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| Me Contour Drawing - 20 January 2011 Graphite Pencil on Paper (Contrast Digitally Enhanced) 33cm x 40.5cm (13" x 16") |
I know what you are thinking - it looks a bit odd. It doesn't look like me either.
Welcome to the weird world of Contour Drawing, which is the topic of the first exercise in The Natural Way to Draw.
Contour Drawing involves not looking at the paper while you are drawing. As you finish each shape or contour, you are allowed to glance at the paper and decide where to start the next, but when you are actually drawing you must only look at the subject.
One of the key elements of the technique is to imagine the pencil is touching the object. You slowly moving the pencil along the edges and contours of the object. As you move the pencil, you can feel the surface of the object underneath it.
I first encountered Contour Drawing in Betty Edwards’ Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. I hated the exercise and really couldn’t see the point, but now I’ve read the explanations in The Natural Way to Draw and done a few hours of practice it is beginning to make sense and I really enjoy it.
The most obvious benefit is that it emphasises the need to look at the subject more than the paper.
Imagining that we are touching the subject encourages us to involve our other senses as well as sight.
The exercise requires undivided attention and provides a workout for our powers of concentration.
It also helps us to develop an innate feeling for the relative proportions of what we are drawing. Kimon Nicolaides stresses we shouldn’t try to get the the proportions right, but with practice the skill develops.
It is not always easy, but I like the marks I am creating. There is nothing timid or fussy about them. When you look at a Contour Drawing the marks look intentional. It looks like some crazy artist is deliberately trying to make a point by messing with our perceptions.
I’ve dug out a sketch of a running shoe from last year to compare with a recent Contour Drawing.
At the time, I was pleased with the sketch, but now I prefer the contour drawing because it seems more energetic and expressive.
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Running Shoe
17 June 2010
Graphite Pencil on Paper
21cm x 30cm (8.25" x 11.75") |
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| My Right Shoe Contour Drawing - 15 January 2011 Graphite Pencil on Paper (Contrast Digitally Enhanced) 35.5cm x 38cm (14" x 15") |
Hi!
ReplyDeleteThanks for documenting your experience with The Natural Way to Draw through this blog. I'm getting my supplies together and am not sure what an eyeshade is as referred to in the list of supplies for exercise one. Is a type of blinder attached to one's pencil such as a folder with a hole in the middle of it? Or something else entirely?
Hi,
DeleteSorry for the delay in replying – I have been away on vacation.
Thank you for asking this question. I had completely forgotten about the instruction to wear an eyeshade. I agree with Jamato’s comment on http://www.naturalwaytodraw.com/2011/03/essential-art-supplies-for-natural-way.html. I think an eyeshade is a visor to keep the sun and other overhead light out of your eyes – like the bill of a baseball cap.
I haven’t tried using an eyeshade, but now you’ve reminded me I will give it a try.
All the best with the exercises,
Mark
Hi, and thank you for your diary!
ReplyDeleteI know this is necro-posting if there ever was one, but maybe you can help me with a doubt I have...
I have just started the book, but after finishing the exercises in session 1A, I can't find when the exercises 1B should be done: the book skips to 1C... Is that an oversight? What did you do?
Thank you again!
Riccardo
Hi Riccardo,
DeleteIts a long time since I looked at The Natural Way to Draw.
The version of the book I used had a table at the start of each Section describing the work to be done in each of the 5 sessions: A,B,C,D and E.
I've just added a page (https://learningtodrawlearningtosee.blogspot.com/p/the-natural-way-to-draw-example-schedule.html) showing the table from Session 1 as an example and explaining how I interpreted the table.
I hope this helps and best wishes in your undertaking - its a lot of work.
Thank you for your reply, Mark!
ReplyDeleteI actually have all the schedules in the book, I was only puzzled that exercise B of schedule 1 is never mentioned in the book (the author never writes "now stop and do 1B") which is was my question. Well... I'll do that part at the end of the seession.
Last thing, since I got your attention (thank you again for the prompt answer!): I'm not reading all your posts about the "natural way" as I don't want to spoil my journey (I'll probably read each post as I progress): it's a lot of work, granted, but in the end, was is it worth it?
Cheers!
Hi Riccardo, I see exactly what you mean. I had forgotten Kimon usually tells you in the text when to do the sessions. I'm pretty sure I would have done schedule 1B at the point where he say's do schedule 1C.
ReplyDeleteThe question "Was it worth it?" is complex. I've wondered if someone would ask me that. For me, it was definitely worth it, the book helped me to learn about a lot more than drawing. It changed my appreciation of art and my attitudes to life and work. It is just what I needed. But, I don't think it is the quickest way to learn how to draw.
Very interestingly (if ambiguous) answer :)
ReplyDeleteWell, no other way to find out other than to do it, then... Anyway, I'm also following in parallel a course of "observational drawing": I'm really curious to see if/how the two courses will synergize!.
Thank you very much again for your replay and your blog!
Cheers!