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Earth and the E l e m e n t s
H N R U S S E L L
rai t pastel is t to King
rg e III of England, and an
o m e r w h o d e d i c a t e d
0 years to s tudy i ng the
st-e ver accurate image o f
s su r face , t wo
Lunar Planispheres, an d
mo on g lob e ca l l ed the
Selenographia. He also
sho rt han d calculat ions.
1 7 9 5
ft x 5 ft 6 in (1 52 x1 6 8 cm )
J O H NRUSSELL
IM AY S E E M PE RV E RS E to start a chapter t i t led "Earth and the Elements" with an image
of the Moon, but i t can be seen as a lens to our observation of this planet. I t is Earths
satell i te, our com pan ion, and its draws the t ides of the seas. Jus t as NASA photo graphs
of Earth h ave h ad a profoun d ef fect on th e way we view our f rag i le h ome, so Joh n
Russell's tour de f o r c e drawin g ( o p p o s i t e ) was a masterp iece of observa t ion in h is t ime.
This is the world's f irst accurate image of the Moon. I t now hangs on the staircase of the
History of Sc ien ce Museum, Oxford, En glan d, surroun ded by th e br igh t in s trumen ts of
cen tur ies of n aviga t ion , specula t ion , an d exper imen t . Th e paste l drawin g was con structed
from myriad te lescopic observa t ion s a lmost 200 years before th e Apol lo Moon lan din g .
Th e forces of n a ture , a s opposed th e ph ysica l i ty of Earth , a re th e rea l sub jects in
great landscape drawings. Look closely at works by many artists and you will see that
they have not represented hil ls , trees, rivers, and the sea. What they have drawn is the
force of n a ture on th ese propert ies : h ow th e win d h eaves th e n igh t ocean ; h ow th e
moun ta in cut by ice an d ra in i s n ow f leet in gly l i t ; h ow th e soi l i s scorch ed, or h as
cr ac ke d and fallen under the weight of water; and even how the Sun i l lum inates, and
meteor impacts h ave scarred, th e face of th e Moon . By drawin g such momen tous an d
everyday even ts , a r t i s ts see for th emselves th a t wh ich is momen tary an d etern a l .
Will iam Turner is said to have had himself lashed to a ship 's mast to comprehend the
storm ( see p. 199). Rich ard Lon g, a con temporary en viron men ta l a r t i s t , makes h is work by
t h e a c t o f w a l k i n g , m a r k i n g t h e g r o u n d w i t h l i n e s o f f o o t p r i n t s o r b y t u r n i n g s t o n e s ,
a rran gin g th em in perfect c i rc les on th e moun ta in s ide or in l in es dr i f t in g out of s igh t
beneath low clouds. There is a sense of the heroic in drawing outside—we race to catch a
form before the t ide engulfs i t , the sun comes out to blind it , or the wind carries i t away.
W e a t h e r i s e s s e n t i a l i n a l l l a n d s c a p e d r a w i n g . B e g i n n e r s w i l l o f t e n c h o o s e c a l m ,
sunny days, when l i tt le stirs and empty blue skies offer even less to latch l ines to. These
con dit ion s a re very di f f icu l t to express wel l . I t i s bet ter to get up before dawn ; to be
ready to draw th e n ew l igh t as i t breaks across th e lan d. Take ch an ces aga in st th e ra in
an d wor k with th e win d or fog ; th ey are th e an im ators o f you r sub ject . In th is ch apter
we exper imen t with ch arcoa l , learn in g to draw l igh t out of dark , an d take bold s teps in
emulating the swell of clouds and the forces of torrential water.
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EAHATHEEMN Air in Motion
THE GREAT INVISIBLE SUBJECT of t h e s e d r a w i n g s is the w i n d . By
s e e i n g h o w it shakes, l i f ts , and g i ves mot i on to each i mag e , and
b y o b s e r v i n g its t i des ande d d i e s in our owne n v i r o n m e n t , we
c a n s o o n l e a r n to d r a w its f o r c e . B e l o w , D a u m i e r ' s c a r t o o n
shi nes w i th the b r i l l i ance of h i s c o m i c m e m o r y . He k n e w how
t h e w o r l d b e n d s and s tut te r s under such g usts . T hi s w i f e , l i k e
a n u m b r e l l a f o r c e d i n s i d e - o u t , has b e c o m e a hy ster i ca l k i te ,
f l u t te r i ng heavi l y ; a s a i l b r o k e n l o o s e in a s t o r m y m a r r i a g e .
T u r n e r c a r r i e s us to the h e a r t of t h e m a e l s t r o m . T e r
w a v e s of m e r c i l e s s n a t u r e r o a r a c r o s s the p a p e r . Th
m a s t e r of E n g l i s h s e a s c a p e is c o n d u c t i n g w i t h his g
ener g y . The s h i p , a s c r a t c h e d g h o s t , is a l r eady l os t .
H o k u s a i s s e d a t e w i n d p r e s s e s r e e d s and the j o u
y o u n g l a d i e s . F l a p p i n g k i m o n o s and an o n l o o k e r t u r
b a c k h a v e the m a g i c of a m o m e n t c a u g h t , u n d r a m a
b r i mmi ng w i th s ty l i zed r ea l i sm.
H O N O R E DA U M I ER
French satir ical cartoonist l i thographer , painter ,
sculptor , and pioneer of expressionism.Through
political drawings he fired his sharp wit at the king,
the government , the bourgeo is ie , and the legal
profession, serving a prison sentence forhis views.
Crayon and l imestone This is a lithograph. A hard waxy crayon
was drawn across a heavy limestone Varying definitions of lire
and depths of tone conspire togive volume, distance, speed, and
solidity. Fluid strokes inflate the woman's dress and pin shadows
to the ground. Hazy vertical marks reveal buildings receding
into the mist. D o t s and dashes suggest trees out of focus.
