• Categories
• Dibujo
• Medios de arte, Arte y materiales
• Pinturas

Citation preview

Best of Drawing 2009 cover:Portrait Highlights cover

CRASH COURSE ON DRAWING PEOPLE

11/2/10

11:44 AM

Page C1

AMERICAN

MATERIALS MADE EA SY

ARTIST

®

The Best of

www.myAmericanArtist.com

Drawing

®

Learn the Secrets of

The Most Comprehensive Collection of Drawing Instruction Ever to Appear in Any Magazine!

52 ARTISTS More Than 150 Drawings from Top Draftsmen SUREFIRE TIPS & HELP For Dramatic Improvements

3-Part Drawing Course that trained Van Gogh

Strathmore Paper ad:best of drawing 2009

9/18/09

9:32 AM

Page C2

We care for artists and their environment. No need to compromise. We know that as a professional artist, you have always chosen the highest qualtity papers for your creations. You have also been green long before it became the latest trend. By selecting Strathmore®, you don’t need to choose between the two. We offer artists more choices in the finest quality art papers that are also kind to the environment.

Green is in our nature. You’ll find a longstanding tradition of environmental stewardship at Strathmore. From pioneering the industry’s first line of recycled artist papers in 1972, to today’s first line of artist papers manufactured with 100% certified renewable energy, we continue to develop the finest in eco-friendly products. And our support of environmental solutions does not compromise our paper performance, appearance, or price. It’s all part of our commitment to give you the greener choices you want, with all the Strathmore quality you’ve come to expect for more than 100 years.

Look for all of our environmentally friendly papers at fine art and craft stores. Windpower™ Energy

Recycled Materials

Tree-Friendly Fibers

Learn more about our “Greener Options in

Naturally

Fine Art Papers” at www.strathmoreartist.com ® used under license from Mohawk Fine Papers Inc.

Blick Colored Pencils ad:best of drawing 2009

9/18/09

9:36 AM

Page 1

huge selection of

colored pencils from the premier artists’ resource.

Prismacolor Faber-Castell Derwent Caran d’Ache Stabilo Cretacolor Koh-I-Noor Lyra Staedtler Blick and more at

DickBlick.com/ColoredPencils

Best SERVICE, Best SELECTION, Best PRICE DickBlick.com

800.828.4548

CATALOG • WEB • STORES

DRAW SIP 09 Contents:AA feature

9/18/09

2:45 PM

Page 2

AMERICAN

ARTIST The Best of

®

Drawing

®

M AT E R I A L S

Materials and Techniques of Renaissance Drawing by M. Stephen Doherty

6

Graphite: The Drawer’s Humble Tool by Bob Bahr

20

Custom and Handmade Paper by Bob Bahr

36

MASTE R S & APPROAC H E S

The Revival of an Influential Drawing Course by M. Stephen Doherty

44

Studying Drawing With Professor Eakins by Gerard Haggerty

58

THE FIGURE

The Human Form: How to Put It All Together by Dan Gheno

64

Representing a Studio Model in an Outdoor Setting by Sharon Allicotti

84

The Creative Possibilities of Draping a Model by Sharon Allicotti

86

Eleven Reasons to Attend Figure-Drawing Sessions by Sharon Allicotti

88

LANDSCAPES

Constable’s Sketchbooks by Lynne Bahr

96

44

Master Landscape Drawings: Evidence & Interpretation by M. Stephen Doherty

104

D R AW I N G F O R O T H E R M E D I A

From Drawing to Canvas by Joseph C. Skrapits

116

The Tradition of Drawing From Memory by Joseph C. Skrapits

124

Capturing the Muse: Drawings by Sculptors by Joseph C. Skrapits

132

Drawing Logic: Drawing for Sculpture by John Taye 88

20

142

DRAW SIP 09 Contents:AA feature

9/18/09

4:54 PM

Page 3

COVER

Bargue plate drawing by Jayme del Rosario, courtesy of Judith Pond Kudlow’s NYK Academy. Photo by Nathan Kraxberger

104 Copyright © 2009 by Interweave, a division of Aspire Media, all rights reserved. Title registered ® in U.S. Patent Office. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without consent of the copyright owner. American Artist The Best of Drawing is printed in the U.S.A.

