Gesture Drawing

Notes & Exercises with Pencil Day 1 Notes & Exercises with Pencil

Elements of Art Line – the path of a moving point through space.

Principles of Design Rhythm – visual movement created by the repetition of elements or objects

Principles of Design Contrast – technique used to create a focal point by using differences in elements.

Principles of Design Visual Movement – creates the look and feeling of action, and guides a viewer’s eyes through a work of art

Additional Vocabulary Overlapping – when part of one object covers another

Additional Vocabulary Gesture Line – sketchy lines that capture movement.

Gesture Drawing Gesture drawing is many things: A way to “see” A drawing technique An exercise A purposeful scribble A finished style Gesture drawing trains the hands to quickly sketch what the brain has already seen. It helps you learn to become better at drawing!

Gesture Drawing – 5 Steps Draw lightly – gesture drawing is done in light layers Draw quickly – keep looking from your object to your paper. Don’t think about it.

Gesture Drawing – 5 Steps Constant movement – keep your pencil moving Outline – create a gesture outline / silhouette first, then focus on details  No Erasing – Erasing breaks focus and wastes time. Draw over or ignore mistakes.

Adding Shadows Think of the first layer as your rough draft. Once you have the basic outline/silhouette, add a second layer for contrast, and a third layer for deep shadows.

Gesture Drawing Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRTqpJMs98E

Exercises #1 – Timed Pencil Drawings Take a piece of newsprint and fold it in half 4 times (makes 16 boxes) Write your name in a top corner. In each box, you will draw an object using gesture lines. You will have 30 seconds to complete each drawing. Remember: Draw lightly, draw quickly, keep moving.

Exercise #2 – Gesture Drawing Figures Gesture lines are a great way to capture movement. On your newsprint, draw the paused figures from the videos below using gesture lines. Again, your drawings will be timed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjW8wmF5VWc https://vimeo.com/43303569

Project Prep in Pen & Watercolor Day 2 Project Prep in Pen & Watercolor

Project Prep Fold your paper into 4ths. With watercolor paint, and using broad brush strokes, paint in the general outline of 8 different objects (one in each section) Once the watercolor has dried, use a black ink pen to create a gesture drawing on top of the watercolor. Don’t worry about your color being outside of the lines. Each of these paintings/drawings will be timed!

Day 3 Final Project

Final Project Pick 4 of your gesture drawings from last class and cut them out On manila paper, sketch a table or surface in sharpie Crumple the paper up and apply a light coat of watercolor. Once the manila paper has dried, arrange your 4 gesture drawings in an overlapping still life composition and glue them down.