Chapter 1-7: Introduction to Drawing and Painting - Vocabulary Flashcards

Continuous Line Drawing

• Purpose: practice drawing by moving eye along the edge of your model’s hand while your pen follows, keeping the pen on paper at all times. Focus is on looking at the edge changes (angles, wrinkles, curves) and recording what you see rather than what you think it should look like.
• Setup tips:
  • Place your object on the same paper to reduce confusion, but rely on what you see rather than how you think it should appear.
  • Choose a starting point on one side of the model with ample page space.
  • Start moving your eye along the edge of the model and begin to move the pen simultaneously; do not take your camera off the page.
  • Look for direction changes and small details as you go; you may rest but keep the pen on the page.
  • You may need to double back over the same line to maintain continuous line drawing.
  • If you lose focus on the model, you risk a “takeover” by mental image rather than observation; the goal is to observe and draw what you see, not what you think you see.
• Techniques and cautions:
  • Do not look away from your model; if you must, glance at the paper and keep the pen moving.
  • You can adjust by returning to earlier portions to refine or correct mistakes, but the line should remain continuous.
  • This method emphasizes recording outer edges and any visible interior lines as you go.
• Reflection prompts:
  • How does viewing the edge of the hand change as you trace it? What micro-changes in direction occur at joints or wrinkles?
  • How does maintaining a continuous line affect your perception of accuracy and interpretation of form?

Gesture Drawing

• Purpose: capture the essence, energy, and movement of a subject quickly; a quick way to jot down ideas and convey motion.
• Key concepts:
  • Lines of action: the main line describing the pose’s angle and movement; used to convey energy and weight.
  • Gesture lines show the subject’s movement and pose, not detailed anatomy.
  • Gesture drawing is often used for figures and can be applied to objects to convey energy.
• Traditional approach (two parts):
  • First, attempt to capture the whole object quickly (the first ten seconds) to get the general shape and movement on the page.
  • Identify movement lines through or around the object; consider weight and volume as if you could feel the form by running a hand over it.
  • Build the drawing with lines that indicate mass and balance; use a few lines to show the essential pose.
• Practical technique tips:
  • Draw with the shoulder and move the entire arm to create fluid, energetic lines (not just the wrist).
  • For objects, capture the essential gesture with minimal lines; for figures, establish the pose with a line of action and then block in joints and forms.
  • Start with the line of action from the head down to a leg (or other anchor) to establish the movement and balance.
• Quick exercise (30 seconds each):
  • Draw quick gestures of an object in different positions (e.g., a cylinder, a hand, a face) focusing on the main motion lines and the energy they convey.
  • Compare the gesture drawing of an object versus a figure to see how the same principles apply (line of action, energy, balance).
• Blocking and building the figure:
  • After lines of action, block in joints and primary shapes (hips, shoulders, knees) to establish mass and pose.
  • Add in subtle details that convey personality, posture, and tension.
  • If time allows, add clothing or accessories as extra details on top of the core gesture base.
• Practice philosophy:
  • Always study from life to understand form and movement and then apply these insights to your own characters.
  • This approach helps explain why gesture drawing is used in comic art to convey action and energy quickly.

Life Drawing and Figure Gesture – Process Overview

• Line of action as the primary descriptive line for a pose: start with this line, then block in the head and body.
• Assess weight and balance: determine which leg or part of the body bears weight and how the counterbalance occurs.
• Use long, flowing lines to capture the pose’s energy and personality; avoid over-detailing in early gestures.
• Approach for the two posed figures explained in-session:
  • Pose 1: establish line of action, tilt of the torso, and weight on the supporting leg; define the leaning, weighted energy.
  • Pose 2: emphasize the leg on the wall, balance between the legs, tilt of the head, and the counterbalance of the torso.
• Summary concepts:
  • Gesture drawing is about movement and essential lines, not detail.
  • Your base structure uses line of action, joints within shapes, and hip sockets to establish form quickly.
  • If time allows, add-shots of the shirt, arm, and other details after the base gesture is established.