124

36

64

96

132

DRAW SIP 09 Editor's Note:Editor's Note

9/18/09

2:52 PM

Page 4

AMERICAN

ARTIST

Editor’s Note

The Best of

Drawing

®

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Big Picture

M. Stephen Doherty

We’ve tried to present a wide range of articles in Drawing magazine over the last six years so that our readers could find stories in every issue that addressed their exact needs. To do so, we needed to space out articles on particular topics across several years—we may have to wait a while to run another article on landscape drawing, for example, if we are going to make an effort to present all the topics readers want covered. That’s why a special issue such as this one is so exciting—it allows us to group together previously published articles to create a very focused publication that’s a perfect fit for readers who want something specific from our artist-writers. The title of this publication is The Best of Drawing, but it may be better to think of this as a carefully curated overview of the drawing process. We went through all our issues of Drawing and chose articles that covered the essential areas of draftsmanship. We start with materials, the first thing a draftsman must have to begin. Our editor-in-chief, M. Stephen Doherty, fully explored the materials of the Renaissance and the artwork of a great Italian Renaissance draftsman, Parmigianino, to help readers understand Western drawing’s classical roots (page 6). I had much too much fun researching and writing the lengthy piece on graphite—arguably the most common drawing material of the modern world (page 22). A look at custom-made paper closes out that section (page 36). Two popular articles were chosen for the Masters & Approaches section— one on the Bargue drawing course, which Van Gogh utilized early in his career (page 44), and a look at American master Thomas Eakins’ systematic approach to draftsmanship (page 58). Drawing the figure is a practice that can immensely help artists from their beginning exercises to their dying day—we can express the breadth of human emotion and experience through depictions of the human body, a neverdepleted well of inspiration. Dan Gheno offers an overview of figure drawing in his piece (page 64), which was previously only available in a special issue published two years ago. Specific instruction on figure drawing from Sharon Allicotti (pages 84, 86, and 88) round out this section. Prehistoric artists depicted the land (and the beasts that inhabited it), and this subject matter has never left the draftsman’s repertoire. Lynne Bahr and Steve Doherty cover this aspect of drawing on pages 96 and 104. In many cases drawings of landscapes were done as preparatory work for paintings or other forms of art. The last section of this special issue addresses this function of drawing. You’ll find informative, instructional articles on drawing for sculpture (page 132), transferring drawings to another substrate (page 116), and honing your drawing skills through memory training (page 124). The Best of Drawing is, we hope, the best way to survey the essential aspects of draftsmanship through Drawing magazine’s lens—one that places an emphasis on traditional techniques, competence in key skills, and representational art as the ideal jumping off point for any kind of art you may choose to pursue.

MANAGING EDITOR

Brian F. Riley SENIOR EDITOR

Allison Malafronte ART DIRECTOR

James B. Bogner III ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Austin R. Williams (646) 841-0050 PROJECT MANAGER

Bob Bahr PUBLISHING PUBLISHER

David Pyle MEDIA SALES DIRECTOR

Jim McIntosh (513) 961-0034 MEDIA SALES MANAGER

Mary McLane (970) 290-6065 ONLINE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Karyn Meyer-Berthel AD TRAFFICKERS

Teresa Warren • Melissa Brown CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Bob Kaslik CIRCULATION MANAGER

Sheila Derrington WEB BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Tricia Gdowik MARKETING MANAGER

Annie Hartman Bakken PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Nancy M. Pollock PRODUCTION EDITOR

Nancy Arndt

FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR: CEO: PRESIDENT

Linda Ligon

Clay B. Hall

: Marilyn Murphy

CFO:

Troy Wells

VICE PRESIDENT, CONSUMER MARKETING:

Bob Kaslik & MARKETING: Stephen Koenig : Trish Faubion VICE PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY: T.J. Harty VICE PRESIDENT AND DIVISION PUBLISHER FOR ART AND JEWELRY: David Pyle VICE PRESIDENT, SALES

VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCTION

Send editorial mail to American Artist magazine, 29 W. 46th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the copyright owner, Interweave Press, a division of Aspire Media. Attention Retailers: To carry AMERICAN ARTIST in your store, call IPD at 1-866-473-4800, or write: American Artist Dealer Dept., c/o IPD Source Interlink Companies, 6195 Lusk Blvd., San Diego, CA 92121-2729.

