Thoughts on Drawing

This semester was the first time I was formally introduced to drawing or taught drawing techniques. In elementary and middle school, I used to sketch and doodle drawings in my notebooks but I never drew landscapes or still-lifes. Thus, there was a great deal I learned during this past semester about drawing and about art in general. I used to think that drawing was only a precursor to other forms of art, such as painting. In my mind, drawing was only making the outlines but the painting and coloring was what really brought the art and piece to life. However, throughout the course, I've learned that drawing in and of itself can be very interesting, even without a full spectrum of colors. For example, by varying line weight, a great variety of textures can be added to a drawing even without any shading.

[1]

Even something as simple as adding variety to the pressure of the pencil against the paper can produce such a great effect. The line drawings that we started with in the class didn't have shading or "filling" but by varying the line weight, a lot of depth was added to the drawing. Even as we added shading to the drawing, there was an absence of "color." Still, I was surprised to find that even the shading could add texture, depth, and light to the drawings. Although there weren't any vibrant colors, the shading was able to still make the drawing interesting and compelling.

[2]

Also, using different mediums, such as charcoal as opposed to pencil drawings, was very informative. I particularly enjoyed charcoal because it could be manipulated to blend and create strong contrasts while also being unpredictable at times. The charcoal was also interesting because of the shading possibilities that were added when using charcoal as opposed to graphite pencil. The shading felt smoother and more organic and the drawings followed in suit.

[3]

After the class, I've gained a much greater appreciation for well composed drawings that make clever uses of shades and shapes to create an interesting and compelling story. Through drawing, I actually began to appreciate my surroundings more and took notice of the beautiful scenes that surround me on a daily basis at Duke. Though drawing is challenging for me, it is very rewarding and is an activity that I want to continue to do even after graduation.

Citations:
[1] http://thevirtualinstructor.com/line-quality-cross-contour.html
[2] http://willkempartschool.com/how-to-shade-a-drawing-light-shadow-part-2/
[3] https://www.pinterest.com/pin/569001734140674679/