For beginning art students there are two helpful methods to assist in learning how to
properly render a subject.
gesture drawing: There is really no consideration
given to any lack of realism when engaged in rendering a gesture drawing. To do a gesture drawing one must look at the
subject, perhaps a live model, and rapidly draw lines in an expressive manner in order to achieve its "look and
feel. Again, little importance is placed on accuracy but instead on fluid expressive movements of the hand with the
writing instrument or crayon. As the student views the subject, they continually look back and forth between the image
that they are creating and the subject matter. The object of this exercises is to train the budding artist to create the
sense of life and/or movement in their work, learning to do so without consciously thinking about that goal as they
progress as a graphic/visual artist.
contour drawing; This exercises is designed to
allow the student to once again focus on the positive aspects of the correct execution of the assignment and not so much
the visual outcome of the drawing. It is very important that the pupil remember to keep the writing/drawing instrument
on the surface of the paper or electronic media screen and only focus their gaze directly upon the subject. The visual
focus being the very edge of the subject matter, the student traces the outline of only the model, and as their
attention is affixed to it they circumscribe its entire contour. It is best to limit these sessions to less than thirty
minutes so that fatigue is not an issue. Many will find their creations ugly or humorous, which may add to the levity of
the class as a whole, but this is, again, simply a ways to a means not a lesson designed to create Louvre quality pieces or art.
Our aspiring visual art scholars should complete these two exercises over a period of three
months or more, having practiced in and after class for no less than six combined hours per week and a combined
exercises time of no less than fifty to sixty hours. After this is accomplished the student will be ready to attempt
more accurate representations of still life, skeletal, and figure drawing exercises where more emphasis shifts to
realism and the play of dark and light to give the subject matter the illusion of depth and texture.