure which leads to greater three dimensionality and proportional accuracy respectively.  Organizational lines provide a scaffolding like system of lines that encloses and unites the positive and negative areas. It is essential in relating the proportions of one object to another and accurately capturing the distance between objects.  The planar lines above are the repeating verticals.  Identifying the planes is most beneficial when applying tonalities.  Combined with the categories of light, the planar compartments dictate how gradations of light to dark should be applied.

Martin Gilbertson's drawing is an excellent example of the Organizational Line technique. Note how the lines create boxes or compartments that isolate positive and negative areas (at base of lantern). He has also initiated the drawing with a central axis line then moving to the edges as well as referring to the Ideal Solids most notably evident with the implied sphere inside the glass.

Thurs. Feb. 3 PROPORTIONS: Simple Forms within Complex Shapes

Thursday 7A  focused on developing accurate proportions. When drawing a shape such as a wine bottle, it helps to draw all the individual forms that make up that shape.  Looking closely at Andrew Robles' drawing above, we can see that a bottle is a cylinder (body), a cone (shoulders) and another cylinder for the neck.  Defining these parts will make proportions more accurate as well as revealing to the artist how the tonalities are to play across the surface of an object.

Avi Scheuenstuhl's drawing is an example of planar analysis. By flattening the curvature of a round object, one can see the planes more clearly.  This is important because placement of values is determined by the planar structure of an object.

Tony Topacio's drawing expands on both of these themes to make an organizational line drawing.  Organizational lines, enclose the positive and negative areas allowing the artist to organize and visualize the parts and their relationships to one another.  Looking closely, one can see the interior structure of this object revealing top and bottom ellipses, the planes around the cylindrical body and the cone on top.

9/8 and 9/10 Proportions

On Wednesday Evening and Friday, students worked on proportions.  We started by discussing the Organizational Line Drawing technique based on the work of Alberto Giacometti.  Once accurate proportions were established, students applied the categories of light based on the concepts addressed with the Ideal Solids. This is illustrated in the milk carton drawing by Theresa Vernon.  Note the milk carton is basically a rectangular box with a pyramid on top.

After completing a few studies on newsprint, students made longer more complete drawings again establishing a sense of light, locating the Ideal Solids hidden within the objects and developing a sense of atmosphere and space. Drawings by Chantel Carter, Christina Paoletti, Eduardo Barrera, Gabriel Alvillar, Nancy Rubio, and Trevor Finley.

6/22 Proportions: Organizational Line

Today we worked on proportions by way of the organizational line technique.  By creating a structural armature around objects organizational lines enclose the positive and negative areas allowing the artist to compare and measure the various shapes and forms that make up a composition. Notice in Vildan Kraemer's  drawing (above) how she has isolated the handle and outlying negative areas by placing them in a rectangle.  This allows her to more clearly visualize the curvature of the handle.  In Jemma Eubanks' drawing you can still see how she has measured and compared the center of the coffee pot to the outer edges. Both drawings exhibit the makings for good line and textural quality as well as activating the negative space.

2/8 Proportions of a Chair

Monday evening we continued working on proportions.  We started with chair studies.  Chairs are particularly well suited for working on proportions because they have lots of negative areas between the various supports, legs and back.  This allows for many points of reference for measuring. Secondly, chairs pose a perspective problem as well.  In that regard, they present various angles and diminishing sizes.  Chair drawing by Ariel Lockshaw.  Some of the proportions and angles are a bit off (ex. feet are too level to one another) but overall the drawing exhibits good line quality and a lot of investigation and an openness to make changes.

After the break, we made proportional studies of a grouping of objects.  In the demo drawing, note the use of organizational lines to make height and width relationships as well as locating the central axis of objects.  In the initial stages of working out the composition, your approach should be loose and flexible, searching and making adjustments.  From there you can employ sighting to fine tune the proportions.

Once the proportions are accurate, finish the drawing off with modeling.  Modeling is the application of the categories of light and value gradations to create a three dimensional effect.  Refer to the Ideal Solids studies for assistance.  Drawing by Katie Bogner.

2/3 Proportions

Wednesday evening we started our discussion on "Proportions and Sighting".  Sighting is the technique of taking measurements and comparing size relationships. For rendering proportions, I introduced the concept of organizational line drawing. This method is similar to gesture in that you start with rendering the largest shapes and work towards the specifics.  When working with complex forms it is helpful to try and identify simpler forms within, such as our Ideal Solids. For example, a bottle is composed of three shapes: 1. a cylinder (the body) 2. a cone (the shoulders) 3. another cylinder (the neck). Notice in Elaine Gutsch's drawing above how she started with a central axis line because the body of the teapot is symmetrical.  From there it is a matter of working with stacked cylinders, a cone, at the bottom and middle, and ellipses.  We also practiced applying the categories of light to the objects. Coffee decanter drawing by Cameron Belvedere.