Every week in figure drawing I teach a different drawing approach. Today was straight line measures; which always feels to beginners like they’re getting tangled up in bicycle spokes, but it’s invaluable and even relaxing for returning students. The basic idea of straight line measures is that you use straight lines to measure out the form – even a curved form. I realize how insane it sounds to draw a curved object with straight lines, but straight lines help you get the proportional sizes and angles of a subject with more accuracy than squishy swirvy curved lines. Take a look at this demo gif by Keith Pfieffer, sent to me after class:
Keith Pfeiffer
Keith took four straight lines, subdivided each of those four lines into smaller lines to hone in on the angles, and was able to quickly and accurately describe a curved form. Straight line measures are not the only way to draw, but I tend to use this method when I want to get the angles and proportions right, or make sure I can size the thing properly on the page.
Lendy’s homework sketches; playing with shape, motif, and value
Now that you know how to draw a pear, you can play with tone. Last week I had lessons that showed how value contrast changes the way a viewer looks at a scene. One of the homework challenges was to draw the same composition several times, changing the tones in each. Lendy did a high key, mid key, and low key version of a pear. Quite lovely. The high key pear suffered some bumps and bruises as she tried to figure out how to draw the surface. It looked much better after the eraser turned the once-dark areas into a smokey silvery texture, leaving small remnants of dark here and there.
Pear sketch by Lendy Hensley, High KeyPear sketch by Lendy Hensley, Mid KeyPear sketch by Lendy Hensley, Low Key
There you have it. That’s how to draw a pear. Tune in tomorrow for the banana demo!
Ruthie V. Some Pretty Paintings A collection of figures and flowers in paintings and prints Artist talk Saturday at 3:30pm (TODAY!) yak yak yak yak juxtaposition yak yak yak sexy flowers yak yak yak Opening Reception to follow 5:00-7:00pm Show open through January 27, 2019 Smith & Vallee Gallery 5742 Gilkey Ave, Edison (360) 766-6230 Open Daily …
Pierre Bonnard was an avid sketcher, filling countless sketchbooks and scraps of paper with drawings he would later peruse for painting inspiration when in his studio. From a previous V. Note: Bonnard did not paint from direct observation. He said he felt ‘weak in front of nature. …The presence of the object, the motif, is …
Sometimes I work on a painting for hours, only to look down and realize my palette is the most beautiful thing in the room. Artist’s Paint Palettes by Matthias Schaller Article and photo source: Kate Sierzputowski Palette of Marc Chagall Since 2007 photographer Matthias Schaller has photographed raw, abstract paintings. The paintings however are not found on …
Exercise your creativity This SAL Challenge is a vocabulary based creative challenge every day for January. Materials are artist’s choice. You can draw, paint, sew, collage, sculpt your food, anything you want. See below for today’s creative challenge. Set the timer for 20 minutes and see what happens. INCOMPREHENSIBILITIES Difficult or impossible to understand or …
How to Draw a Pear
Every week in figure drawing I teach a different drawing approach. Today was straight line measures; which always feels to beginners like they’re getting tangled up in bicycle spokes, but it’s invaluable and even relaxing for returning students. The basic idea of straight line measures is that you use straight lines to measure out the form – even a curved form. I realize how insane it sounds to draw a curved object with straight lines, but straight lines help you get the proportional sizes and angles of a subject with more accuracy than squishy swirvy curved lines. Take a look at this demo gif by Keith Pfieffer, sent to me after class:
Keith took four straight lines, subdivided each of those four lines into smaller lines to hone in on the angles, and was able to quickly and accurately describe a curved form. Straight line measures are not the only way to draw, but I tend to use this method when I want to get the angles and proportions right, or make sure I can size the thing properly on the page.
Now that you know how to draw a pear, you can play with tone. Last week I had lessons that showed how value contrast changes the way a viewer looks at a scene. One of the homework challenges was to draw the same composition several times, changing the tones in each. Lendy did a high key, mid key, and low key version of a pear. Quite lovely. The high key pear suffered some bumps and bruises as she tried to figure out how to draw the surface. It looked much better after the eraser turned the once-dark areas into a smokey silvery texture, leaving small remnants of dark here and there.
There you have it. That’s how to draw a pear. Tune in tomorrow for the banana demo!
Pearable:
Why did the pear go out with a prune?
Because he couldn’t find a date.
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