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

Bob Bahr Project Manager [email protected] 4

THE BEST OF DRAWING

DRAW SIP 09 Contribs:AA feature

9/18/09

4:55 PM

Page 5

Contributors

Sharon Allicotti ("Representing a Studio Model in an Outdoor Setting," "The Creative Possibilities of Draping a Model," "Eleven Reasons to Attend Figure-Drawing Sessions") is an artist who lives and works in Glendale, California. View her art or contact her at www.allicotti.com.

Course,” “Master Landscape Drawings: Evidence & Interpretation”) is the editorin-chief of Drawing.

Dan Gheno (“The Human Form: How to

Lynne Bahr (“Constable’s Sketchbook”) is a freelance editor and writer based in New York City.

Put It All Together”) is a New York artist whose work can be found in many private and public collections, including the Museum of the City of New York and the New Britain Museum of American Art, in Connecticut. He teaches drawing and painting at the Art Students League of New York and at the National Academy School of Fine Arts, both in New York City. He is a professor emeritus at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, Connecticut.

M. Stephen Doherty (“Materials and Techniques of Renaissance Drawing,” “The Revival of an Influential Drawing

Gerard Haggerty (“Studying Drawing With Professor Eakins”) is an artist and writer who teaches at Brooklyn College.

Bob Bahr (“Graphite: The Drawer’s Humble Tool,” “Custom and Handmade Paper.”) is a freelance editor and writer based in New York City.

Here is your ticket for sketching, designing and writing while you're away from your home base. This style features a lovely imitation leather cover with a magnetic closure flap. Sketch style books feature 60 sheets of paper (150 grms) that will accept virtually any media. Grid style books feature 96 sheets (80 grms). These books are stylish and dependable! Available only in Black. Item Squares Squares Squares Sketch Sketch Sketch

Size A6-4.1x5.8" A5-5.8X8.3" A4-8.3X11.7" A6-4.1x5.8" A5-5.8X8.3" A4-8.3X11.7"

Cat. # 83464 83465 83466 83467 83468 83469

His work has won the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Ford Foundation.

Joseph C. Skrapits (“From Drawing to Canvas,” “The Tradition of Drawing from Memory,” “Capturing the Muse: Drawings by Sculptors”) is an artist and freelance writer who frequently contributes to American Artist, Watercolor and Drawing. John Taye (“Drawing Logic: Drawing for Sculpture”) is a Fellow in the National Sculpture Society. He is an emeritus professor at Boise State University, in Idaho, and has taught many drawing and sculpture classes and workshops. Taye has exhibited widely, and his work has appeared in many publications.

Elite is the choice of professionals looking for an upscale book but still within a reasonable price point. Sketch style books have 80 sheets of paper (110 grms) for a total of 160 pages. The grid paper style has 96 sheets of paper (80 gram) for a total of 192 pages.

List $9.95 17.95 29.95 9.95 17.95 29.95

Sale! $4.97 8.97 14.48 4.97 8.97 14.48

Item Squares Squares Squares Sketch Sketch Sketch Squares Squares Squares Sketch Sketch Sketch

Color Black Black Black Black Black Black Red Red Red Red Red Red

Size A6-4.1x5.8" A5-5.8X8.3" A4-8.3X11.7" A6-4.1x5.8" A5-5.8X8.3" A4-8.3X11.7" A6-4.1x5.8" A5-5.8X8.3" A4-8.3X11.7" A6-4.1x5.8" A5-5.8X8.3" A4-8.3X11.7"

Cat. # 83470 83471 83472 83473 83474 83475 83476 83477 83478 83479 83480 83481

List $11.95 21.95 34.95 11.95 21.95 34.95 11.95 21.95 34.95 11.95 21.95 34.95

Sale! $5.99 10.99 17.49 5.99 10.99 17.49 5.99 10.99 17.49 5.99 10.99 17.49

$10 Off Any Purchase of $50 or More at www.jerrysartarama.com Order by phone at 1-800-827-8478. Use Source Code DR0709 when calling or upon checking out of our website. Offer valid for one order only and is not combinable with any other coupons or discounts. See website or call for appropriate shipping and handling charges. Offer Expires December 31st 2009.

