Working with pen and ink can be quite freeing as the values are simplified by the ink. The lack of erasing mistakes creates a natural flow and the artist learns to work with the lines he has put down whether good or “bad”. Phrasing Rembrandt’s quote in sketching terms: putting down the visual lines you see in ink makes what you do not “know” or “see” more apparent. Note in the sketch above how few lines are needed to create the woman. This is a great way to develop your artists’ eye by trying to use a few lines…
Category: Values in drawing
Van Gogh stated,”I sometimes think there is nothing so delightful as drawing.”
Van Gogh’s wonderfully simple pen and ink drawing shows how drawing does not need to be complicated. Just give it a try! Here note how Van Gogh used simple lines to create an great drawing of a meadow or field. Thin and thin lines going different directions make the field look like a meadow of plants. See how he uses a simple value (dark/light) change to delineate between the foreground and the background. The narrowing of the field as it goes back creates depth in the drawing another simple technique. Try drawing with a simple pen, it can do more…
Artist Renoir’s ideas about subject matter for artists.
Renoir once stated, “There isn’t a person, a landscape, or a subject that doesn’t possess at least some interest-although sometimes more or less hidden. When a painter discovers this hidden treasure, other people immediately exclaim at its beauty.” When you just do not have the “inspiration” to draw or paint something don’t give up! There is an unlimited number of options out there. Try something opposite from your usual, instead of looking at the large landscape look at the plants creating the landscape. Or get even smaller and get out a hand held magnifying class to see your house…
Spanish painter Francisco De Goya on “masses of light and dark”
De Goya once stated, “who always talks about line, never about masses. But where does one see lines in nature? I see only masses in light and masses in shadow, planes come forward and planes into recession.” Now is the time as it warms up to get out and sketch. The vastness of the outdoor landscapes can be a stumbling block for many. But there is hope follow De Goya’s advice an look at the large masses of dark and light shapes. Squint at the photograph of the Third Flatiron below, notice there are distinct shape areas. Start with sketching…
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist” Picasso
Picasso had it right with this quote, part of the artistic experience is to take what is out there and change it to make it your own artistic vision. This could be changing basic elements in your art to abstracting the image. You can change the composition by narrowing the picture plane or just leaving out parts of the reference picture that clutter the composition’s general look. You can also change the composition by lowering or raising the horizon line so the viewer looks at the art from a different perspective. An often overlooked option is to change some of…
April Christenson artist 