Danger of Wearin
Petticoats
UNDATED
HONORE DAU
198
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J.M . W . T U R N E R
British landscape, seascape
and h is to r y pa in te r whose
pr imary in terest above a l l
was l ight. Turner w or ke d in
o i l s and wa te r co lo r s and
sketched copiously on h is
travels. Ther e are many stor
of h is passionate w or ki ng
meth ods, includ ing being
lashed to a ship's mast in
order to study a storm.
Penci l and watercolor Stains of
subdued watercolor are splashed
brushed, and pressed into this
absorbent sheet The paper's very
own coior is brought through as
banks of mist and fog. A penciled
outline of a skeletal ship is
scratched into the waves, while
the whole composition leans and
swells around its fateful center.
Ship in a Storm
c. 1826
91/2 x 113/4 in (241 x 300
J . M . W . T U R N E R
K A T S U S H I K A H O K U S A I
ProlificJapanese co lor
wood-blockp r in tmake r ,
painter, designer and bo ok
illustrator; nfluenced by
examples of Wes ter n ar t
ob ta ined th roug h Du tch
trading in Nagasaki. Hokusai
in tu rn has since significantly
in f luenced Eu ropean a r t .
Landscape and city life were
hisprinc ipal subjects, and his
best-loved wo rks inc lude
100 views of Mount Fuj i
and 12 volumes of Manga.
Wind direct ion This is a colored
wood-block print. To represent
wind, Hokusai has chosen the
direction from which it blows
(from the right), then lifted
clothing horizontally and flowed
it into the stream of the wind.
Plants also bend and flow from
right to left
Coup de Vent a Asajigahare
1802
81/2 x 131/2 in (2 17 x 343 mm )
H O K U S A I K A T S U S H I K A
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EAHAND THEEEMEN
StormsSTORMS CAN BE SEEN an d dr a w n i n tw o w ay s : f i r s t , a s
a s u b j e c t a n d s e c o n d , a s a g e s t u r a l s t o r m o n t h e p a p e r .
T h e v e r y n a t u r e o f b o t h i s t u r m o i l a n d a n i n t e r w e a v i n g
o f e l e m e n t s , i n k s , m a r k s , w a t er , a n d t o s s e d o b j e c t s —
a per f ec t sub j ec t i n w hi ch ar t i s ts can f or g e t themse l ves , g r ab
t h e i r b r u s h , i n k , o r c h a r c o a l , a n d s w i m i n t o t h e p a g e .
T h e m e n a c i n g d a r k n e s s o f H u g o 's s t o r m b e l o w i s so
con vi n c i ng , it i s di f f icu l t to con tem pl a t e i t s b r o od i ng a nd
n i g h t - s o a k e d h e a r t . H e b r i n g s u s t o s t a r e i n t o a p l
t h a t n o s a n e h u m a n w o u l d e n t e r . O p p o s i t e , L e o n a r d
Cloudburst of Material Possessions i s o n e o f h i s m o
e n i g m a t i c a n d m y s t e r i o u s w o r k s . I t l o o k s s o c o n t e m p
a s i f d r a w n j u s t t h i s y e a r . D o m e s t i c o b j e c t s w e c a n
and name f a l l f r om the c l ouds , l i nes of r a i n escor t i ng
t o b o u n c e a n d c l a t t e r . A n u p d a t e o n b i b l i c a l s h o w e
f is h a n d f ro g s , th i s i s a b o m b a r d m e n t f r o m o u r h
V I C T O R H U G O
French novelist and artist (see also p.28). In periods
between writing, drawing was Hugo's principal means
of expression. His subjects include ruins, fantasy
palaces, haunted shadows, and the sea studied
from his home in Guernsey in the Channel Islands.
Pen and brush Hugo drew first with pen and ink, com posing
banks o f waves an d dense, active surfaces of water. Then, with a
brush, he blanketed the drawing in darkness, leaving nothing but
a glimpse of moonlight glistening on the froth below. Turner
(see p . 1 9 8 ) admires the majesty of nature. By contrast, this
is a writer's narrative of terror.
Le Bateau-Vision
1864
71/2 x 10 in (1 92
V I C T O R H U G O
20 0
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LEONARDO DA VINCI
Leonardo devised many artifacts of our modern
lives, envisioning machines centuries before their
making (helicopters and bicycles, for example). He
bequeathed his drawings to a friend, and they
passed through private hands for 400 years before
becoming widely known. It is interesting to speculate
how engineering might have develop ed if his ideas
had been shared with the world earlier
Ink and chalk This is a pen and ink drawing with touches
of black chalk. Each item that has crashed from heaven is
drawn in such a way that we can feel Leonardo's nib
picking it up in the speed of a doodle. There is a little
magic in recognizing ma ny items from our homes -
something like a rake, a hook, a bell, and a wheel, together
with half the contents of our garage. Above and below are
examples of his mirror handwriting. He was left-handed
and wrote backwards in Italian from left to right.
Cloudburst of Material Possessio
1510-12
45/8x 43/8 in ( 1 1 7 x 1 1 1 m m )
L E O N A R D O D A V IN C I
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EAHAND THEEEMEN
Nature ProfilesTHE PROFILE OF A HORIZON is a line we immediately recognize
and respond to . Whether land- , sea - , or c i tyscape, i t i s the
unique ca l l igraphic s ignature of the place in which we s tand .
Claude Lorrain drew directly on location, and we can imagine
s ta n d i n g o v er h i s s h o u l d er , wa tc h i n g h i s h a n d a n d ey e a t
wo r k to g eth er , r a p i d l y l a y er i n g c o n to u r s to s h a p e p l a c e ,
a tmosphere, and mood s imul taneous ly . Even d is t i l l ed f rom
al l other deta i l , a hor izon l ine can tr igger our recogni t ion.
