A memo on Drawing (after a semester's drawing experience )

By a semester of drawing, I have had some thoughts on this art. I think drawing from observation has two aspects: Composition and Texture. Concerning composition, I mean both the composition within every independent object and the organization of these objects. And the composition within independent object is the basic of a larger drawing (like a landscape drawing). And this part is what I, a beginner, majorly focus on in my sketches. Plainly speaking, the first thing to draw is an accurate shape of single object. For shape is so critical, negative space drawing has that as the only expressive element, and our first practices are study drawing of objects with no values. The only way to draw shapes accurately is practicing. An important point is that, do not use pencil or ruler to measure too frequently after the very beginning stage of drawing. Essentially, accuracy is not about calculation but perception. It is the result of training of our eyes. Especially, the eyes need training (by practicing through error and trial) a lot for drawing from observing real objects than photographs because our brain naturally adjust out perception to be three dimensional while a drawing is something of two dimension. It is, however, unnecessary to really apply knowledge of perspective and calculate ratio and angles. The method is at once inefficient and it would make things rigid. More importantly, that does not help in training out eyes. I think it is a basic ability to discern accurately with mere act of looking. 

As for organizing objects, I think we should also practice through trial and error. It is generally helpful to draw sketch and adjust objects to different places and see the effect. However, practicing is not the single way to improve organization of objects. I think it helps to get command of some basic principles of aesthetics, like balance of tension on the paper. I think looking at other drawing, and paintings, is the ultimate way to develop our conception of aesthetics. Of course, in the beginning of a project, the first thing to consider is what narratives I’m going to engage. Narratives decide on the first place the organization of single objects. 

It is largely correct to understand composition as the linings, and texture is then about values and shadings. The very first issue I identified in values is about the tradeoff between color and light. For example, I can face decisions like whether I add darker value to a purple dress under the sun than to a white brick in the shade. The problem is not there if I draw from a B&W photograph. So one of the solution is to take a black and white photos and see the difference of the values. In other cases, I think light is in priority than color in adding values, for color is really something secondary in single color drawing. and it is the expression of light that makes the drawing feels to have depth. 

It is also interesting to experiment with materials to convey different texture. For example, the use of different type of erasers can create textures with different level of smoothness/ coarseness. It can also be useful to pre-treat the paper to make special effect. 

One last thing I want to talk about is detail. Details can make a drawing feel totally different from one lacking in details. it is not just improvement of single portion of a drawing, but the wholeness of the drawing will be improved. Also, details give more information, which will definitely contribute to the fullness of every narrative. And it is the details that make the act of drawing and the drawings interesting.

Drawing as a medium - Ben Throsby

Drawing gives me an outlet that no other experience can match. The idea that the paper that lays before me can be occupied with anything, absolutely anything that my mind can fathom, is not appreciated anywhere near to the level it deserves. Drawing is one of these invaluable mediums that is present in almost every art and design process; it’s the foundation for all artistic pursuits, whether that be painting and printmaking or industrial design and landscaping. The way I was introduced to drawing is also why I became so involved and interested in the medium. Animation was a big part of my childhood and watching tv shows, as well as feature films, was made exponentially more entertaining if they were delivered as cartoons. Tarzan and Finding Nemo were two films that heavily inspired me to start drawing when I was younger. Although both films differ in dimension, one is 2D and one 3D, a solid thematic idea is prevalent in both of them. Both of these films use the art of the animators and the voice actors to personify animals into characters so relatable and so fascinating in nature that they (admittedly to my 5-year-old self) were more valuable a character to see on screen than an actor or actress. This started to fuel an idea that’s perpetually lingered in my head that my drawings, and my art, have the capacity to trigger serious, genuine emotion and thought from the viewer. I was so attached to these animated characters as a child, but with perfectly good reason. The artists behind the screen molded these figures to direct me into feeling that way, and that’s one of the reasons why I love this medium, and art as a whole, because I on my own have the ability to draw out peoples feelings and bring to their surface real emotion. 

IMPORTANT

I think drawing is important. Let me preface this by saying that this isn’t some highly developed theory but it something I feel pretty strongly. I’ve thought about this for a while actually. 

My theory depends on the idea that there are essentially two types of people. Creative and non creative people. This is part of the theory that I don’t exactly cling to but it helps build my argument. 

I think that drawing is really where this separation happens. I think that everyone draws when they’re around the age of 4-6 and at some point that number goes from 100% to somewhere in the 15-30% (again, not based on facts, just opinions) and I think that 15-30% ends up being the creative people of the world. 

I think that being able to draw gives you the confidence to explore ideas that need to be visualized. In all creative fields, except maybe music, the ability to put an idea on paper gives you a leg up. 

For me, drawing has never been something that I’ve felt was my true calling. I’ve always like to do it but Ive found that videos and animation are what I really like to do. Animation relies very heavily on drawing so that connection is easy but it’s less easy when you think about film. Being able to draw a storyboard with detail gives you an advantage when it comes to filming. Also, being able to draw helps you to visualize a scene and how it will look more accurately because you have developed the skills to create an image in your mind. 

