Hand–Modified Pure Contour Drawing
With today’s assignment, we used the hand from the picture plane and essentially drew that image onto sketching paper. I shaded the paper using charcoal and then drew the hand off the original drawing on the picture plane.
This was the first time using charcoal and another skill that I could develop.
It adds dimensionality to the drawing. Also, the details of the lines and shadows of my hands are seen.
A great drawing that I am happy with.
Fun in the Kitchen
Sunday’s sketches were from the book How to Draw and Write in Fountain Pen. I captured a bunch of kitchen-themed images with my fountain pen—an excellent way to spend a Sunday afternoon doodling and practicing.
I hope you enjoy it!
The Hand on the Picture Plane
Today’s assignment was to draw my hand in foreshortened view using a glass picture plane. This technique/learning tool was created back in the 1400s. This tool helps you see and draw a three-dimensional item on a two-dimensional plane.
It is unbelievably easy to trace my hand on the glass. It was interesting to me how the glass eliminated the stress and angst of trying to capture the depth of my hand. Instead, I focused on the lines and outside map of my hand and watch—a great learning experience.
I picked up a discount picture frame and a few cheap mats at the craft store—an inexpensive, practical glass picture plane.
Pure Contour Drawing - The Hand
Pure Contour Drawing – The Hand
An essential drill to help people develop their drawing skills was introduced in 1941 by Kimon Nicolaides; contour drawing. This drill helps build your skill in seeing the edges and contours of your subject.
In Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty Edwards modified the contour drawing into the pure contour drawing. Her drill has you looking at a subject, in this case, my left hand, and placing my other hand and pencil on the paper. I started the timer for five minutes and ONLY looked at my left hand. I followed the crevices and contours of my hand with my eyes and allowed my drawing hand to “follow” my eyes on the page.
Your outcome is a record of your perceptions of the creases in your palm, not a beautiful sketch of your hand.
Childhood Drawing
In Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty argues that many of us stop developing our drawing talent around age nine or ten. For me, this seems logical. We start becoming sensitive to criticism, both self and external. Some of us don’t put the same importance on creative endeavors, so we stop making an effort.
One of the things I’m trying to do is improve my sketching and drawing talent over project 365.
Until I did this drawing, I didn’t think that my talent probably stopped around that time.
Interesting thought.
What is something that you let wither that you can revisit and develop?
Upside Down Man for the Third Time
Repetition. One more upside-down drawing to work on the right side of the brain. Progress.
Small wins include feeling more comfortable with the fingers. This is big as even upside down. My brain knows I am drawing fingers. It is much harder to trick my brain into focusing on lines and angles.
Dashboard
Persistence is key to improvement. Persistent practice drives improvement. I keep a pad in my car so that I can practice drawing. Having a pad and pen handy eliminates any friction. While waiting for tennis, I pulled out a notepad and a pen and sketched my dashboard.
A simple drawing of my dashboard helped me work on perspective, circles, and spacing. All because I have a pad and pen in my car.
How can you improve your persistence by eliminating some friction?
Another Upside-Down Man
Today’s sketch was another where you look at the image upside down. This exercise from the book Drawing on the Right Side of Brain reduces mental conflict. Drawing upside down uses the gap between recognition (knowing you are drawing a man) and drawing upside down, so you focus on lines, angles, and circles. In other words, use the right side of your brain.
This Drawing is from page 53 of Drawing on the Right Side of Brain and is by Pablo Picasso of the Russian Composer Igor Stravinsky.
It was enjoyable, and I focused on the lines and angles, not calling out a head, face, or hands. It works.
University of Tennessee
A quick sketch just outside the University of Tennessee Student Union looking towards Neyland Stadium. Sad after dropping off my son and driving home. This is a quick post. Here is the picture and the sketch.
Knoxville
We were dropping our son off at UTK this weekend. Today’s image was the morning view from the Hotel’s coffee shop window.
I was trying to get the signs, the trees, the buildings in the background, and the road. I have some work to do to get the road to fall into the background.
Good fun image to sketch.
Inked Up
Today’s sketch is my recent fountain pen ink bottle and box. I wanted a subject to work on perspective and depth with both the square and round shapes. Still working on that bottle top shape – still too round.
The good news is that my images are not leaning as much as earlier as I focus on the landmarks and perspective. Making progress.
Circles
I’m just not happy with the proportions of the top circles on my cups and glasses. They are too round and not oblong enough to convey the depth of the cup. So I did a few pages of circles to practice and get the muscle memory down. The last few seemed to be much better, and my lines were strong and more confident.
Vases and Faces
Today’s sketch is another drill to try and disconnect your left brain from what you are drawing.
The image is both two facing profiles and a vase. As you draw, you call out the components of the faces, and it helps trick your mind.
Negative Space
Drawing the negative space around an object helps develop your vision and eye. In addition, there are details to observe about your subject and a whole set of elements of the area around your subject.
Try looking at the sky around the trees or buildings. What do you see? Have you ever noticed this before?
The Office Printer
Today I was working on straight lines and the depth of my subject and trying to get consistent lines to show the three dimensions of my printer.
This is harder than it looks. I’m generally happy with my progress, but something I will continue to work on.
The Pencil Sharpener
Today’s subject has nice lines and a bit of 3d to it. The pencil sharpener on my desk was filled a bit with shavings. I tried to show the transparent section. I’m also going to start including review notes. After I finish the sketch, I review it and note anything for future improvement.
I hope you enjoy it.
My morning coffee mug
I am starting to get consistent overall balance and perspective and don’t see the lean I did in my other drawings. I will try and capture review notes right on the drawing in the future. Not to be too critical but to provide learning points as I move forward.