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

1:09 PM

Page 6

Materials Techniques Renaissance Drawing and

of

A 2004 exhibition at the Frick Collection included a rich collection of drawings by Parmigianino, “one of the most undeniably distinguished but also endlessly surprising artists of the Italian Renaissance,” writes the show’s curator. by M. Stephen Doherty

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

5:48 PM

Page 7

Self-Portrait in Profile ca. 1530–1540, brown ink, 4 x 41⁄2. Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Vienna, Austria. THE BEST OF DRAWING

7

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

Drawings

often reveal more about an artist’s personality, ideas, and methods than any other aspect of their art. That is certainly the case with Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (1503–1540), known as Parmigianino, whose remarkable drawings provide evidence of his prodigious talent, his quick hand, and his fatal tendency to procrastinate. In honor of the 500th anniversary of his birth in Parma, Italy, the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa (October 3, 2003, through January 4, 2004) and The Frick Collection in New York (January 27 through April 18, 2004) presented a major exhibition titled “A Beautiful and Gracious Manner: The Art of Parmigianino.” The show included 51 exquisite drawings, seven jewellike oil paintings, and a dozen historic prints considered to be some of the first ever created personally by an artist (as opposed to a professional engraver). It was curated by David Franklin, the deputy director and chief curator of the National Gallery of Canada, and coordinated by Denise Allen, an associate curator at The Frick. Parmigianino was fortunate to have been born into a family of artists when some of the greatest artists of all time were active, including Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. Although he was orphaned at age 2, Parmigianino was raised by two uncles who were well-established painters and ran the Mazzola family workshop. The prodigious young man received training in a workshop filled with prints and plaster casts of antique sculptures, as well as copies of contemporary works in Florence and Rome, and there is some indication he may have also studied with Correggio. As a telling indication of events to follow, Parmigianino’s talent was first recognized in his drawings. His repre8

THE BEST OF DRAWING

1:09 PM

Page 8

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

1:09 PM

Page 9

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP

Studies of Female Heads, a Griffin, and Finials ca. 1522–1524, red chalk and brown ink, 71⁄8 x 55⁄8. Private collection. OPPOSITE PAGE, BELOW LEFT

Female Martyr ca. 1522–1524, oil on panel, 173⁄8 x 101⁄8. Collection Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, Frankfurt, Germany. OPPOSITE PAGE, BELOW RIGHT

Circumcision ca. 1523–1524, oil on panel, 161⁄4 x 121⁄4. Collection Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan. RIGHT

Circumcision ca. 1523–1524, brown ink and brown wash with white heightening, 101⁄4 x 8. Collection the Louvre, Paris, France.

sentations of figures, griffins, and finials revealed a perceptive vision, a quick and accurate hand, and a skillful use of materials. He surpassed his contemporaries in handling the three most common drawing materials: red or sanguine colored chalk, black chalk, and pen-and-ink. “The range of styles Parmigianino essayed in red chalk during these early years is impressive,” writes David Ekserdjian in the catalog for the exhibition (Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut). “One approach ... is effortlessly polished and tautly disciplined, but also very delicate. ... By contrast, Parmigianino concurrently employed red chalk to achieve dramatically energetic effects, whether in a fully resolved compositional study for

an unexecuted altarpiece or in a garzone study for the figure of Saint Vitalis in one of his frescoes for San Giovanni Evangelista. Red chalk was generally used in this period for highly finished solutions, and Parmigianino was well aware of its potential for heavily chiaroscural, sculptural drawing. “Parmigianino’s use of pen—in isolation, or with wash—in this first Parmesan period is equally manysided,” Ekserdjian continues. “There is nothing in the work of Correggio or any of Parmigianino’s other Parmesan rivals that satisfactorily explains his precocious confidence with pen and wash. One possible explanation might be the influence of Leonardo da Vinci upon Lombard draughtsmanship. “Another novelty that may date

from this moment is his use of pen and wash on blue paper. This type of paper, which was originally produced in Arabia but within Italy appears to have been a Venetian specialty, allowed artists to experiment with a colored ground without any need for preparation. In Venice itself, blue paper tended to be used by artists such as Carpaccio as a backdrop for meticulously disciplined pen and wash drawings, sometimes heightened with white, a more forgiving medium than metalpoint that achieved a comparable visual effect. ... Also around this time, or perhaps a bit later, Parmigianino began to exploit the potential of naturally buff-colored paper, not for pen and wash but instead for a combination of black and white chalks.” THE BEST OF DRAWING