Drawing on it’s own has also become a larger part of my life recently. I’ve been trying to find a job and am currently talking with an organization that says they’re looking for a graphic designer but it sounds like they are just looking for an illustrator. So as I send my drawings and ideas to this person, Im realizing how important all that doodling instead of note taking has really been. 

Reflections on Drawing - Jason Calixto

I’ve always considered drawing to be something I do when I need to get away. Transitioning to an academic setting was actually quite difficult for me. I definitely learned a lot from this course, but I think I work in a much different manner when it comes to how I express myself in my drawings. At this point I’m pretty sure everyone in my class is aware of just how much I dislike realism. I have the utmost respect for artists who can work well within that realm, but I think my upbringing exposed me to a different side of drawing. I didn’t have any expectations when it came to this class, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the observation-heavy side of drawing. I grew up with a particular fascination with comics and cartoons, specifically The Hulk, so when it came to learning how to draw, I did not fit in well with the rest of the class. There’s a certain phrase in jazz music that states the importance of learning all the rules so you can break them so I understand the importance of learning drawing from observation, I just have a rebellious attitude towards it all. I’ve never taken an art course in my life, so to be exposed to drawing in this manner was honestly a big shock. To me, drawing is about humor. I’ve always had that attraction to drawing. I love the ability to make someone laugh just from a simple sketch. I’m also a huge fan of minimalism, which I know is very apparent in my sketch book. I don’t want to make it seem like I didn’t enjoy this class at all (because I most definitely did), I just wish I could express more of my aesthetic in the work in class. I also had the opportunity to meet Bill Fick (honestly, my favorite professor up to this point at Duke) who works a lot with screen prints and other artists in the Durham area who I respect very much. I look back at the last 14 weeks having taken this class and I’m honestly amazed at how far I’ve come when it comes to drawing. Most of my drawings before this class dealt mainly with typography and very rough sketches of abstracted objects. Having been forced to work within the realm of observation, I started combining my own aesthetic with the assignments in class. I’m very arrogant when it comes to my art, but the fact that I had someone like Bill giving me input and encouraging me to find my ‘way’ throughout the entire semester absolutely helped me find confidence in a class that was lightyears ahead of me (in terms of technique). One thing I absolutely did not like about the class was the number of students who had obviously already studied drawing in an academic setting. At times, it did feel a little discouraging to even try. I know this is mainly just a personal problem, but the structure of the class sometimes left me feeling like I wasn’t trying (or that my efforts were not worth much). Regardless, I had a lot of fun exploring this side of drawing and being exposed to a lot of different techniques throughout the semester. And of course, I can’t express how lucky I am to have met Bill. I’m very excited to hopefully do more work with him throughout my experience at Duke. Not to mention the fact that I know have an art portfolio now! I plan on continuing to explore my artistic side, but I don’t know if I’ll find myself in an academic setting when it comes to drawing. I seem to like the more laid-back side of drawing, which I don't think is a bad thing. Or so I hope. 

Drawing: Ideation versus Representation

I first encountered drawing at Duke with architecture in mind. For these modern architects, drawings were not just images but rather the distillation of their ideas into images of buildings. I grew to love their ability to convey ideas. Looking at the sketches and drawings of master architects, I saw how every element from the drawing’s large-scale composition to its small-scale lines existed to contribute to an overall meaning. However, when starting this semester, I couldn’t concern myself with meaning.

Staring at that blank page for our first study drawing daunted me. The permanence of my future lines would define my drawings in perpetuity. Did I even have the time to make it through a full drawing? But through those first study drawings, my pile of eraser shavings remedied my hesitation. I gave into the paper and found drawing to be relaxing as I meticulously detailed the variations in shading across an orange juice bottle and gave vitality to the distinct lines of a coffee cup. These studies in representation built my confidence as a drawer and altered my perspective on the effort it takes to represent the physical world.

            The theme of representation continued throughout my sketching. I had always doodled, forming lines from my pencil in a random fashion. These doodles populate my class notes and readings and can create fantastic informal images, but rather than representation, this process reflected ideation, the formation of ideas, as my head would draw aimlessly until I could place a narrative on top of my image. But this frustrated me; these sketches and doodles failed to reify anything on my mind and only demonstrated my ability to mentally connect dots and lines on a paper. Around the beginning of the semester, rather than continue with my meanderings on paper, I turned my drawings towards the task of conscious representation.

            In the final drawings, my ideas have guided my lines. Constructing a narrative pushed me to guide the lines on my paper, giving some forms weight and others life. Most of all, the overarching narrative of these drawings challenged my indecision. Drawing simple objects at the beginning of class may have built my skills as a drawer, but the task of choosing a final topic lets your own persona come to fruition.  My final choices of subject gave my artistry the purpose of representing my thoughts. While placing lines and forms on a paper is a physical task, the mental process of representing objects, ideas, and persona through drawing is a skill that I hope to cultivate throughout the future. 

