LINE: Gesture and Volume Techniques

Ryan

Last night class began with a discussion on Gesture Drawing. Where Contour drawings are single, slow, incisive lines, Gesture drawings are quick, spontaneous and group lines together. Before addressing gestural techniques we made Cross-Contour drawings addressing volume. Cross-contours flow across the typography of a form. The left and right side contours are implied through the repetition of horizontal lines arcing across the form.

Diana

Next, we made Continuous Line Drawings. This technique is a bridge between Contour and Gesture. Like Contour, the line addresses the edges of the form but like Gesture the lines are repeated, the largest parts are addressed first moving towards the smaller parts and lastly, the form is rendered transparently. The objective is to avoid "outlining", which is flat and two-dimensional. The gourd above is constructed like a "snowman"; first you make the bottom, then the middle and lastly, the head.

Emily

The drawing above is an example of the Scribble Gesture technique. This approach addresses the mass of the form while also illustrating the light. Notice when lines are grouped together they act more like values. Dark lines tend to advance in space where dark values recede.

The Mass technique, like Scribble, addresses the mass and light. The object should appear like a solid, smokey, mass. There should be a sense of weight as well as the light patterns.

We ended the evening with Gesture drawings combining the techniques of Mass and Line. The Line portion captures the structure or armature of the form where the Mass addresses the weight, solidity and light.

VALUE: Rendering Light

Jessica Baumann

Savannah Church

We've discussed in class how an artist may emphasize light over volume but can't have one without the other. This is due to the fact that light patterns or values are located where they are because of the structure or volume of an object. By applying marks that ignore or even contradict the cross-contours of an object emphasis is placed on the light patterns. The drawings above emphasize the light over volume. Students chose one of two techniques to employ; scribble gesture or a single directional, diagonal hatch. Both drawings have used dark values in the background to contrast against the lighter tonalities within the objects. In addition, take special note of the manner in which gradations are applied to the forms addressing the subtlety of volume.

LINE: GESTURAL TECHNIQUES

Mariah Green

After the slide lecture, the class made drawings in the cross-contour technique (ex. above). Notice that the contours arc across the front of the form and the outer contours or outline is implied.

Bonnie Lin

Next the class made drawings exploring the continuous line technique. The line technique addresses the structure of the form. Notice the "accents" in Bonnie's drawing and specifically their placement. She has placed them in a zig-zag orientation addressing key areas where the contour lines turn in space around the form. This is important because it introduces diagonals into the composition which are more dynamic that vertical and horizontals.

Luke Mello

Luke's drawing employs the scribble technique. The drawing above exhibits mass and light as well as texture.

Gabriel Rodriguez

Gabriel's drawing illustrates the mass technique. Mass captures the weight and volume of a form as well as the light. Notice the variations in tonality and the placement of similar values in the darker patches.

David Covarrubias

David's drawing illustrates the mass and line technique combined. Again, the line brings structure where mass adds form and light. Notice how he has balanced the dark and light areas diagonally across the composition.

LINE: Gesture

Last night we continued exploring Line through a series of drawings addressing cross-contours, continuous line, scribble, mass and negative space. The important distinctions to remember are 1. line drawings address the structure of form and 2. scribble and mass techniques address mass and volume. In addition, the latter address value changes in light because they are essentially tonal drawings.

Dylan Freitas

 Cross-contours address the contours moving across and around a form rather than the outside edges. "Accents" in the line quality may suggest a change in the structure as planes advance and recede as well as addressing the way light falls on the form.

Suzie Larsen

 Continuous Lines address the structure and volume of a form by creating an armature or skeleton with vertical and horizontal cross-contours.

Joe Mulcaire

 Scribble Gesture addresses the mass and weight of a form as well as the location of a light source.

Erin Deacon

 Mass Gesture like Scribble addresses the mass and volume of an object. Because it is a tonal technique, the categories of light are illustrated as well.

Joe Mulcaire

Negative Space and/or shapes are the areas around and within the forms. In the case of the arrangement above, the objective is to "suggest" the gourds by drawing the shadows, receding planes and passages between the objects.

LINE: Contour vs. Gesture

Kate Donovan

Friday morning began with blind contour studies of small maple leaves. The page was completed with slow contour studies of organic forms and tools. The objective was to build "eye-hand" coordination and fluid, confident line quality. Notice how the layering of objects creates a sense of depth in the composition. At the same time, negative areas are strengthened by closing them in when  the edges of objects are allowed to touch.