9

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

5:48 PM

Page 10

ABOVE

Virgin and Child in Glory With Saints Jerome and John the Baptist, also known as the Vision of Saint Jerome ca. 1526–1527, oil on panel, 1333⁄4 x 58. Collection National Gallery, London, England. LEFT

Entombment (first version), ca. 1524–1527, etching, 103⁄4 x 8. Collection The British Museum, London, England.

Reba F. Snyder, a paper conservator at the Morgan Library in New York City, points out that while Parmigianino may have created exceptional drawings early in his career, there was nothing innovative about his choice of materials. “Red and black chalk were quite common drawing materials long before the Renaissance, and they continued to be used extensively by artists until more mechanical drawing instruments were introduced in the 18th century,” she explains. “The obvious reason these materials were used so extensively is that red and black chalk were naturally occurring minerals in many parts of Italy,” Snyder continues. “It was mined, or cut 10

THE BEST OF DRAWING

from the ground, until the supply eventually became exhausted. Parmigianino and his contemporaries had available a plentiful supply of chalks in varying shades of red depending on the amount of iron in the ground. The chalk was used by the artists just the way it came from the earth, a natural combination of clay and iron oxide. It might be shaped in their hands and put in a holder, and the artists could sharpen the end to draw fine lines or round it off for broader strokes. While working, the artists are likely to have had available three or four different pieces of chalk of varying colors and degrees of softness. They would sometimes smear the chalk with their fingers or a

stump, scrape it with a sharp tool, or wet it with water to create a wash.” The pens and ink Parmigianino used to make drawings with hatched and crosshatched lines were also quite different from the steel nib pens, technical pens, and bottled inks used today. “Artists made their own pens by carving the ends of feathers or reeds,” Snyder indicates. “There was nothing exotic about the materials, and they likely used the feathers readily available from ducks or crows, which varied in size and could be shaped into fine or broad points. With different amounts of pressure, these could be used to inscribe thin, faint lines, or dark, wide marks. “The ink was probably iron gall

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

1:10 PM

Page 11

ABOVE RIGHT

Drapery Study for the Vision of Saint Jerome ca. 1526–1527, black and white chalk, 9 x 63⁄4. Collection Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England. RIGHT

Study of the Virgin and Child for the Vision of Saint Jerome ca. 1526–1527, red chalk, 93⁄4 x 61⁄2. Collection École des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France.

THE BEST OF DRAWING

11

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

1:10 PM

Page 12

LEFT

Madonna of the Rose ca. 1529–1530, oil on panel, 421⁄2 x 341⁄2. Collection Gemaldegalerie, Dresden, Germany. RIGHT

made from oak galls,” Snyder adds. “The husk was produced by a tree in response to wasp stings or disease. The oak galls were steeped in water, and other ingredients, including iron salts, were added to make the ink. There were many formulas, some of which produced brittle, dark brown ink that eventually flaked off the drawing. Black ink was also made from carbon and gum, and natural sepia ink was made from the cuttlefish. Sepia was not commonly used in the 16th century; however, it did appear in seaside towns like Venice where the cuttlefish was readily available. In the 18th century, bistre, another brown ink made from the soluble components of soot, was popular with artists. Of course all of these inks varied in color and density depending on the formulas used to make them and the aging of the ink on paper.” Most of Parmigianino’s drawings are relatively small, with figures no more than a couple of inches in height. In part that is because paper was a precious commodity in the 16th century. “Large sheets were available, but most drawings were done on relatively small pieces of paper,” explains Snyder. “Unless artists were preparing cartoons for a wall or ceiling fresco, they usually made small drawings, often using both sides of a sheet. There were paper mills all over Italy making various kinds of papers, but artists used those papers very purposefully. Every square inch was filled with figure studies or compositional sketches, 12

THE BEST OF DRAWING

Study for the Madonna of the Rose ca. 1526–1529, black chalk with white heightening, 101⁄2 x 73⁄8. Private collection. BOTTOM

