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Drawing Folio

Matthew Blode · 911870

EDUC10054

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Drawing, Painting and Sensory Knowing

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Table of Contents

Written Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Life Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Still Life Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Site-Based Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Development Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

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Written Analysis

Drawing, Painting, and Sensory Knowing has taught me a multitude of draw-ing principles and new techniques . These encourage an alternative outlook on how I perceive the objects and people around me . I have learnt the con-cepts of analytic perception and engaging in a state of flow to better focus on my creative task .

The primary technique that I have learnt through the course of this subject, it to view an object, not from memory but rather to perceive it with fresh eyes and a new perspective . Therefore, directly attempting to recreate the specific angles, curves, highlights, and shadows that contribute to the ren-dered form . When drawing, I now constantly check the relationships of my lines with the surrounding negative space . I try to separate my interpreta-tion and experience from the observable reality while thinking analytically about the drawing I am producing, exemplified in figures 7 and 13 .

Conversely, I have also attempted to incorporate a sense of personal expres-sion, representing the emotion of the figure or the emotion that I am feeling while creating the work . Figures 12 and 20 are my most vibrant and expres-sive works will maintaining a form that is grounded and realistic . “Art may be a therapeutic release, but it also has the function of communicating to others through its organisation of form and content” (Barnes, 1987, p . 17) . In this way, the hand of the artist has been introduced into the work, making it feel more expressive and personal .

Figures 19 and 20 were our longest in-class drawings . The longer uninter-rupted drawing session allowed me to engage in a state of flow . Seligman explains that “drawing is something where you have a really direct, imme-diate relationship with the material . . . with drawing you are in the present” (Seligman, 2017, p . 12) . Thus, being present means that time just slips by and you are entirely in the mindset of producing the work . In this way, I believe that my highest quality work is created . This subject has taught me to seek the state of flow and to limit all distractions .

Simpson expresses that “angles can be measured by comparing the un-known angle with a know one” (Simpson, 1987, p . 10) . Thereby, I have started utilising a technique that has greatly improved the shape of my observation drawings . Holding my finger up vertically or horizontal allows me to inspect

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Written Analysis

the angle relative to 90 degrees . Thus, I can more confidently create my lines as I have a clear reference .

Accurate proportions can be a highly challenging endeavour when drawing from observation, however, Goldstein uncovers that “it is the absence of such efforts to compare, locate, and measure that causes the poor propor-tions and wrongly placed parts that so beset the beginner” (Goldstein, 1986, p . 48) . I have started to use my pencil as a guide for the relative size of an ob-ject to improve the proportionality of my drawings as seen in figure 19 . Thus, a combination of observation drawing methods and principles that I have learnt throughout this subject, has aided my ability to depict what’s around me in the form of drawing .

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Life Drawings

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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Life Drawings

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

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Life Drawings

Figure 5.

Figure 6.

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Life Drawings

Figure 7.

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Life Drawings

Figure 8.

Figure 9.

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Life Drawings

Figure 10.

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Life Drawings

Figure 11.

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Life Drawings

Figure 12.

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Life Drawings

Figure 13.

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Life Drawings

Figure 14.

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Life Drawings

Figure 15.

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Life Drawings

Figure 16.

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Still Life Studies

Figure 17.

Figure 18.

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Still Life Studies

Figure 19.

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Still Life Studies

Figure 20.

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Site-Based Drawings

Figure 21: Keyser, F. (1636). Frederick van Velthuysen and his wife, Josina.

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Site-Based Drawings

Figure 22: Largillierre, N. (1714). Crown Prince Frederick Augustus of Saxony.

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Site-Based Drawings

Figure 23: Ribera, J (1624). Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence.

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Site-Based Drawings

Figure 24: Pigalle, J. (1748). Georges Gougenot.

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Development Studies

My development study engages with the concept of the habitual life . The intent behind this study is to utilise a variety of drawing techniques and methods to capture the elements of our everyday milieu that goes unnoticed or is overlooked .

The process of these pen and pencil drawings span from a naturalistic observational drawing towards more abstract techniques . This includes the drawing methods of chaotic scribbled lines, fine-liner stippling, and the incorporation of vibrant highlighter colours .

The most representational depiction within my studies was figure 27 in which I aimed to accurately and realistically depict the softness and intri-cacy of a pot plant . Goldstein’s concept that “learning to draw is learning to see and relate multiple number of factors at the same time” (Goldstein, 1986, p . 46), is something I was forced to engage with when attempting to accurately represent the relationship between the leaves .

Figure 26 and 28 are an exploration in cross-hatching techniques between a cubic, angular form, and a plush, rounded object . For the latter, I sought to draw lines that were guided by the three-dimensionality and curvature of the form .

Finally, my stippling drawing methods for figure 31 and 32 were relatively the most abstract and challenging out of all of the works in my development studies . A collection of precise dots culminate into an interplay between tones that effectively represent form .

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Development Studies

Figure 25.

Figure 26.

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Development Studies

Figure 27.

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Figure 28.

Development Studies

Figure 29.

Figure 30.

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Development Studies

Figure 31.

Figure 32.

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References

Barnes, R . (1987) . Teaching art to young children 4-9 . London: Allen & Unwin .

Edwards, B . (1986) . Drawing on the artist within: a guide to innovation, invention, imagination and creativity . New York: Simon and Schuster .

Goldstein, N . (1986) . A drawing handbook: Themes, tools and techniques . Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall .

Hickman, R . (2004) . Diverse Directions? Visual Culture and Studio Practice . In R . Hickman (Ed .), Art Education 11-18: meaning, purpose and direction . 2nd Ed . London: Continuum .

Seligman, I . (2016) Lines of thought . Drawing from Michelangelo to now . London: Thames & Hudson

Simblet, S . (2005) . The drawing book: an innovative, practical approach to drawing the world around you . London: Doling Kindersley Ltd .

Simpson, I . (1987) Drawing, seeing and observation . London: A & C Black

Largillierre, N . (1714) . Crown Prince Frederick Augustus of Saxony . Retrieved 15 September 2019, from NGV website: http://www .ngv .vic .gov .au/explore/collection/work/4120/

Keyser, F . (1636) . Frederick van Velthuysen and his wife, Josina . Retrieved 15 September 2019, from NGV website: http://www .ngv .vic .gov .au/explore/collection/work/4101/

Pigalle, J . (1748) . Georges Gougenot . Retrieved 15 September 2019, from NGV website: http://www .ngv .vic .gov .au/explore/collection/work/3565/

Ribera, J (1624) . Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence . Retrieved 15 September 2019, from NGV website: http://www .ngv .vic .gov .au/explore/collection/work/83337/