Thoughts on Drawing. — Jenny Changnon

 In high school, when I was given the chance to choose between art or the orchestra as an elective. I had been in art classes before, both at school and outside of school, so taking art seemed like the natural choice. I knew if I joined the orchestra, I would get to go to Disney World for a concert later on in the year, so I chose orchestra. Since then, I haven’t picked up a drawing pencil. I haven’t sat down and drawn in a long time, which is why I enrolled in the class. I wanted a chance to get back to a practice that once kept me busy for hours. 

 Starting back up was a lot harder than I expect. Simple skills like drawing straight, steady lines and knowing how to shade were difficult tasks now, and it was frustrated at first. I felt stiff and when we drew in class, it took me a long time to get in a rhythm. The more time I practiced and put hours into drawing, the better I got. And even though it might not be obvious, I think I have gotten better at drawing this past semester. I definitely wouldn’t consider myself to be a gifted or a particularly talented drawer, but I am still proud of how far I have come in this class. In the first week, I couldn’t even draw a square object with out messing up the proportions. 

 It was intimidating to see how talented and well-practiced some of my classmates were. I compared my work to theirs, knowing I should, and I think I decided early on that I was not good at drawing. I put a lot of effort into my assignments, but still got anxious when I came to class, worried that I would have to present them to the class. It was hard not to consider the work of my classmates, but I remembered something my mom told me in the sixth grade after I was upset because I had gotten a good grade on a test but not as good as my friend’s grade. “Comparison is the thief of joy,” she told me. This phrase is kind of dumb and silly, but it kept coming back to me throughout the class. I need to focus on my own progress and my own growth and not get distracted or depressed by the work of others. Only when I realized I needed to focus on my own progress did I feel content with my particular style and works in the class.

 After these fourteen (is it fourteen?) weeks exploring my talents of drawing, I am not sure if I have a new outlook on the artistic process or the medium of drawing. It is a lot harder than it looks, I’ve realized, and I have the upmost respect for artists whose principal medium is in fact drawing. I am not sure its the medium for me, but I plan on continuing experimenting and exploring my style as a sketch artist. 

Taking up space

The last time I was in Casa Rosado, the old house of our family artists on the northern coast of PR, I found myself mesmerized by the giant canvases, leaning immobile against the patio wall as a strong seaside gust pressed past the sofa and chair set. Puertorriqueño art commissioned by local governments, for fairs, events, holidays. Art for tourists and nostalgia. The style, the colors, the enormity impressed me. Huge oil portraits in maroons and violets, sandwiched between city scenes and large-as-life landscapes. It was my first time seeing them in real life: in my bedroom, I had a small framed print of the rainforest peak of El Yunque: in the kitchen, another of abstracted Los Reyes Magos parading up some San Juan avenue. So, so much smaller than the real thing— those canvases as tall as me.

CASA ROSADO 

Some of the smaller canvases inside the house.

An echo of that feeling came to me at the start of this class. In my family, I’m known for good attention to detail, which manifests in good lab prep/barista/paper editing skills. Even among my friend groups, I’m the small, short, energetic one, rushing to keep up with the strides of the rest of the group. (One high school graduation note from a tall friend sardonically urged me to walk slower.) Yes, I’m also someone who rushes, probably too much. It’s hard to have patience in this world of Duke, when everything is deadlines, often sacrificing quality for quantity as we overload or social group or extracurricular ourselves to sleep-deprived exhaustion.

The sheer size of our assignment paper was initially overwhelming to me. Filling the page, taking up space—not something I’d ever done before. In my brief stint at Durham School of the Arts many years ago, I’d taken one 2D art class, which focused on mixed media and operated on a more micro level, physically. I knew how to mess around in different media and try new things, as long as it wasn’t bigger than a piece of notebook paper. So, as much as I’ve learned about shading and line weights and negative space in this class, I have to say that the best thing I’ll take away is that my art can, and should, take up space, and fill it out compositionally--and that it's important to have patience to take the time to do so. It’s easy for someone with my personality to be fixed on details and perfectionism, but sometimes it’s more important to adapt to the unfamiliar and make it work for you. I’m glad that as the semester has progressed, my art has also increased in size. My first assignments lay in the dead center of the page, never venturing to the margins—content to stay contained in the lines. When I compare it to the later assignments, I’m glad to note that my art takes up the entire page, inviting the viewer into a space that bleeds past the window of the paper. In Nasher, seeing the giant art hanging in the basement reminded me of the family art studio house back in PR, and made me recall why I was so impressed with the canvases lying in the sun. All my previous art had been struggling to imitate life, rather than allowing room to grow and experiment: it’s fine to allow yourself to grow artistically, and step outside of your comfort zone, even if it’s just to make things big.

-Alexandra Premont