Sleeping Man ca. 1527–1530, red chalk, 71⁄2 x 101⁄2. Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth, England.

with the paper being turned in different directions to use all the available space. “Another explanation for the scale of the surviving Renaissance drawings is that collectors often cut drawings into several pieces,” Snyder adds. “They did so because they thought the presentation of the drawings would be more beautiful. The condition of these drawings speaks to the history of

drawing connoisseurship.” Snyder points out that the red and black chalks available today are not exactly like those used by Parmigianino. “Over the centuries, the highest quality sources of chalk were exhausted and the variety of chalks was diminished,” she explains. “By comparison, the natural materials available today are not nearly as plentiful or as varied, but we

Grumbacher ad:best of drawing 2009

9/18/09

9:37 AM

Page 13

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

5:48 PM

Page 14

Adoration of the Magi ca. 1527–1530, brown ink and brown wash with white heightening, 131⁄4 x 91⁄2. Collection Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, Frankfurt, Germany.

now have a great variety of manufactured artists’ materials. “The revolution in artists’ materials occurred in painting, not in drawing,” Snyder says in summary. “Oil painting was new, but drawing with chalk and ink was not. Our appreciation for artists like Parmigianino is based on their creative use of those standard materials.” There are aspects of Parmigianino’s work that do appear to be quite innovative. He may have been the first artist to create prints with his own hands rather than in collaboration with a craftsman who would translate his drawings into etchings. While he did prepare drawings for interpretation as engravings, etchings, and chiaroscuro 14

THE BEST OF DRAWING

woodcuts, there is evidence that he was so obsessive about supervising the adaptation of his images that he may have taken over from the craftsmen hired to make the etchings. “If this analysis is broadly correct,” writes David Franklin, “then Parmigianino’s perfectionism would have the unintended effect of making him the de facto father of Italian etching.” At age 21, Parmigianino traveled to Rome with four portable paintings and a collection of drawings he intended to use as calling cards to solicit commissions from Pope Clement VII and wealthy patrons. He made use of his time by drawing copies of the figures in Michelangelo’s

Sistine Chapel ceiling and Raphael’s Vatican frescoes, and he also made drawings directly from live models. Unfortunately, Parmigianino’s time in Rome proved almost fruitless in terms of major commissions, in part because the city was undergoing military turmoil that finally erupted in 1527, forcing Parmigianino to flee to Bologna. He eventually returned to Parma in 1530 and made hundreds of drawings in preparation for painting fresco decorations and panels. Throughout all these travels, Parmigianino made both studies and independent drawings that were not preparatory for paintings. In addition to working on figure compositions, he designed architectural frames for altarpieces, tomb sculptures, bronze statuettes, arms and armor, jewelry, and cutlery. He is even known to have created a few erotic drawings. Indeed, Parmigianino was so obsessed with making drawings of all sorts of subjects that “his industry was often directed towards avoiding his real professional responsibilities,” observes Eskerdjian. A number of important painting commissions went unfinished, including fresco decorations for the vault and apse of Santa Maria della Steccata in Parma. About 100 drawings for the project survive, underscoring the artist’s insistence on perfection and on an endless process of refinement. After eight years of work, Parmigianino had still not completed the fresco and his patrons put him in jail. A sympathetic collector bailed him out, perhaps in exchange for a group of drawings, but the artist fled Parma, became ill, and died at the age of 37. Despite Parmigianino’s tragic death at a young age, Eskerdjian concludes his essay on the artist’s drawings by stating, “It is first and foremost the beauty, richness, and range of his graphic works that make him one of the most undeniably distinguished but also endlessly surprising artists of the Italian Renaissance.”

Hartford Fine Art ad:best of drawing 2009

9/18/09

9:39 AM

Page 15

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

1:11 PM

Page 16

M

ABOVE

Virgin in Glory With the Adoration of the Shepherds and Saint Francis ca. 1529–1530, brown ink and gray wash with white heightening on blue paper, pricked for transfer, 15 x 121⁄2. Collection Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England. LEFT

Study for the Steccata Ceiling, With Three Canephori and the Vault ca. 1531–1533, brown ink and green, blue, and brown washes with white heightening, 81⁄4 x 7. Collection The British Museum, London, England.

