Line - Instructional Sketchbook Assignment
Lines are used for drawing and writing, so to make our linework better for drawing we began with writing.
Second, we worked on our lines by getting used to the way the pencil feels while in use. We did this by starting each line forcefully then ending it lightly in different directions.
Third, we put our linework into practice by identifying all the lines in this picture and drawing over them. The idea was to show students that linework is all around us and we can identify it if we look.
Fourth, we practiced diagonal lines. We drew them first to become confident in the linework, then we identified all the diagonals in the masterwork to the right.
After drawing straight lines, we began working with curves. In the same way that lines are everywhere, so are curves. We were instructed to identify and copy over the masterwork to the right all the curves found in the drawing.
Since artists stand by the importance of lines, we were instructed to find all the lines in this picture. By finding these lines, we were able to see the shapes at their simplest forms and identify that there are not many different types of lines in this picture yet it appears complex.
Next, we studied the use of lines in identifying porportions and measurements.
Shape - Instructional sketchbook assignment
The goal of this instructional sketchbook assignment was to find the basic shapes within complex figures to help us begin learning how to start creating drawings of our own using these shapes. For this page, we drew the basic shapes of each object around the object to show our understanding of the simplicity of each drawing.
Next, we created a pentagon around the basic shape of the leaf to again, show the simple shapes that complex objects start as.
For this page, we started each drawing by identifying the shapes similar to the last pages. After drawing the simple shapes, I was able to begin my drawings of the actual objects with more understanding for where they should lie within the shapes, therefore allowing me to be more proportionally accurate.
For this sketch, I did the same things as before but was able to get more practice with shading as well.
This sketch was also more of the same. I sketched a circle shape for the body and head, and triangles for the ears.
This page allowed me to find the basic shapes and then find even smaller shapes within those shapes to create a block sketch. This was our first demonstration of block sketching.
Once I understood the concept of identifying the shapes and then beginning to block sketch within those shapes, drawing objects became easier. This page helped us to begin mastering block sketching.
This page is another example of block sketching particularly with dogs.
This page took block sketching to a whole new level as we were to begin by doing our block and shadow sketches, but then complete them by true shading and drawing with curvature.
This page is another example of the method being used to the point of a completed drawing but still keeping the outline.
This is yet another example of a completed drawing using the method learned throughout this chapter and keeping the outline.
This sketch not only identifies the shape of the bug, but also makes a point to find the center of the shape as both sides of the but are parallel.
This page was all about learning to draw correct proportions within shapes. By dividing the drawing into equal sized sections, it is easier to make sure that the drawing ends up in the same proportions as the master copy.
This page is another example of drawing with proportions. The main proportion used here is height although it could also be sectioned into width.
Volume - instructional sketchbook assignment
After the last assignment and understanding basic shapes within drawing, now I was to understand the volume that could be added to those shapes. By adding volume to shapes, they are brought to life. Volume is added by identifying front from back and understanding the complexity of the 3D version of the 2D shape. On the right, I added volume by putting ellipses in the triangle to make it a cone.
On this page, I added volume to all the drawings using ellipses again to make them 3D.
By understanding how to make each shape volumized, I was able to make something bigger and more complex using multiple of these shapes with volume.
Value - instructional sketchbook assignment
The value assignment was to teach us how to shade things according to their true values. One concept we worked a lot with was shadow blocking/mapping. Just like block sketching, this idea outlines the shape of the shaded area before working with the values.
After learning the concept of shadow mapping, we put it into practice by recreating this dramatic example of values in this drawing.
This page is another example of practicing using values as the main source of volume. The lack of lines but use of value gives the drawing a realistic look of volume.
This page shows another example of how differing values alone can create a picture even of nature.
Form - instructional sketchbook assignment
For the form portion of the instructional sketchbook, we were instructed to use our shapes and values to create forms. To do this effectively, we practiced creating scales from light to dark using a smooth tone shading method.
We then took those values, shapes, and what we learned from volume to recreate a value sphere.
Again to practice these things, we worked with something a little more difficult: an apple. This was also to show that artists often overemphasize the values shown, so this was practice against that.
This page was more of the same, emphasizing each step taken to create the finished picture.
Again, to work with these ideas we moved to something that also required a lot of work with proportion as well. All the drawings get harder throughout the book, but ensured that I learned how to do each skill well.
Portraits - instructional sketchbook assignment
For the portraits assignment, we learned how to put everything from the course together and create realistic portraits based on master's work. We started by learning the anatomy and form of the human head, starting with the basic shapes it is made of. We also studied how to draw them from different angles.
Using what we learned about the shape of the face and block sketching, we started the beginning stages of this master's work.
After we mapped the key parts of the sketch, we went in with the knowledge we had about shading and created the final piece.
Next was this portrait of a baby.
The next portrait was a stringy sketch of a lady. It was more about the key features of the portrait than the shading or volume.
The final portrait was of this man which was very complex and difficult to achieve.