Drawing Practice
Daily drawing practice is something that really advances our skills more than we could ever realize. With just an hour a day we can advance further than in hundreds of works, using the building blocks and strategies Vilpuu referred to as “Tools“. This guideline was pulled together from various techniques and ChatGPT, edited into this form. I’ll show you my drawing practice and how it works. This is an evolving document.
First, we begin the session by working with line, really focusing on control and ability to connect two points in space. Draw two dots, close or far apart, then draw a line between them, and do this for two minutes, taking breaks to rest if you need to. Experiment with both drawing with the hand and drawing from the shoulder for larger shapes and lines. Mastering both will allow you to focus on detail and expression and flow in multiple forms.
Next move to a series of shapes, triangles, watch how your hand and mind coordinate. They are only separate by philosophy, connect both and your ability to translate into drawing, which is like a physical thinking process, becomes much more subtle. Experiment with 3D and 2D shapes, both isometric and with distortion.
Same image as above, blended with the blend tool.
Then move to shading, experimenting with contrast and lighting, I work with several approaches, using spheres both from the hand and the shoulder, experimenting with raw pencils and then blending or carefully making the shadow shifts through the lightness or firmness of the digital pen or pencil
Then move to gesture drawing, with two minute poses from reference. There are a variety of sites that have timers and references, as well as Pinterest and Image searching.
Remember, in all of this, use active drawing to really begin to understand the process and investigate on your own. These are my practices, pulled and synthesized from research across the web and AI.
Active drawing research refers to an investigative process in which artists and researchers use drawing as a method to explore, understand, and experiment with concepts, ideas, or phenomena. It combines the practical act of drawing with a reflective or theoretical framework, where the focus is on the research process itself rather than just producing finished artworks. It is commonly used in fine arts, design, and other creative fields as a way to engage deeply with both visual and intellectual inquiries.
Key Aspects of Active Drawing Research:
Process-Oriented: Active drawing research emphasizes the ongoing, dynamic process of drawing rather than just the final product. It involves exploring different techniques, styles, and materials as part of the research journey.
Reflective: The research is often accompanied by critical thinking and reflection. Artists actively think about what their drawing practice reveals about their subject matter, the drawing process itself, or broader ideas related to art, design, and creativity.
Explorative and Experimental: It’s a method of exploration, where the artist might experiment with different media, forms, and approaches to drawing to generate new insights. It often leads to unexpected results or new directions in the artist’s work.
Contextual and Theoretical Engagement: Active drawing research may engage with theories or frameworks from art history, cultural studies, philosophy, or even science, depending on the focus. Artists and researchers use drawing not only as a creative act but also as a way to critically engage with ideas.
Documentation and Analysis: The drawing process is often documented and analyzed as part of the research. Sketchbooks, notes, and iterative works may serve as a record of the evolving thoughts and ideas. These artifacts can be studied to uncover patterns, progress, or shifts in thinking.
Examples of Active Drawing Research:
Exploring Concepts: An artist may use drawing to investigate abstract concepts like time, memory, or identity, developing visual representations through the act of drawing and reflecting on how these representations evolve.
Material Exploration: Artists might engage in active research by experimenting with various materials (e.g., charcoal, ink, digital tools) to study how different media affect the outcomes and emotional qualities of the drawings.
Scientific Research and Drawing: In some cases, active drawing research might cross into scientific fields, where drawing is used to understand complex structures or phenomena. For instance, a biologist may use drawing to study plant anatomy, or an architect might sketch to develop and analyze spatial relationships.
Benefits of Active Drawing Research:
Insight Generation: It allows for the discovery of new ideas and solutions through the act of drawing itself, offering insights that might not emerge through verbal or written research alone.
Visual Thinking: Drawing as a form of research enhances visual thinking, allowing researchers to externalize abstract ideas and see relationships, structures, and forms more clearly.
Embodied Knowledge: The act of drawing connects the hand and the mind, helping researchers to develop a more embodied understanding of the subject they are exploring.
In essence, active drawing research is a method that combines making with thinking, where drawing becomes both the means of investigation and a form of knowledge production. It is particularly useful for artists and designers who wish to explore complex ideas visually and conceptually.