Oppos i te below, Clare Bryan took panoramic photogr
th e E n g l i s h S o u th D o wn s , a n d a f te r t r a c i n g h er c a
l ine, trans ferred i t to a scrol l . Drawing wi th a sca lp
teased away f ragments of paper to i l luminate her v
a very d i f ferent work ( opposite above) , m a d e i n s i d e
Bryan cu t the prof i l e of a c i ty . She was inspi re d b
research of aer ia l p lans of London and the s tory o
a l ien map butter f ly ( see caption).
C L A U D E L O R R A I N
French classical landscape painter draftsman, and
etcher who lived most of his l ife in 17th-century
Rom e. Clau de is dist inguished by, and famed for ,
his unsurpassed h andling of light, which he use d
to unify his composit ions.
Segments The top half of the drawing is a view as we enter the
valley. Claude has used a fine nib to delineate segments of land as
they recede into space. In the lower half he has walked downhill
a little, and across to the right. Over first lines, rich, thick, and dry
marks in the foreground appear to be made with his finger. Paler,
cooler tones receding into the distance are applied with a brush.
Views from Vellet
c.1638
85/8 x 121/2 in (219
CLAUDE LORRAIN
202
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Sca lpe l-drawn This book-bound drawing w a s inspired
by the story of a foreign butterfly wrongly introduced
to Great Britain in 1912, then hunted down and
destroyed. Ideas of introduction and removal led
Clare Bryan to research historical plans and aerial
drawings of London showing its population growth
since Roman times. On turning the pages of C i t y ,
progressively more and more paper is drawn away
with a scalpel to show the expansion of human
settlement around the river. The edges of each page
(cropped here) fa de into the solid paper of an
unpopulated landscape.
City
2001
CLARE BRYAN
C L A R E B R Y A N
3ritish artist, printmaker graphic designer, specialty
bookbinder, and visit ing professor at numerous art
schools. Her recent paper photographic, and digital
print-basedworks ref lec t upon the h is tor ies and
poetry of " left behind and in-betwe en spaces."
C ut line This is a small section of a preparatory
5-ft 1.5-m scr oll .The horizon was drawn with a
scalpe
work s l lumina tedby standing its lower edge on a
sourc
Landline
2003
271/2 x 59 in (70 x 150 cm)
CLARE BRYAN
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E
RTH AND THE
E
EM
ENT Charcoal
CHARCOAL IS PRODU CED f r om wood bak e d
s l o w l y w i t h o u t e x p o s u r e to air, so it c h a r s
b l a c k as o p p o s e d to i g n i t i n g and t u r n i n g
t o a s h . W i l l o w is the m o s t c o m m o n w o o d .
A r t i s t s h a v e a l s o u s e d l i m e , b e e c h , m a p l e ,
v i n e , and p l u m . B u n d l e s of t w i g s w e r e
t r a d i t i o n a l l y s e a l e d i n t o e a r t h e n w a r e j a r s
or we t c lay and he a te d s lowly and i n t e n s e l y
in a fire or k i l n .
Char coa l l i f t s away f r om pape r e as i ly with
the ve r y l ig ht touch of an e r ase r , a p i e c e of
f r e s h b r e a d , the h e e l of y o u r h a n d , a rag,
f e a the r , or f i n g e r t i p . L i n e s are a c h i e v e d by
d e p o s i t i n g p a r t i c l e s in the g r a i n of p a p e r .
S m o o t h p a p e r a c c e p t s f e w p a r t i c le s , r e s u l t i n g
in a p a l e l i n e . R o u g h p a p e r can be l o a d e d ,
and of f e r s a r i c h , b l a c k f i n i s h .
C h a r c o a l n a t u r a l l y g l i s t e n s . It can be
m a d e d u l l e r , b l a c k e r , and m o r e i n d e l i b l e
b y s o a k i n g it in l i n s e e d oil. Alternatively , you
c a n p u r c h a s e m a c h i n e - m a d e c o m p r e s s e d
c h a r c o a l . As its n a m e i m p l i e s , it is c o m p r e s s e d
a n d m o l d e d at h i g h p r e s s u r e , r e s u l t i n g in
a s t i c k t h a t g i v e s a b l a c k e r , h a r d e r l i n e . It
d o e s not e r a s e e a s il y , l e a v i n g u n d e r t r a c e s
of f i rs t thou g ht s .
RANGE AVAILABLECharcoal (in its several forms shown here) is loved or loathed
by the beginner to wh om it isoften recommended because it
produces pleasing results quickly. It is also easily erased if the
maker of the m ark isnot happy with the result.
1. THIN W ILL OW CHARCOAL : I used
a piece like this tomake the drawing
opposite. The tip snaps easily to renew
a sharp edge if required.
2 . MED IUM WIL LOW CHARCOAL :
The same as above, only a little thicker.Boxes often contain arange of thicknesses
to choose for different needs.
3 . TH ICK W IL LO W CHARCOAL :
Big pieces are perfect for very large-scale
drawings—even larger than yourself. Try
itworking on big paper covering a wall.
4. CHAR COAL PENCIL : Types made by
different manufacturers vary in quality and
density ofline. Essentially, they are all
intended for fine work.
5. COMPRESSED C HARCO AL:
Machine-made, cylindrical, blacker, and
heavier than willow. Not to be confused
with square conte sticks (see p. 162) or
graphite (see p.54).
6.CHALK CHARCOAL: Technically, this
does not exist. Beware of cheap brands
selling dyed chalk as compressed charcoal.
In use, it looks gray and feels like chalk.
7. SQUARE COMPRESSED CHAR COAL:
Not often sold, but some specialists stock
compressed charcoal indelicate square
sticks. A great find when available.
LIFTING OUTThis technique is a very
method ofdrawing a
fine, white line into the
or grayness of willow c
It allows you greater pr
in your mark-making
you rub away the cha
with aneraser.
1uspend a length o
tape, sticky side d
between your middle fin
thumb. Hold itover your
without touching the sur
2eep the tape abo
drawing. Use any f
pen or pencil (I used a b
draw a firm line on the
tape. Then l ift it away.
