Teaching the Arts

Drawing Painting and Sculptureby

Katalin Gyokeny MFA, MSEd, MA,

Classes I taught at JCC Oceanside, SUNY Farmingdale, QCC, Bayside, and other.

Contour Drawing

The first thing we do when beginning to draw is contour drawing, which is another name for drawing the outline. With contour drawing, we are focusing on the edges - the outside of an object or the line made by a fold or pattern. The line that goes across an object, hinting at the form, is called a cross-contour. Things to remember: 1. draw slowly and deliberately NOT sketchy 2. contour line drawings are made up of only lines, NO shading 3. lines should follow the contours of your still life object(s) 4. For added interest you can modify the thickness of the line - darker lines for major lines, lighter lines for soft implied edges 5. For an extra challenge use a fine tip marker instead of a pencil Contour drawing is a great way to practice and improve your drawing technique whether you are a beginner or already a skilled artisthttp://www.learn-to-draw-lessons.com/line-art-drawings.html

Gesture Drawing

Gesture drawing explores the form and movement of an object in space, as your eye follows its shape. Often it may look quite realistic, but more often gesture drawings will have just a sense of the overall form. Gesture drawing isn't an outline, nor is it an abstract drawing. It might not always look realistic though, because it isn't trying to represent the figure in a photographic way, but to suggest the essential feeling of the subject.

When creating a gesture drawing, according to Kimon Nicolaides in 'The Natural Way to Draw', "you should draw, not what the thing looks like, but what it is doing. You need to 'sense' the thing that you are drawing. Is it fluid and soft, or spiky and hard? Is it coiled like a spring, or off-center and asymetric, or is it solid and balanced? By nature gesture drawing tends to be done rapidly. Loose, often circular marks capture the flow of forms. Look at the whole object and notice points of tension, direction of weight or pressure, spaces, protrusions into space.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGnMar2pAI

Life Drawing

Figure drawing is an exercise in drawing the human body in its various shapes and positions. "Life drawing" is the process of drawing the human figure from observation of a live model. Figure drawing is arguably the most difficult subject an artist commonly encounters, and entire classes are dedicated to the subject.

The human figure is one of the most enduring themes in the visual arts, and figure drawing can be applied to portraiture, cartooning and comic book illustration, sculpture, medical illustration, and other fields that use depictions of the human form. Figure drawing can be done very simply, as in gesture drawing, or in greater detail, using charcoal, pencil or other drawing tools. If pigment is used, the process may be called figure painting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USRnoqn6TmY&feature=channel

Color Pencils

As children we drew and colored with confidence and joy. As adults our artistic desire is to return to those times of certainty and pleasure.

Many have chosen the colored pencils as the means of expression.

Colored pencils have been traditionally considered the medium of children only.

The beauty of colored pencils is that it takes so little to get started. All you need is pencils and paper. No need of large space, there is no health hazards involved, and no cleanup and they are very affordable.

Artists can work from life, from photography or from memory.

They can use tracing paper, light boxes, or the grid to enlarge or make smaller.

The more accomplished artists of any age can draw free hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE6820o1Isc&feature=related

Pastel

Soft pastels are probably the most popular of the various pastel mediums. Artists love the soft texture and the ability to paint on the colors which allows more freedom and usage of various techniques. Soft pastels can cover large areas and are well suited for blending. By varying the pressure, soft pastels can be applied in very light layers or impastos.

Because soft pastels are so delicate they can break easily so proper storage is important. Do not toss your soft pastels in a loose box or drawer. They must be stored in a cushioned box or tray for protection.

With excessive use, your pastels will become dirty by picking up other colors. This will eventually make it difficult to recognize your colors. You should get used to keeping your pastels clean by wiping them with a tissue every now and again.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgpBSbrqwWg&feature=related

Watercolors

Delicate and subtle, watercolors have been a favorite among both plein aire and studio artists for centuries. The gum arabic binder of watercolor paints allows them to be rewetted time and again, and they make for fine and vibrant strokes both detailed and expressive. Watercolors can be lifted and manipulated, allowed to flow and spread, or used dry-brush for detail. Perfect for outdoor sketches as well as extended studio sessions, watercolors are versatile and adaptable to any subject matter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vFlyJ_xa9w

Acrylics

Acrylic paint is the artistic medium of our age. It is based on a synthetic polymer resin, acrylics were developed for painting in late 1949s.

Acrylics are versatile and permanent. They can be worked transparently or opaquely.

They can be painted on any non grease surface including murals.

If applied thickly – either straight from the tube or with very little water added – or if mixed with a little white, all acrylic colours can be opaque. If diluted, they can be used like watercolours or for airbrushing.

If you want transparent glazes, these should be built up in thin layers; a heavy layer will produce a glossy surface.

Masking fluid can be used with acrylics washes, as well as watercolours. Once masking fluid has dried in a brush, it's nearly impossible to remove. Dipping a brush into some washing-up liquid first makes it easier to wash masking fluid out of a brush.

Because acrylics dry rapidly, you need to work fast if you wish to blend colours. If you're working on paper, dampening the paper will increase your working time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIB1Rddh2p8&feature=related

Oils

Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil — especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body and gloss. Other oils occasionally used include poppyseed oil, walnut oil, and safflower oil. These oils confer various properties to the oil paint, such as less yellowing or different drying times. Certain differences are also visible in the sheen of the paints depending on the oil. Painters often use different oils in the same painting depending on specific pigments and effects desired. The paints themselves also develop a particular consistency depending on the medium.

Although oil paint was first used in western Afghanistan sometime between the fifth and ninth centuries, it did not gain popularity until the 15th century. Its practice may have migrated westward during the Middle Ages. Oil paint eventually became the principal medium used for creating artworks as its advantages became widely known. The transition began with Early Netherlandish painting in northern Europe, and by the height of the Renaissance oil painting techniques had almost completely replaced tempera paints in the majority of Europe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jRRHlhWmcI&feature=related

Sculpture

Terracotta, "baked earth," was used in cultures that predate history. Unity in the Greek statuette of Nike from late 5th century B.C. expresses the classical idea of purity. Terracotta rose to a golden distinction during the Renaissance. Man was freed from the burden of a supreme hierarchical order. In clay, the artists recognized the new place of a citizen in a sculptural form that could be seen by all. With a belief in humanism, artists replaced the duty that held form rigid with a beauty that made sculpture generous. After Michelangelo Bounarroti gained attention by working in clay as a pupil in Bertold's school, he demonstrated a devotion to the true human subject. Works by Luca della Robbia affirmed the naturalism and a new charm. His painted terracotta sculptures had a prevailing brilliance in character and colors with a permanent freshness. Neoclassical and Enlightenment

At the end of the 18th century, the order of civilization again captured the artist's attention. At the same time, a sculptor was enlightened by reason on the importance of self. Perfection in an ideal observance of authority was balanced with a regard for the nobility of a prominent citizen. Antonio Canova created the definitive elegant forms that flourished when viewed. Read more: The History of Clay Sculpture | eHow.com

http://www.ehow.com/about_5388124_history-clay-sculpture.html#ixzz0yG89X06u

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D75VEJyjxg&feature=related

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