Carol Sun Sketchbook: August 2009

Welcome Students!

Hello and welcome to my art class!

This blog was set up to help you successfully complete your sketchbook assignments. It contains: sketchbook lists, drawing tips, worksheets, classical drawings to copy and deadlines.

Every student in my class is required to complete a set of sketchbook assignments based on drawing from observation. Drawing from observation is sketching an image of what is exactly in front of you. It is drawing objects, people, places from life and not based on one's own imagination. It is really looking closely at something and learning how it is put together and how to interpret what you see onto a piece of paper.

Good drawing from observation is a skill everyone can learn. It requires practice and focus. Some of you have a "talent" for art and some of you may feel you are not so blessed with this gift. But in any case, it is possible for both kinds of artists to improve their drawing.

So work hard and be open to this challenge. I guarantee if you follow my directions and do all your assignments, your drawing from observation will improve quickly!

Happy drawing!

WHY is drawing from observation important?

Every brilliant artist, designer, inventor or scientist can sketch an image to communicate their concept. Even in business today, visually communicating an idea really can help sell an idea.

Drawing from observation will train you to be able to take what you see in front of you and translate it into a image others will understand. Drawing from observation shows that you understand how to interpret the world around you. It also will help you better illustrate what is in your imagination since you can use real world references to support your ideas.

If you are planning to attend a professional art or design college (to study art, game design, comics, animation, illustration, fashion, photography, architecture, product design or graphic design) you will be required to submit an "admission portfolio". A big part of this admission portfolio is drawing from observation. You will be required to submit high level original drawings from observation in a sketchbook and several large format drawings.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Resources

In this section you will find images of famous classical drawings and drawing lessons worksheets.

You are welcome to use any of these images or worksheets as inspiration, as reference or to "copy".

INSPIRATION
- Discover what is a good composition for this kind of subject
- Understand what kinds of subjects or objects can be represented in a drawing

REFERENCE
- By looking carefully at drawing one can understand how the artist created the drawing
- See how famous artists used drawing to represent an idea or present a situation

COPY
- If you are new to drawing or want to learn a particular technique quickly, you may prefer to learn by "copying" another drawing.
- Try to use the same media and technique as in the original image
- Remember you can only include 5 copy drawings in your sketchbook per semester.

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TO ENLARGE AN IMAGE
Click on image

TO PRINT IMAGE
Go to your toolbar and select "File, followed by selecting "Print".