3white l ine is lif
by the tape. Slightly
tape's stickiness before
prevent it from lifting ou
than you intend.
2 0 4
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ERASINGT h i c k l y a p p l i e d c h a r c o a l
qu i ck l y o ve r co mes a p l as t i c
e rase r A w ar m ( so f t and tack y
putty eraser i s more effect ive ,
as i s f r e sh ( unb u t te red ! )
bread. He re , I used a p last ic
e rase r e f fe c t i ve l y o n th in l y
app l i ed char co a l .
L i f t ing out Th is detai l shows
an example of where I used the
lifting-out technique demonstratedopposi te to draw f lashes of
lightning against rain clouds.
Different tones seen throughout
the main drawing on pp.212-13
were made by a l ter ing the
pressure applied to the charcoal.
8 . T O R T I LL O N : Th i s is a t i gh t ro l l o f
paper used t o b lend charcoa l , graphi te ,
pastels , o r any other dry media . Layers
can be peeled away to refresh its surface
C o t to n s w a b s a ls o w o r k .
9 . P EN: Any f ine pen or penci l can be u
to draw on the back o f masking tape wh
lifting out. He re we used a ballpoint. Lift
broader marks w i th a la rger implement.
1 0 . M A S K I N G T A P E : A n i n v al ua b le
resource, sold in several widths. Use high
quality (very sticky) to f ix paper to walls
and boards . Use cheaper ( less s t icky)
for l if ting out.
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LandscapesTREES ALONE OFFER MARVELOUS shapes todraw. They
a r e a l s o g o o d m a r k e r s of r e c e d i n g s p a c e , e s p e c i a l l y
when making f i rst excursions into aer ial perspect ive.
This term simply means that as land rolls away into the
distance, details blur and colors grow paler and bluer.
It isthe visible effect of the atmosphere between where
you stand and what you see inthe distance.
Landscape drawings are traditionally arranged inthree
parts: a detailed foreground; a less distinct middle ground
composed of shapes and textures; and an abstract , hazy
d i s t a n c e . S u c c e s s f u l d r a w i n g s o f t e n o n l y s u g g e s t the
qualities of the scene without overdescribing them. On
p p . 9 8 - 9 9 we noted that in r e s p o n s e to v i s u a l s t
our brains search for nameable th ings and wil l pe
com plete p ictures from very li t t le in forma t ion . I ro
the less you describe, the more you encourage the v
i m a g i n a t i o n to join in a n d s e e . E x c e s s i v e d e t a i l
a d m i r e d f o r its s k i l l a n d a c h i e v e m e n t , b u t is o f t
evocative and engaging. At its worst, it results in fla
o f c lu t ter . To exper iment with drawing landscapes
use o f charcoal , pack your mater ia ls (as advised bel
set off for a local view or y o u r n e a r e s t a r b o r e t u m
w o r r y if it is c l o u d y : c l o u d s a d d d r a m a a n d p e r
a n d m a k e g o o d s u b j e c t s in themselves (see pp.21
MATERIALSPack several thick an
sticks of willow ch
a reel of masking t
eraser your drawing
or a board and pape
(or hairspray), and
in a plastic bag to si
you arrive, begin by
out several small sq
you r paper, to co nt
of your composition
Seeing tonesIn this first view there
foreground and middl
The long view is hidd
trees. I relaxed my ey
focus to dissolve distra
into abstract patches
darkness. Th en I drew
of the tonal patches I
EAHANTHEMEN
06
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Exploring the viewIn my second square I exp lo red a s imple
v iew contrast ing soft , rounded, dark trees
with bright, horizonta l regions of grass. Th is
composition turned out a l ittle flat because
I have an almost even quantity of earth and
sky. It is better to give distinctly m ore pictorial
space to one or the other (see below).
Inventing drama
Redrawing the scene above, I haveinvented drama with diagonals set
against each other I tilted the earth,
shadows, the trunk of a bare tree,
and broke a v iew through the
hedge into the distance with a dark
sky threaten ing ra in . Remember ,
your vie w is your inspiration, full of
information you can use to create
what you want!
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EAHAND THE EEMEN
Drawing in the RoundW H EN DRAW ING IN THE LA NDSCAPE, se e k p lac e s in l ig h t
shade out of the glare of the sun, so the paper is not made
b l in din g a n d y o u r h a n d c a n n o t c a s t a s h a do w o n y o u r
work. I usually begin by making an image of the whole view.
This f irst drawing serves as a process of arrival, settling my
concentra t ion, and seeing what the rea l choice of subjec t is .
After my f irst drawing, I am then able to home in
interes ts me most for fur ther s tudy . For example,
t h e s c en e b e lo w led m e t o f o c u s o n t h e dec a y in
oppos ite . S imilar ly , on pp.214-15 my f irs t drawin
whole view of the T iber led me to see the rea l su
the day, which was the f low of water over rocks.
FINDING THE SUBJECT
Finding a remarkable subject is even better when you can circumnavigate it in an arena
of space. Th e m ud o f the tidal shore in Rye, England has emb edd ed w ithin it the decaying
skeleton of a burned fishing boat, bare r ibs, engine, and til ler stil l standing proud. Circling a
subject and drawing it from several views imprints on your memory a better understanding
of its three-dimensional form. Building on earlier studies of structure in space using shoes
(pp.164-65) a n d a wir e viol in (pp.104-05), your challenge now is to f ind a sculptural
subject in the landscape, taking with you y our draw ing bo ok and pen.
"Drawing in the round m eans to literally walk around your
subject, observing it from several views so as to better
understand it as a whole."
20 8
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SERIES OF STUDIESThis stunning ghost of a boat comes into
vie w twice a day, wh en the sea rec edes.
W he n yo u have found you r subject, make a
series of drawings from different positions.
Each new drawing gives a different insight.