Gianna Davy

Friday afternoon began with cross-contour studies of gourds.Notice the character of the line as it moves across the surface  addressing the topography of the gourd. As the planes recede or turn away from us the lines get closer together creating a darker value.

Susan Lazzareschi

Next, we made continuous-line drawings addressing structure. Notice how the gourd has been divided forming a cage-like rendering of the volumes. The accenting on the right under the "chin" of the gourd and at the base add tension and a greater sense of weight.

Christian Curtis

Then we made scribble gesture drawings. Each drawing has its own sense of texture depending on the rhythm and movement of the lines. Scribble gesture drawings should have a sense of mass as well as light.

Isabella Miranda

We finished the day with a series of mass gesture drawings, starting with one gourd and then small groups. The mass technique captures the "mass" of the object and the light through broad, tonal sweeps. Notice the way the volumes advance and recede with the placement of darker or lighter values. In general, dark values will add weight to a form and cause "planes" to recede. The neck of the gourd is pinched and further away than the belly of the gourd so it makes sense to darker this area. The head and belly are advancing areas so lighter tones are applied.

INK: The Exquisite Corpse

Last night students began working with India Ink. For the introduction of wet media, we played the Surrealist game, the "Exquisite Corpse." It is a game of collaboration requiring a minimum of three players. One for the head, one for the torso and one for the legs. Like all Surrealist games it is based on irrational thought and combinations pulled from the subconscious. Aside from the game, the objective was to explore various value and textural techniques in a fun and inventive way and to gain a better understanding of what it is to work with a wet medium.

VALUE: Local Value and Rendering Light

Kyle Sullivan

Friday morning began with studies made from two white objects rendered in graphite pencil. In the upper left hand corner students drew value scales of six tones. Kyle's drawing illustrates the design qualities achieved with more than one light source realized in the multiple cast shadows. This would normally reveal artificial lighting but Kyle has transformed the table top into a barren, surreal landscape suggesting the presence of two suns.

Patricia Baskerville

After the lunch break, students made drawings emphasizing Light by employing a single, directional hatch or scribble gesture. Patricia's drawing is rich and varied with its swirling, frantic web of lines. The dark mass in the background is reminiscent of a foreboding storm moving inward. Notice how she has reenforced the negative areas between objects creating dark passages for the "eye" to wander and move through.

LINE:Contour vs. Gesture

Allison Brooke

Friday morning began with a discussion on Contour Line Drawings. The main points to reflect on are 1. Contour is a slow, single, incisive line that defines interior as well as exterior volumes 2. Dark lines advance, light lines recede 3. "Accents" in line quality add volume and may identify changes in structure, weight, value, texture and color. The hammer head in Allison's drawing above is especially well drawn. Observe the subtleties in line quality addressing the hard and soft contours.
Katherine's drawing below is a Cross-Contour study. Notice how she has accented the right side, bottom and neck area of the gourd establishing weight, shadow and negative areas. Cross-Contour drawings emphasize the contours across a form and imply the exterior contours.

Katherine Brown

After the lunch break, we discussed Gesture Drawings. Now Gesture (being quick and spontaneous) and Contour Drawings (slow and methodical) are opposites in technique but they both build "eye-hand" coordination and are therefore equally important and should be practiced often.

Kyle Sullivan

Kyle's drawing above is an example of the Scribble Gesture technique. The tangled and layered accumulation of lines captures the mass and volume of an object as well as value. Notice how the line quality also exhibits a textural quality like a "prickly" cactus or thistle.

Emily Sanfilippo

Emily's drawing employs both Line Gesture and Mass Gesture techniques. Line provides structure and the Mass technique adds mass and volume as well as value. Notice how she has also addressed the negative areas around the gourd creating a background and establishing depth within the whole composition.

Ian Cook

We ended class on Friday with drawings emphasizing the negative areas. The goal in these drawings is to "suggest" the presence of the gourd rather than "spoon-feeding" the viewer. By focusing on the negative areas, planes slide into one another bridging the gap between positive and negative areas. Notice how the similarity in value and accenting establishes a rhythm that moves the "eye" around the composition.

