Category: Study

What is a viewfinder frame? it is an adjustable see-through frame which allows you to examine a potential drawing subject from different viewpoints. It helps you compose your drawing by removing distracting clutter from view. It reminded me of filmmaker characters I’ve seen on TV, who use a “finger frame” (thumb and forefinger on each hand joined into a rectangle) to picture a scene from different angles.

Composition is an important element of drawing – it is the arrangement of various facets of your subject within the drawing space. A strong composition brings the attention of the viewer to what you consider to be the most important elements in your drawing. You can see how an adjustable viewfinder frame would be useful in helping you determine what makes a strong composition.

The process is very simple – cut two identical L-shaped cardboard pieces and join with paperclips to create a square or rectangular frame. Small frames are ideal for drawing from photographs, while larger frames are generally used for drawing subjects from life.

In this exercise Brenda draws from a photograph, and demonstrates how she uses a frame to help compose the subject, and a grid to help her keep track of where she is working as she draws. She also reduces some of the shading values in her drawing to lessen the distraction from the focal point in her drawing (in this case, a child’s face).

I shall see if I can find a suitable photo and have a go at this myself.

Next lesson is B01 – Positive and Negative Spaces
http://www.drawspace.com/lessons/lesson.php?id=b01

Jo and I are doing this online drawing course together. It is located at Drawspace.com and produced from lessons created by Brenda Hoddinott.

There is a common theme throughout Brenda’s lessons – drawing doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby. I guess the expense of art supplies is what turns a lot of people off.

In this lesson Brenda describes making your own portfolio – or folder – to safely store paper and drawings. She uses inexpensive cardboard, duct tape and string for handles.

She stresses the importance of using acid-free cardboard, to avoid damage to your masterpieces. “Drawings can be ruined when papers and boards with acid, deteriorate and turn yellow.”

A nice, easy lesson!

What? No A06! Next lesson is A07 – Making and Using a Viewfinder Frame
http://www.drawspace.com/lessons/lesson.php?id=a07

Jo and I are doing this online drawing course together. It is located at Drawspace.com and produced from lessons created by Brenda Hoddinott.

Drawing space.. that would be my desk, once I clear off the books and notes from my uni course. Surveying the clutter of my house I cannot really see much alternative! I rather like the position of my desk, in the corner of the house adjacent to the window overlooking the back veranda, the yard and the road running along our property. Plenty of natural light and it is reasonably quiet here (when I’m not taking phone calls), but it is cluttered. There is a cupboard shelf which takes up half the desk space! I really would like a larger working surface, some re-organisation is called for I think.

Kitting up for drawing outside? Hmm.. I can’t picture myself carting around an easel and knapsack full of drawing materials just yet. So maybe for the time being I will stick to my desk.

Next lesson is A05 – Making a portfolio
http://www.drawspace.com/lessons/lesson.php?id=a05

Jo and I are doing this online drawing course together. It is located at Drawspace.com and produced from lessons created by Brenda Hoddinott.

In today’s lesson Brenda provides an overview of the wide range of drawing supplies available to the artist.

At the beginner level (that would be ME) Brenda says we can get by simply with paper, pencils and a good eraser. She recommends a few different grades of paper (the best quality we can afford, and experiment to find the grade/s we prefer to draw on), and a few grades of graphite (lead pencil).

Something I didn’t know – the softer the lead, the darker the value. Pencils range from 6H (hardest) through to HB, to 8B (softest). Brenda recommends a range of H and B grade pencils to begin with – such as H2, HB, B2, B4 and B6.

Some other drawing supplies include different media such as crayons, charcoal and chalk. Tools for blending shaded areas to produce smooth graduation of values, tools for sharpening pencils and a hard case portfolio to keep drawings safe from crumpled corners!

Next lesson is A04 – Creating your own drawing space
http://www.drawspace.com/lessons/lesson.php?id=a04

Jo and I are doing this online drawing course together. It is located at Drawspace.com and produced from lessons created by Brenda Hoddinott.

In this lesson we look at the myths surrounding art and artists. Brenda talks about the common perception of talent as something that is inherent, when in fact it is a skill that must be nurtured and developed. It is this misunderstanding of the word that discourages people from thinking they can draw. She says “Talent is actually the self-discovery and acknowledgment that you possess the interest and motivation needed to become exceptional in a specific area”. So if you are interested in drawing and want to be good at it, apply yourself and soon you will be.

Drawing means something different to everyone. To me drawing is… creating an artistic representation of something in a way that conveys some sort of message, meaning or mood.

The joy of drawing is in the process, not the product. For a perfectionist this is a difficult thing to appreciate! But I know what she means, enjoying the act of finding meaning in something, taking pride from developing your skills. I think it is similar to the enjoyment I get from learning about HTML and CSS code for web pages, it is a real thrill to learn something and make it work.

Next lesson is A03 – Buying Drawing Supplies
http://www.drawspace.com/lessons/lesson.php?id=a03

Jo and I are doing this online drawing course together. It is located at Drawspace.com and produced from lessons created by Brenda Hoddinott.

Jo and I have decided to do an online drawing course together. It is located at Drawspace.com and produced from lessons created by Brenda Hoddinott. The plan is to be “study buddies” and work through each section at the same time so we can help each other and stay motivated through the course. I will be logging my thoughts and impressions here as I learn new things, and hopefully Jo will do the same on her Web site.

In our first lesson we are reading through Brenda’s beautifully illustrated glossary of drawing words and terms, who cheerfully introduces the topic with the word *talent* – “to find out what a talented person looks like, go look in the mirror!”

Some new terms I learned from this lesson:

1. Cast shadow – the dark section on an object or surface that receives little or no light (giving a 3D appearance). The values of a cast shadow are darkest next to the object and become gradually lighter farther away (I hadn’t noticed this before!).

2. Compound curve – used to describe the line created when a curve changes direction – think of the shape of the letter “s”.

3. Golden Mean – a precise composition devised by the ancient Greeks, based on the division of a rectangle into three triangles (also known as the Rule of Thirds).

4. Key – refers to the overall amount of light and dark values in a drawing. Low-key, dark drawings tend to be moody or ominous. High-key drawings are full of light and medium values rather than dark.

5. Negative space – refers to the background around or behind a drawing object (positive space ergo refers to the space occupied by a drawing object).

6. Nose wings – refer to the soft rounded shapes extending each side of the tip (or ball) of the nose; these lead down to the nostrils.

7. Reflected light – faint light reflected or bounced onto an object by those surfaces that are close to our surround it.

8. Squirkling – a method of shading using random circular scribble or squiggles.

9. Tooth – refers to the surface texture of a piece of paper, which can range from silky smooth to very coarse. The more “tooth” paper has, the rougher it feels to touch.

10. Values – are the different shades of gray created in a drawing by various means.

Well, I wasn’t expecting to learn much from this lesson but it seems I did. I am very pleased to learn that I do in fact have *wings* on my body, although they are not located precisely where I thought they would be!

Next lesson is Drawspace A02 – Understanding Talent.
http://www.drawspace.com/lessons/lesson.php?id=a02

Another drawing lesson site I might check out after: http://www.drawingcoach.com/