1ere, I spent equal time looking at the
subject and th e paper, marking straight,
careful l ines to establish the skeleton that
gives this wre ck its distinct form, charac ter,
and structure.
2n this tail-end view, I looked more boldly
at the p lanes and the dynamic of the
sculptural craft My lines have become darker
and more forceful as confidence in my
understanding of the vessel grew.
3his impression notes the angle of the
broken boat, its overall balance, and the
order and shape of its component parts. I drew
with quick, unfussy l ines, looking more at the
boat than at the paper
4rom this low position I have emphasized
how the boat i s swal lowed in mud by
outlining its shadow on the ground. Th e outl ine
ties a shape of darkness to the boat like a weight
so that it becomes part of its form.
Overleaf: Decayin
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T HIS STORM DRAWING , m a d e o n s m o o t h ,
h o t - p r e s s e d d r a w i n g p a p er (see pp.20-21)
u s in g a t h in s t i c k o f wi llow ch arc o al , was
m a d e w i t h g e n t l e b u t u n h e s i t a t i n g s p e e d .
L o o k i n g b a c k a n d f or th f r o m t h e h e a v e n s
t o f i rmly tape d-do w n paper , I wo rked qu ick ly
t o c a t c h a n d w e a v e t h e t u r b u l e n t c o n t r a s t s
o f r i s in g win d an d appro ach in g wat er befo re
t h e d r a w i n g c o u l d b e w a s h e d a w a y .
Cloudburst
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Notes of ForceT H E G R E A T F L O W I N G T I B E R R I V E R has cut through Rome, shaping the city, since
ancient times. On the pages of a small, black, pocket-sized notebook, I drew with
a needle-fine fiber-tip pen, focusing on the river's eddies, pulse, and rhythmic
detail as it passed through the ancient gully of the city.
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MountainsS I T T I N G I N T H E S H A D E of a tree on the Greek island of Antiparos,
I used a dip pen and waterproof India ink with brushed watercolor to
draw the view. The strong diagonal of the com position from bottom left
to top right carries the eye through changes of height and focus from
the foreground to the mountains beyond.
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Abs t rac t Lines
A D O L F W O L F L I
One of the greatest masters
of Ar t Brut. Wolfl i was a
Swiss draftsman, poet,
writer and composer whosuffered from paranoid
schizophrenia and w as
resident in the Wa ldau
Aslyum near Berne. He
made thousands of drawings
to chronicle his complex life.
Swirling, writhing torrents of
color, fictional language,
drawn sound, and poetic
myth roar and cascade
within his tightly framed
pages. His drawings are
collected and exhibited
internationally and held by
the Ado lf Wolfli Foundation,
Museum of Fine Arts, Berne.
Sa int-Mary-Cast le-Giant-Grape
1915
413/8x 285/8 in (105 x 72.8 cm)
A D O L F W O L F L I
T H E D E V E L O P M E N T O F W E S T E R N abstract art at the beginning of the 20th century
significantly paralleled major changes in world thought, belief, and history. The
growing r ise of Darwinian ideas coupled with Freudian and Marxist perspective
forced Western society to reconsider its origins and future. Internal workings of th
mind were suddenly free to find a new language of expression. Artists were given a
different tool—a line threaded directly from their subconscious to their hand—and
with i t they began to map a bold new landscape of marks and concepts that woul
d r a m a t ic a l l y a n d f o r e v e r c h a ng e t he f a c e o f W e s t e r n a rt . T h e f at e o f O l d W o r l d
thinking was finally sealed with the brutality of World War I . Afterward, picturing
a stabilized world was impossible and Modernism rode forth with vigor.
However, abstraction is not so easy to define, and it has always been with us.
was not invented in the 20th century, only rediscovered. From one point of view, a
pictorial representations are abstractions of reality. From another viewpoint, many non
Western cultures have highly sophisticated abstractions at the core of their art , an
have been making abstract drawings for centuries—Japanese calligraphy, for exampl
Indian mandalas, and Aboriginal art. Perhaps in Western culture we bred this intuitive
freedom out of ourselves in our insistence on complex figuration. Outsider artists, su
as A dolf Wolf li, opposite, and young children show us that abstract, expressive mar
and shapes are at the core of natural, spontaneous image - making.
Not everything we know has a physical form in the world. Many concepts and
fee lings can only be ex press ed throug h marks, so unds, actions, or ges tures. A n
abstract mark is often a better conductor of a thought or feeling, precisely because it
does not have to represent a physical object; it is simply itself. People are often scared
by abstraction and see it as the enemy of figurative art. It is actually its foundation
and its infrastructure. My own work is firmly centered in figuration, yet my kinshi
to abstraction is fundamental. I begin every image by feeling its meaning, direction
and emotion. First marks, which are essentially abstract, strike the paper to find form
As you approach the classes in this chapter, don't be timid; be brave and enjoy the
A bstra ction is a direct , l iberating, and indepe ndent me ans of c ommunic atio n. It
also underpins and gives strength and unity to all figurative work.
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AR
LNProcess and Harmony
S O M E T I M E S A D R A W N L I N E sings on the surface of i ts support .
S o m e t i m e s it smolders l ike a deep shadow. It can proclaim
mood, si lence, and sensit ivity with its thickness and pressure
of touch . A l ine can be finished in a second, or , as Twombly
shows us opposite, it can keep reforming through the inherent
repetit ion of a process. A Neolithic chalk tablet bears cut l ines
that were s lowly carved. Below, Mamoru Abe prepares an
image that will appear through the chemistry of iron, water,
and patient watching. Abe's physical drawing is a scu
instal lat ion . Damp Japanese paper was la id over car
arranged i ron bars . Moisture produced rust , s ta in in
brown lines into the white surface. Five forged steel
akin to stones in a Zen garden, sit in silent harmony,
ink marks on a page. Twombly 's mesmeric wax l ine
over house paint is like a signature, rhythmically engag
i tse l f , scro l l ing across the c a n v a s in an i n t i m a t e c re
M A M O R U A B E
Japanese sculptor and installation artist, and Assistant
Professor of Fine Art at Fukuoka Univers i ty. Abe
works with materials such as soil, forged steel, brass,
ice, salt, and plaster ingalleries and landscapes. He
travels widely to research ancient sacred sites.
