Week 4

Shell Contour, Practice Drawing

This week we were assigned our first shell homework assignment. We practiced in class by creating contour line drawings of our shells. The objective is to make the planar shifts within the shell very clear to the viewer. Creating volume with line is also important. I enjoyed studying the forms in my shell and discovering new shapes and forms that I had not noticed before. However, it is also difficult because my shell has some very complex structures and sometimes I get lost while navigating through the shell and lose track of where I am and what I have drawn. I think this will be an important obstacle to overcome in my future drawings. It was also difficult for me to illustrate the roundness in my shell with only line. I have been so trained to show volume through value and shading that it might take a few tries for my brain to understand the shift in process.

Relative Measurement Drawing

We also learned a new technique called relative measurement. I struggled with this technique, because what my brain wanted to tell me was different from what my eyes were telling me. I try to keep in mind an excellent piece of advice given to me by my dad: "draw what you see, not what you know" however, that is easier said than done! This technique was supposed to help with that battle, however I think it will take some more practice for me. We were to draw what we saw, or what we thought we saw, and then measure the angles in relation to other angles or landmarks on the body and make corrections. I think this is a good technique to master and use when drawing, especially for long poses, however I think it is going to take more practice before it becomes helpful to me.