Life Drawing in Charcoal

by Douglas R. Graves

Overview

"The guidance to be found within these covers reflects the author's inspired ability as a teacher and artist of the highest magnitude. It is probably the finest book on the subject of drawing the human form that I have ever seen." — Irving Shapiro, A.W.S., Director, American Academy of Art
This unique guide offers a bold, innovative approach to drawing from life. Instead of teaching the traditional method of building up a drawing from lines, leaving mass and tone till later, noted art instructor Douglas R. Graves takes precisely the opposite tack. The student is encouraged to begin seeing and thinking in terms of tonal masses immediately. This approach enables students to draw quickly and accurately without the need for a line drawing first. The author compares it to learning to "paint" with charcoal.
Step-by-step demonstrations and over 200 of the author's own drawings offer inspiration and practical guidance in the technique. You'll learn how to "see" tonal quality, how to key a drawing, how to translate color into black and white, and valuable techniques for keeping the figure from looking "stiff." Other topics include the role of alignment in achieving proper proportions, foreshortening, male and female figure distinctions, the use of modeling to achieve added dimension, drawing the face, positioning the figure, and many other aspects of life drawing.
For students of drawing — beginner to expert — this book is an invaluable guide not just to drawing from life but to the essential principles of observation, composition, and draftsmanship that underlie all successful drawing and painting. It belongs in the library of every artist. For this edition, the author has revised previous chapters and added a new one on "Different Modes of Charcoal."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780486134062
Publisher:	Dover Publications
Publication date:	04/02/2012
Series:	Dover Art Instruction
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	176
File size:	37 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Douglas R. Graves

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction PROJECT 1. Materials and Exercises Charcoal Erasers Blenders Paper Fixative Exercises PROJECT 2. Seeing Tonal Quality Single Light Effect Tones and Their Relationships Learning to See the Tonal World PROJECT 3. The Difference Between Lines and Edges A New Way to Observe Defining Terms Using the Middle Tone PROJECT 4. Objects As They Are Lifting Out Lights Thinking About What You See The Mind's Influence on the Eye PROJECT 5. The Traditional Use of Plaster Cast Figures Charcoal as a Study Medium Squinting to Compare Tones PROJECT 6. Keying A Drawing The Value Scale Value Keys Interpreting Tones and Their Values PROJECT 7. Translating Color to Black and White Judging Color Intensity and Tone Light and Shadow with Color PROJECT 8. Some Basic Figure Proportions Two Goals of Life Study Establishing Proportions Staying Loose and Free "PROJECT 9. Keeping The Figure From Looking "Stiff" Examining Parts of the Body "Movements of the Spine, Shoulders, and Hips" The Expression of Action PROJECT 10. Seeing Large Tonal Masses Mass Versus Detail Simple Statements in Tone Staying Within the Large Tone PROJECT 11. Allignments: Constructive Aids to Correct Proportions Checking Relationships by Alignment Aligning by Triangulation Using Lines for Construction Estimating Contour Angles PROJECT 12. The Recling Figure Using a Measuring Device Proportioning Problems PROJECT 13. Foreshortening Foreshortening as Body Perspective "Drawing What You "See" PROJECT 14. Idealization or Interpretation Copying the Figure Two Creative Directions PROJECT 15. Why Study Anatomy? The Burden of Anatomical Study "Seeing" First - Anatomy Second" PROJECT 16. Male and Female Figure Distinctions Comparison of Anatomical Differences Some Standard Proportions "Fat Deposits, Subcuaneous Prominences, and Hair" PROJECT 17. Negative Shapes Seeing Negative Shapes Using the Grid Tone Mosaics PROJECT 18. Two Sources of Light Values and Secondary Lights Reflected Light and Double Contrast Geometric Poses PROJECT 19. A Tour of the Life Class Working over the Whole Figure Seeing Larger Tone Masses Preconceptions and Figure Distortions Preoccupation with Detail Self-Concepts and Figure Relationships PROJECT 20. Controlling Edges Textural Qualities of Edges Making Hard and Soft Edges "PROJECT 21. Scupturing, Modeling, and Rhythm" Modeling for Added Dimension Rhythm and Composition Constant and Progressive Rhythms PROJECT 22. Movement and Muscles Controlled Falling The Moving Figure Arm and Leg Movements "PROJECT 23. Drawing the Face, Head, and Hands" Placement of Facial Details PROJECT 24. Different Modes of Charcoal Rendering PROJECT 25. Composing a Figure On a Page PROJECT 26. Mass Drawing in Fast Action Poses Warming-up with Quick Sketches Contour and Gesture Sketches Making Lines with Tonal Media PROJECT 27. Line Drawing: A Bonus from the Mass Approach Expressing Light and Shadow in Line Tonal Drawing as a Step to Line A Final Word Index