Lines, tone, and texture Pillars of the gallery are made part
of this drawing by their inclusion in the paper. This amplifies
their bracing separation of the floor from theceiling. Iron rods
reaching from beneath the paper rest within the framelike
rim of floor space. Changes in tone, texture, and temperature
between paper, iron, and wood are also part of the work.
The Physical Sp
1990
3 0 x 30 ft ( 9 1 4
M A M O R U A B E
22 0
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A N C I E N T C A R V I N G S
Many ancient cultures have made and left behind
drawings and texts c arved into stones o r animal
bone, such as the Rosetta stone, the Babylonian
world map, and American Indian petroglyphs (see
p.241). This e xample is one of two chalk tablets
found in a Late-Neolithic pit, close to Stonehenge
in Wiltshire, E n g l a n d . Thesite's purpose is unknown;
theories suggest astrological observations, burials,
and the worship of the sun and ancient gods.
Cu t lines Chalk carves easily. Precise lines suggest the use of a
sharp flint The framed rectangle of this image isechoed in that
of Abe's installation. The central pictorial space is also similarly
cut and divided by the considered arra ngement of straight lines.
Neolithic Chalk Tablet
3,000-2,400BCE
21/4 x 21/4 in (58 x 58 mm)
A R T I S T U N K N O W N
C Y T W O M B L Y
Contemporary American art ist who emerged
through the 1950s Ne w York art scene in the heyday
of Abstract Expressionism and Action Painting. At the2001 Venice Biennale,Twombly was presented with a
Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement.
Language Over the course of fifty years, Twombly has
evolved a raw, energetic, emotive, and sensuous language
that challenges the separation of word from image, and
drawing from painting. Many of his graffiti-like wo r kscombine abstract gestures with statements. Here we
might seek to grasp letters in the turning of his line.
Untitled1970
C Y T W O M B L Y
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A
R
C
L
N W rit ing T im eSINCE THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, abstract art is ts and composers
have s t r iven to break down o ld p ictoria l and musical
structures to explore new and unfettered modes of expression.
Both abstract drawing and composi t ion involve the perfect
sequencing of sounds and marks against space and s i lence .
Bussot t i , opposi te , broke new ground in the 1950s wi th
g ra p h i c s c o re s n o w c o n s i d e re d a m o n g t h e m o s t e x t re m e ,
beaut i fu l , and invent ive o f h is t ime. A graphic score is a
unique, abstract , music manuscript requiring instrume
to improvise , in terpret , and part ic ipate in the comp
The scores are also exhibited in galleries as visual art
Hugo, below, said, "There is nothing l ike dream to
the future." An innovator who never fails to surprise,
anticipates abstract expressionism by 100 years. His
writes the t ime of i ts own physical process by express
extreme concentrat ion o f the moment in which i t wa
V I C T O R H U G O
F re n ch n o ve l i s t w h o m a d e m a n y d ra w in g s in
m ixe d m e d ia ( se e also p.28). H u g o ' s a b s t r a c t
d r a w i n g h e r e c a n bed e s c r i b e d int e r m s of
Gestalt, aG e r m a n ph i l o s o p h i c a l i d e a a b o u t
t h e p o w e r of m o m e n t , o f t e n e x p r e s s e d in
visua l te rms. Gestalt i s t h e i n s ta n t re co g n i t i o n
o f a n u n n a m e a b le th in g , ac o n f i g u r a t i o n , or a
p a t t e r n of e l e m e n t s sou n i f i e d as a w h o l e
t h e y c a n n o t bee x p l a i n e d as as u m of p a r t s .
Ink impressions When drawing nightscapes Hugo often laid
paper disks in place of the moon, brushed night skies over
them with ink then lifted the disks to reveal white moons.
Here he appears tohave saturated the cut-out moon disks
with gritty pigment, pressed them fa ce down, and lifted them
away to leave impressions ofwatery planets and seas.
Texture Compare this drawing to Hugo's octopus on p.28.
Similarity in gritty texture suggests that here, too, he mixed
graphite into ink, and let the drying meniscus deposit
granules in linear drifts such as we would see in the satellite
photographic mappin g of rivers. Marks across the cent er
appear to be made with his fingers.
Two Impressions from a Cut-Out
Paper Disk
1853-55
V I C T O R H U G O
2 2 2
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S Y L V A N O B U S S O T T I
Italian avant-garde composer and principal 20th-
century exponent of the graphic scor e. This is a page
from Due Voci, Bussotti's first mature work. His later
works become increasingly abstract; a far cry from
any recognized musical notation.
Sound and rhythm This flickering rondo of sound written in
pen on a hand-ruled stave can be heard in our imaginations as
much as seen. Following the notes, we can feel their rhythm
and easily attach sounds to them. Compare this work to that
of Libeskind on p. 70 in relation to Bussotti's clustered notes
to the left of his rondo and open space to the right.
Circular Score for "Due Voc
c. 1958
SYLVANO BUSSOTTI
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AR
LNChants and PrayersWHEN ABSTRACT LINES are o r g a n i z e d in r e p e t i t i o n , t h e y
m a k e a v i s u a l and p h y s i c a l e c h o t h a t t o u c h e s s o m e d e e p
par t of t h e h u m a n s p i r i t . T h i s t a k e s a f or m in m o s t c u l t u r e s .
