1. Gesture Drawing

2. Notes & Exercises with Pencil
Day 1
Notes & Exercises with Pencil

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

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

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

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

7. Additional Vocabulary
Overlapping – when part of one object covers another

8. Additional Vocabulary
Gesture Line – sketchy lines that capture movement.

9. 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!

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. Gesture Drawing Video

14. 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.

15. 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.

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

17. 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!

18. Day 3
Final Project

19. 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.