{"id":15489,"date":"2017-07-02T02:23:21","date_gmt":"2017-07-02T02:23:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/dkeller\/?page_id=15489"},"modified":"2017-09-19T05:28:49","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T05:28:49","slug":"intro-to-sketching","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/dkeller\/intro-to-sketching\/","title":{"rendered":"Intro to Sketching"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0What’s a Sketch?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A sketch<\/b> (ultimately from Greek<\/a> \u03c3\u03c7\u03ad\u03b4\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2 \u2013 schedios<\/i>, “done extempore”[1]<\/a><\/sup>[2]<\/a><\/sup>[3]<\/a><\/sup>) is a rapidly executed freehand drawing<\/a> that is not usually intended as a finished work.[4]<\/a><\/sup> A sketch may serve a number of purposes: it might record something that the artist sees, it might record or develop an idea for later use or it might be used as a quick way of graphically demonstrating an image, idea or principle.<\/p>\n

Sketches can be made in any drawing medium. The term is most often applied to graphic work executed in a dry medium such as silverpoint<\/a>, graphite<\/a>, pencil<\/a>, charcoal<\/a> or pastel<\/a>. But it may also apply to drawings executed in pen and ink, ballpoint pen, water colour<\/a> and oil paint<\/a>. The latter two are generally referred to as “water colour sketches” and “oil sketches<\/a>“. A sculptor might model three-dimensional sketches in clay<\/a>, plasticine<\/a> or wax. \u00a0(Text source\u00a0https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sketch_(drawing))<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Image source https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Rembrandt_van_Rijn_-_Four_Studies_of_Male_Heads,_c._1636.jpg<\/p><\/div>\n

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Image source drawingseeing.blogspot.ca201210-1910-egon-schiele-expressive-line.jpeg<\/p><\/div>\n

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Image source Image source atelier.cn.com<\/p><\/div>\n

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Image source ohjin.deviantart.com<\/p>\n

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Image source StudyBlue<\/p><\/div>\n

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Image source Textile Artist.org<\/p><\/div>\n

So a sketch is simply just trying to get your pencil, or whatever drawing media you are using, to convey\u00a0an idea of likeness or a feeling to the audience. \u00a0 \u00a0If you don’t like your first attempted you can start over on the same piece\u00a0of paper. \u00a0Actually, you can use your paper any way you want. \u00a0It can also be something used to convey instructions to someone else- think of your bedroom and sketching out a new furniture arrangement.<\/p>\n

Some of my favourite works of art are sketches that the artist just whipped off or was a part of a study for something else.<\/p>\n

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Image source Morgan Library<\/p><\/div>\n

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But Why wouldn’t an Artist just do the good copy and be done?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Well, sometimes they do. \u00a0Most of the time though, an artist will sketch to warm up their mind and body. \u00a0As well as a way to start conceptualising the structure, theme,\u00a0and composition of an artwork they want to produce. \u00a0I have often found myself in the middle\u00a0of a painting and needed to step back to figure out a problem I found myself within. \u00a0When this happens I get my sketchbook out and start sketching alternatives pictorial\u00a0arrangements or compositions until I am satisfied. \u00a0The sketches\u00a0are not detailed! \u00a0 They are usually scribbled to tell you the truth. \u00a0In my mind’s\u00a0eye, I\u00a0know what the finished painting will look like what I am after is the structure!<\/p>\n

Here is Vincent Van Gogh ‘The Sower’<\/p>\n

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Image source http-::www.vangoghgallery.com:painting:drawings-and-paintings-compared<\/p><\/div>\n

And Some of its Sketches.<\/p>\n

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Image source blog.naver.com<\/p><\/div>\n

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Image source vangoghgallery.com<\/p><\/div>\n

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Image source wikiart.org<\/p><\/div>\n

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Image source Vincent van Gogh Gallery<\/p><\/div>\n

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But why so many sketches for one painting? \u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Tobe honest I’m not sure how many there are or if these are all for the painting I just showed you!. \u00a0 But my point that \u00a0Artists use sketching as a means to an end- \u00a0to figure out what they want their final piece to look like in the end. \u00a0I would go so far as to say Sketches the best way for an artist to solve visual problems. I am trying to pass on is that pictorial\u00a0space is<\/p>\n

After all, a work of art is all about the artist composing and image. \u00a0From the overall structure of the work to the medium, and the marks he or she uses. \u00a0Everything is a choice! \u00a0And given that there millions of different ways to do anything visual it becomes a PROBLEM!!! \u00a0HA!<\/p>\n

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How do I begin a Sketch?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Ok, let us get on with it.<\/p>\n

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  1. Sharpen your pencil or get out whatever medium\u00a0you are going to use. (From now on I will be using pencil as I talk\/write ) and get out your sketchbook.<\/li>\n
  2. Think about WHY you are wanting to sketch something at all?\n