WED. 1/25 LINE: Gesture

Alisha Ascencio

James Gromo

M/W class followed up contour drawing with gesture studies.  For more on gesture, see the post from 1/24. Above are two examples of scribble gesture drawings. Alisha's drawing has skillfully captured the mass and volume qualities indicative of the scribble technique. Note the placement of the dark values to add weight and a sense of light striking the form of the gourd. In addition, the scale and size of the gourd holds the page very well engaging with the negative space around the gourd. James's drawing exhibits a sense of motion by way of the amorphic edges of the form. The gourd seems to pulse and flutter like a jelly fish through water.

Thurs. Feb. 24 VALUE: Emphasizing Light

As mentioned in previous class discussions, when addressing value, artists may emphasize light over volume. In order to do this, you must use a drawing technique that contradicts the cross contours of any given object.  Andrew Robles (top) has chosen the scribble gesture technique.  His use of the technique has created a surreal drawing that appears to be a wet, dripping, tangle of lines.  Note how he has separated foreground, mid-ground, and background by employing atmospheric perspective. Krishna Chaitanya (middle)  has also employed the scribble gesture technique but with very different results. He has created a very heavy, tough and dirty drawing.  As one student said, "He feels like Krishna's drawing is going to kick his butt."  The large cylinder in the center is very confrontational, appearing as though it will give you a wollup. Rose Antaki (bottom) has gone with the single directional hatch in diagonal orientation. She has produced a very clear and intense rendering of the forms and their values. This drawing has a great rhythm that moves the "eye" throughout the composition.

9/22 Value: Emphasizing Light

On Wednesday, the class made value studies emphasizing Light Patterns rather than volume.  In order to emphasize the Light, students used a single directional hatch technique or scribble technique.  The goal was to develop the image through tonal variations rather than line. Drawings by Jeanne Buckens, Leah Erickson, Travis Gilbert and Trevor Finley.

6/18 Gesture

The M/W class began its investigations of Line with Gesture Drawing.  Gesture is the all encompassing, quick and spontaneous rendering of the artist's subject.  Gesture drawings are NOT about capturing realism and details.  Gesture drawings should exhibit energy through rephrasing edges and contours  multiple times and drawing the forms as though they were transparent.  We discussed the four primary gestural techniques of Line Gesture, Mass Gesture, Scribble Gesture and Mass and Line Gestures combined.

First we began with Cross-Contour drawings to create a sense of volume with a limited amount of information.  Notice the absence of outside contours as well as the accenting in the line (dark to light transitions) to suggest weight and a shadow side.

Next we made Continuous Line Drawings.  These drawings should consist of one, single, long, continuous line from start to finish.  It is a searching line that records the path of the eyes of the artist.

Then we made Scribble Gesture Drawings.  These drawings should capture a sense of volume through overlapping, scribbled lines that suggest weight and possibly a sense of light. Drawings by Autumn La Rue, Dillon Cimino and Allen Girion respectively.

We concluded the evening with Mass and Line combinations. These drawings should address structure through line while producing weight and light through mass. Drawing by Jesus Neri-Martinez.

6/15 A Means Towards Gesture

Today we worked on developing volume through gestural techniques.  We started with cross-contour drawings then to continuous line drawing, scribble gesture, mass and finally a combination of techniques. Gesture drawings should be quick, spontaneous and all encompassing of your subject.  In other words, you draw all the way around the forms and through them treating them as though they were transparent.

1/13 GESTURE DRAWING

First night drawing.  The evening started with some cross-contour exercises. Subject: gourds.  Cross-contour lines map the topography of an object similar to the latitudinal and longitudinal lines on a globe. Note the lines crossing the gourd accentuate the roundness of the gourd by arching from left to right.  The lines also transition from dark to light.  This gives a greater sense of volume and suggests a light source (darker lines representing the shadow side).

Next, we made continuous line drawings.  A continuous line drawing is composed of one long continuous line.  The pencil should not leave the paper from start to finish.  Continuous lines should record the path of the artist's eye as it moves across his/her subject. Continuous lines wrap and draw through forms defining structure. Again when the line quality is varied with thick lines and thin lines, dark lines and light lines, you can suggest more depth and volume.

And finally after viewing some slides, we made gesture drawings. Gesture drawings are a quick and spontaneous, all encomposing line that searches to define its form. Like the previous exercises, it records the path of the eyes. We addressed three different types of gesture: Line, Mass, and Scribble.

Line gesture suggests structure and volume. Mass and Scribble gestures suggest mass, volume and light. The example above is a Scribble gesture.