Oakton College - Drawing Demo: How to Begin a Drawing (Still Life Setup + Quick Gesture)

Gesture Variables Involved in this Exercise: Speed – Fast Pressure – Very Light Grip – Drawing (Overhand) Grip, not a Writing (Tripod) Grip Joint Use – Mostly Shoulder Line Quality – Long, Single Lines Completion – Work on all parts of the drawing in “passes” Observation – Look at the subject 75% of the time or more Materials needed: 18"x24" newsprint paper One stick of willow or vine charcoal Artist Chamois Kneaded Eraser For this exercise, a really complex still life works best. I recommend using plants, dolls, toys, or large items from the kitchen. It really depends on what you have at home. Have fun with the setup! Once you are ready, you'll make some quick, gestural drawings. Look at the objects directly. Do not use a photograph as your drawing reference—it will prevent you from learning. Each gesture drawing should take about 15 seconds to complete, but up to 1 minute is fine.