Visua l ly , it is f o u n d in the r e g u l a r i t y of o r d e r e d l i n e s or a
p a t t e r n . In m u s i c it c a n be felt in the dive r s i ty of p l a i n s o n g
a n d A fr i c an d r u m m i n g , for e x a m p l e . T h e s e p h o t o g r a p h s
d o c u m e n t the m e d i t a t i v e d r a w i n g s of t w o w o m e n l i v i n g
w o r l d s a p a r t in dif f e r e nt countr ie s , cu l tur e s , ce ntur ie s , and
c i r c u m s t a n c e s . In the l a t e 19th c e n t u r y , M a r i e L i e
p s y c h i a t r i c p a t i e n t in the H e i d e l b e r g A s y l u m , G e r m
t o r e c l o t h i n t o s t r i p s and u s e d t h e s e to d r a w p a t t
s y m b o l s on her c e l l f l o o r . O p p o s i t e , an a n o n y m o u
in the s o u t h e a s t I n d i a n s t a t e of T a m i l N a d u m a k e s
d r a w i n g on the b r i c k c o u r t y a r d of her h o m e , d i p p
f i n g e r s i n t o a pot of r ice f lour . It w i l l p r o t e c t the p l
e vi l and m a k e a p l e a s i n g i n v i t a t i o n to g o o d s p i r i t s .
M A R I E L I E B
Litt le is k n o w n o f t h i s w o m a n for w h o m the act
o f d r a w i n g w a s e s s e n t i a l . L i e b is o n e of c o u n t l e s s
t h o u s a n d s o f " O u t s i d e r " a r t i s t s — d i v e r s e i n d iv i d ua l s
i n c l u d i n g o r d i n a r y c i t i z e n s , s o c i a l o u t c a s t s , and
sufferers of p s y c h i a t r i c i l l n e s s e s — w h o h a v e a l w a y s
e x i s t e d , m a k i n g o b j e c t s and i m a g e s o u t s i d e of
m a i n s t r e a m c u l t u r e .
Torn cloth This is one of two published photographs showing
Marie Leib's torn cloth strips significantly placed on her cell
floor. Cloth is the simple instrument with which she has
conducted and ordered he r universe. Compositional rightness
(see pp.228-29) has been adjusted with each movement
of the rags to draw a cosmos of balance and perfection.
Cell Floor With Torn S1894
M A R I E L I E B
2 2 4
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S T E P H E N P . H U Y L E RPhotographer art historian, cultural anthropologist,
lecturer on the subjects of Indian art and Indian
women's identity, at the University of London
and Ohio State University, among others. Huyler
is the author of Painted Prayers, and for over
30 years has traveled extensively through the Indian
subcontinent creating an edited archive of 200,000
images.Theseare widely published in journals and
are the subjects of international exhibitions.
Designs and motifs Rangoii (or mandalas) are ritual
drawings made by many m illions of women a cross rural India.
Materials such as rice flour, chalk, lime, or flowers are marked
or arranged on the ground or on the walls of homes, and in
places of worship and celebration. Skills are handed down
through generations and from friend to friend. Popular
magazines feature new ideas each week and on special
occasions there may be contests. In daily practice, women
pride themselves on never repeating a design. Motifs
are geometrical or based on plants, animals, and birds.
Painted Prayers
UNDATED
STEPHEN R HUY
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CompositionsA B ST R A C T DR A W I NGS A R E L A R GE L Y or entirely free from
figurative representation—that is, free from the direct imaging
of known physical things. Their energy can therefore be
a purer expression of an idea or emotion.
These two works present complex compositions with
differing intensions and methods of making, but similarities
in mood, structure, and choice of hues. They each find their
pathways and equilibrium in atmosphere and suggestion,
using the viewer's eye to track and unfold layers of
Catling's torn paper shapes and shadows spill light ou
frame like a fractured mirror. Oval moons eclipse ea
and oscillate between landforms and portraiture;
heads in a subdued atmosphere of dream. Klee's math
maze of thinly washed surface resonates with met
planning. With no depth of field, it is ruled and conta
in one dimension by its interlocking ink-lined border
B R I A N C A T L I N G
British sculptor poet, performance and installation
artist, filmmaker Professor of Fine Art, Ruskin School,
and Fellow of Linacre College, Oxford. Catling's works
made for international galleries and museums involve
drawing as a tool in their development and making.
Mixed media This is a collage of torn white and gray tissue
paper previously stained with ink; gold paint a nd iridescent
gouache mixed with water; and water-resistant layers of
spray and enamel paint on thick paper. Catling's abstract
drawings are usually made in series and in parallel to written
poetry and sculptural installations.
Untitled 2001
2001
153/4 x 215/8 in ( 4 0 0
B R I A N C A T L I N G
ABSTRACTLINES
226
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P A U L K L E E
Swiss painter and sculptor
(see also p.31). Klee painted,
drew , philosophized, and wro te
copiously about the natures
and relationships of colorand form. He explained his
polyphonic painting as "a
harmony of several color
voices" searching for a visual
parallel to music.
Geometr ic harmony This is a
work on paper made with a
sharp ink pen, ruler, watercolor,
and brush. It is a geometric
harmony of straight lines and
tonally graded flat colors that
by their arrangement draw our
eyes inward to their white center.
Line and surface Klee observed
the visual capacity of lines to push
or pull within an image. W e can
see some diagramma tic examples
of this among the optical illusions
on pp.97-99. Klee also felt that
a line represents the passing of
time, whereas tonal surfaces are
perceived more immediately as
a whole, and might be read as
active or passive.
Polyphon Gefasstes Weiss
(White Framed Polyphonically)
1930
131/8x95/8 n (333 x 245 mm)
Paul-Klee-Stiftung,
Kunstmuseum Bern
PAUL KLEE
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"Whenall pictorial elements come together in
pleasing and perfect ba lance, they are just."