Summary of Painting: Materials, Surfaces, and Mediums

• Painting as an extension of drawing:
  • Painting adds layers, thickness, texture, depth, and realism that drawing may not easily reproduce.
  • Painting requires specific materials and surface preparation (support, sizing, primer) to prevent absorption and damage.
• Core terms:
  • Sizing: a preparatory layer that seals the support (canvas, wood, etc.) to reduce absorbency; often made from liquid clay, wax, or glue.
  • Primer (Gesso): a modern equivalent to sizing that provides a smooth, toothy surface for paint to adhere to.
• Common similarities and differences between painting and drawing in context of the course:
  • In many Western traditions, drawing and painting are treated as distinct; in East Asia, painting and calligraphy share tools and techniques and may be less strictly separated.
• The three essential ingredients of paint:
  • Pigment: colorant, usually ground into powder; can be natural or synthetic.
  • Binder: the sticky substance that holds pigment particles together.
  • Vehicle (Medium): the liquid that makes the paint flow; as more binder and pigment are added, the mixture can become thinner and allow lighter, more transparent layers.
• Basic historical order of paints (oldest to newer):
  • Watercolor (oldest; nontoxic; pigment + gum arabic; uses water; dries on paper; very light and quick to apply)
  • Fresco (true fresco vs fresco secco; pigment + water applied to wet lime plaster)
  • Encaustic (pigment + beeswax; wax can be melted and adjusted; ancient Near East origins; mummy portraits)
  • Tempera (pigment + egg yolk binder; common in medieval Europe; eggs as binder; cracks with drying on flexible supports)
  • Oil (pigment + oil binder; Flemish refinement in the 15th century; glazing and impasto techniques; versatile for depth and texture)
  • Acrylic (20th century; binder is acrylic polymer; fast-drying; can be transparent or opaque; can be layered and glazed; versatile for vivid colors)
• Painting supports and preparation:
  • Sizing is often applied before priming; acrylics and many modern supports may skip sizing due to pre-primed surfaces.
  • Gesso is a common primer used to provide a ready-to-paint surface and improve paint adhesion.
• Watercolor details:
  • Oldest paint; non-toxic; pigment + gum arabic (tree sap) with water as the vehicle.
  • More water yields lighter, more transparent washes; the pigment reactivates when wet, so layering is about controlling wetness and absorption.
  • Highlights often rely on the white of the paper since watercolor paints do not include white pigment; gouache (chalky white paint) can be added to achieve highlights.
• Notable example: Winslow Homer’s Boys Waiting (1873):
  • Watercolor technique with layered washes; deeper colors near the boat due to less water and more pigment.
  • Subtle highlights achieved by paper exposure rather than paint in some areas.
• Visual distinction and cross-comparisons:
  • The same artwork can be identified as drawing or painting by the media used; the line between drawing and painting is a cultural distinction in the West; Asia historically blends both.
• Fresco detailed workflow (Giotto period/Renaissance technique):
  • Aritzio (rough plaster layer) applied with lime and sand ratio 1:3; dried for 1–2 days.
  • Intonaco (thin, smooth plaster) applied; days of work are divided into giornata (day’s work) blocks.
  • Giornata preparation details: cartoon traced on animal skin glue; holes punched through the cartoon; pigment passed through holes to transfer drawing onto plaster.
  • Verdaccio (greenish monochrome base) used to establish tonal values; white highlights added later; other colors introduced while plaster remains workable.
  • Water content must be carefully managed; plaster must be workable for roughly 9–12 hours before it becomes too hard.
  • The chemical bond formed between water, lime, and pigment creates a durable final surface that is resistant to moisture and provides a protective layer.
• Large fresco example referenced: Raphael’s School of Athens (described as a large fresco with perspective accuracy, including a female observer in the scene).
• Encaustic details:
  • Pigment suspended in beeswax; wax can be melted and applied in layers; historic use in ancient Near East and Roman periods; wax portraits on mummies illustrate this technique.
• Tempera details:
  • Egg yolk binder; used by Greeks and Romans and developed in the medieval period; dries quickly and can crack on flexible supports; modern tempera recipes differ from the original.
• Oil painting: key points and examples
  • Oil paint is the most popular Western painting medium due to its versatility: slow drying time enables blending and glazing; thin and thick applications possible (thin for glazes, thick for impasto).
  • Early technique development by Flemish artists in the 15th century; examples include works around 1433–1434 (noted for highly textured surfaces and jewel-like details).
  • Some artists used tempera ground to prevent absorption before applying oil layers (oil over tempera base).
  • Glazing: a thin, transparent layer of color used to create depth and color interaction with underlying tones.
  • Impasto: thickly applied paint that stands out from the surface, creating texture and physical depth.
  • Notable artists discussed: Rembrandt (realistic metallic effects; detailed textures), Vincent van Gogh (textured impasto; expressive surface), and Gerhard Richter (exploration of technique; blurred and varied edge treatments; foiling realism with abstraction).
• Acrylic painting: modern techniques and examples
  • Binder: acrylic polymer; dries quickly and can appear plastic or glossy when dry.
  • Acrylics are versatile, can be diluted with water to create washes or used in thick impasto with proper mediums.
  • Bright, sheer colors and modern approaches: Yun Hee Min’s Into the Sun showcases bright, transparent layers achieved by pouring paint and using a squeegee for even layers; this creates thin, translucent, weathered surfaces.
  • Another described approach involves using non-traditional supports (e.g., silk screen as a support) to demonstrate brush stroke traces and motion as memory embedded in layers.
• Cross-medium observations and practical implications:
  • The choice of medium affects texture, layering, drying time, and the ability to render light and depth.
  • Artists often combine media or switch between historical and contemporary techniques to achieve specific effects.
• Reflections and takeaways:
  • Painting enables a broad range of expression, from hyper-realistic to strongly abstract through technique and surface treatment.
  • Understanding the history of each medium helps in selecting appropriate tools and processes for desired outcomes.
  • The course emphasizes both the practical steps (preparation, materials, and methods) and the philosophical/critical context (how media influence perception and meaning).

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Quick Reference: Notable Terms and Concepts

• Line of action: the main, sweeping line that captures the pose or movement; used to structure gesture drawings.
• Verdaccio: a monochrome underpainting tone used in fresco to establish tonal values before color applying.
• Giornata: a day’s work in fresco painting; specific sections painted before the plaster dries.
• Arizizio (aritzio): rough plaster layer used in the fresco process.
• Intonaco: the final, smooth plaster layer prepared for pigment.
• Glaze: a thin, transparent layer of color used to build depth and tonal richness.
• Impasto: thickly applied paint that stands out from the surface.
• Trompe l'oeil: deceive-the-eye technique to create the illusion of three-dimensional depth.
• Sizing and Gesso: surface preparation processes to control absorbency and provide a painting-ready surface.
• Pigment, Binder, Vehicle: the three core components of paint; pigments provide color, binder holds pigment together, vehicle (medium) controls flow and viscosity.
• Historical media order: Watercolor → Fresco (buon fresco and fresco secco) → Encaustic → Tempera → Oil → Acrylic.
• Notable artists and examples mentioned: Winslow Homer (Boys Waiting, 1873), Diego Rivera (fresco practices), Giotto period fresco techniques, Raphael (School of Athens), Jan van Eyck (illustrative of oil technique and texture), Vincent van Gogh (impasto), Rembrandt (realism), Gerhard Richter (technique exploration), Yun Hee Min (Into the Sun).