A
RA
L
N
22 8
Being "Just"A SENSE OF "JUST" (or rightness) is a di ff icult concept to a Gardener, t h e l a t e g a r d e n d e s i g n e r R u s s e l l P a g e e x
e x p l a i n , b u t a n e a s y o n e t o u n d e r s t a n d . W h e n m o v i n g h a v e e x p e r i m e n t e d e n d l e s s l y w i t h t h i s i d e a . T a k e , f o r
o b j ec ts aro u nd i n y o u r y ard , o r h o m e , o r o n a pag e , th ere is a g las s , a b u nc h o f k ey s , an d an apple , and pu t th e m
a c l ea r f e e l in g w h e n , a f t e r b e i n g c o n t i n u o u s l y a d j u s t e d , t h e y A s y o u m o v e t h e m a r o u n d , t h e ir i m p a c t , t h e i m p r e s
r e a c h a p e r f e c t p o s i t io n . T h e r e i s a s i n g le m o m e n t w h e n al l r e c e i v e f r o m t h e m , w i l l c h a n g e w i t h e v e r y r e a r r a
p r o p o r t i o n s , a n g l e s , a n d e l e m e n t s s e t tl e i n d e f i n i t i v e b a l a n c e . M a n y o f t h e i r i n t e r - r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i l l b e m e a n i n g l e
T h i s b a l a n c e i s w h a t e v e r y a r t is t a n d d e s i g n e r s e a r c h e s a n d w i l l b e m o r e o r l e s s h a r m o n i o u s , b u t e v e r y n o w a
fee ls fo r w h en m ak i ng an i m age . In h i s b o o k The Education of y o u w i l l h i t o n a n a r r a n g e m e n t w h i c h a p p e a r s j u s t . "
S E T T I N G U P
Justness can be harmonious or deliberately discordant. It is found in
all great a rt and design, regardless o f style, culture, media, or degree
of figuration. It is also found in nature. Seek it wh en looking at othe r
artists' work and in your everyday environment. Feel for it when
you draw. This exercise will help you start. Set up a sheet of paper
with a rectangle drawn on it, and ten straight sticks painted black.
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WHERE TO STARTTake ten st icks of equal length, painted black.
Within a rectangle on a f lat sheet of paper set
about making a composit ion using no other rule
than a sense o f " jus t ." Mo ve the s t i cks to f ind
al ignments and imagined perspect i ves . W he n
the composit ion fal ls into place, f ix i t with glue.
1r range your ten s t i cks in two
groups of f ive, as shown here. Feel
for the rightness of their grouping and
their relat ionships to surrounding spaces.
Rem embe r the drawn rectangle i s a p art
o f the com pos i t ion (see pp.56-57).
2Move the s t i cks out in to the
re c t an g le , w h i ch n o w b e c o m e s a
t ig h t f ram e . A r ran g e t h e m s o th e y t o u ch
or cross in a series of intersecting balances.
A s t i ck touch ing the rectangle l inks thecompos i t ion to the f rame.
3n the s tep abo ve , hor i zontal s
dominate the lower area, suggesting
a hor i zon . Here , hor i zontal s dominate the
top , mak ing the compos i t ion seem t o f loat
beneath. In the f inal step (left) there is an
even balance.
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SETTING UP
This lesson in collage is a direct continuation of the compositional lines made
in the previous class. Once the ten painted black sticks are set and glued in
place, they become a scaffold for the addition of further textures, colors,
and tones. Toprepare for this lesson, stain and dry a sheet of tissue paper
using blue nk. You will also need spare white paper; scissors, glue, a compass,
correction fluid or white paint, and black ink.
"My understanding is that every object [or shape] emanates—sends ou
vibrations beyond its physical body which are specific to itself."
(Russell Pa
A
R
LN
230
CollageH E R E W E E X P E RI M E N T with collage, which isthe shifting, ready- made depths and surfaces; aninfinite range
overlapping placement of materials on aflat plane. Cut or andmeaning. Images andfragments torn from d
torn layers and shapes, found ormade items, colors and life can bebrought together tomake achorus of id
textures can bemanipul ated until their pictorial harmony, emotions. R eturning toRussell Page, hewent on
or discordance, feels "just" (see pp.228-29). This principal "... youstart composing byadding orsubtracting
also applies tothree-dimensional drawings such asGaudi's andtextures andusing colors andtones toachieve
work with wire andweights onp.69 and A be's installation impressi on youwant tomake— whether dramatic
on p.220. Collage offers theartist aliberating palette of subdued, hard or soft, harmonious, oreven strid
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WHAT TO DOLay the final step of the previous lesson
(p.228) in front of you. Cu t six small
rectangles the same propo rtion as your
whole image, and with a compass and
scissors, draw, then cut out, four circles
of blue tissue paper.
1egular-sized pieces of white paper
are moved over the sur face to
disrupt the even lines. This can also give
a sense of fragmentation or punctuation
to the composition. Glue them in place
once they feel " just"
2ranslucent c i rcu lar d isks of
tissue paper give color tone,
solidity, and shadow to thepicture.Th e
single disk that is folded with its straight
edge facing up appears heavier than
those that are flat.
3orn white paper moved over the
surface adds masks of rough-edged
ir regular vo lume. Obscur ing the b lue
disks, they deepe n pictorial spac e. In the
last step (left), correction fluid and ink
marks add further dimensions.
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Zen CalligraphyH I T S U Z E N D O , A M O D E R N JA P AN E SE meditative art form inspired by the teachings
of Yamaoka Tesshu (1836-1888), is the practice of Zen through the calligraphic
marks of a brush dipped in carbon ink. Hitsuzendo drawings aspire to "breathe
with the energy and vitality of eternal life" achieved through "a state of no
mind—beyond thought, emotion, and
expectation." [Tanchu Terayama,
Z e n Brushwork].
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NocturnesI N T H I S Q U A R T E T of semi-abstract drawings made
India ink, discord is balanced against rhythm to cr
mood. Lines made with a steel dip pen take on a scra
nervousness. These vibrate against w ashes of shadow
pitch-black mass. I flicked spatters of ink and rubbed
paper with a wet and a dry brush to achieve these eff
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