16

THE BEST OF DRAWING

atthew J. Collins, the principal assistant to artist Charles H. Cecil and a teacher of painting and drawing in the Charles H. Cecil Studio in Florence, Italy, confirms Reba Snyder’s conclusion about the differences between modern and Renaissance drawing materials. “I’ve been studying Old Master drawings for the past 10 years, and it has been difficult finding drawing materials and papers that even come close to those used by the masters,” Collins says. “I first became interested in learning more about the masters’ work in 1993 when I saw an exhibition of Italian Florentine drawings at The Art Institute of Chicago,” Collins remembers. “I made copies of drawings by Cristofano Allori (1577–1621) and his father, Allesandro (1535–1607), and I realized it was difficult to emulate the variety of colors and marks they achieved with the materials available today. I decided to conduct research to see if I could locate or prepare materials that had the same qualities as those used in the 16th and 17th centuries. “The natural sanguine the masters used was more fluid and velvety than the Conté crayons we use today,” Collins explains. “Conté is grainy and gritty compared to the soft material the Italians once mined in the earth. It doesn’t allow for the same flowing, rhythmic lines or the subtle blends Parmigianino achieved in the 16th century. Cretacolor brand drawing pencils are the best commercially manufactured drawing pencils I have found so far. “In some ways the modern black and sanguine pencils are suited to the world of photographs that influence contemporary artists and not to the elegant forms observed by the masters,” Collins continues. “It is important to rediscover those earlier materials so contemporary artists have a better chance of achieving the same rhythms in their drawings. “There is some evidence that Michelangelo mixed wax with chalk to make a slightly harder drawing material that could be sharpened into a fine point,” Collins adds. “For that reason I’ve been experimenting with making my own drawing instruments by first

Artograph ad:best of drawing 2009

9/18/09

9:41 AM

Page 17

Create your masterpiece with inspiration from Open Studio. Organize and simplify your workspace with Open Studio Furniture from Artograph.

Designed with the serious artist in mind, the Open Studio line allows you to create a flexible environment that maximizes space and keeps your supplies at hand. These mobile worktables and carts give you the freedom to adapt your workspace to fit any project – big or small.

Let the functional simplicity of Open Studio Furniture be your inspiration Super Prism and Animation Disc Light Box not included in the Open Studio line.

to create a beautiful workspace. Designed by artists. For artists.

Visit www.artograph.com today to get inspired (and organized)!

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

1:11 PM

Page 18

RIGHT

Saturn and Philyra ca. 1531–1535, oil on panel, 291⁄2 x 25. Private collection.

ABOVE

Saturn and Philyra ca. 1531–1535, brown ink and brown wash over black chalk, 61⁄2 x 41⁄4. Collection The British Museum, London, England. LEFT

Saturn and Philyra ca. 1531–1535, brown ink and gray wash with white heightening, 41⁄4 x 3. Collection Royal Library, Windsor Castle, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

18

THE BEST OF DRAWING

making a paste of beeswax and turpentine, then adding sanguine dust to form a stick of red chalk.” In his pursuit of the perfect drawing materials, Collins has consulted Sandro Zecchi, a well-known art-material retailer in Florence and an expert on art materials. “Even though the original sources of sanguine in Corsica are depleted, Zecchi says he has found a supply in France,” Collins explains. “He won’t tell anyone where he gets the clay, but he sells chunks of stone of varying degrees of quality that can be cut into slices and put into a holder for drawing. The stones are rather expensive and a customer at Zecchi’s has to sort through all the ones available to find the best. The stones have to be cut into strips or slices with a saw, and those slices have to be cut down into little sticks that can be sanded to fit into a holder and sharpened to a point.” While Collins has made some progress in locating and adapting modern drawing materials, he has had less success finding papers that come close to those available in the Renaissance. “I have a small stash of 19th-century papers that are exquisite, and I use small pieces of them to make drawings, but most of my drawings are done on cream-colored sheets of Modir Italian paper that has a slightly textured surface. The tone of the paper allows me to add highlights with white chalk. “Most of the other papers I’ve tried either have a grain so distinct that it distracts from the drawn lines, or they are too smooth and don’t pull enough chalk off the stick,” Collins goes on to say. “I’ve also tried a number of handmade papers, and I’ve found them to be too spongy. I have talked to several mills about the qualities I am looking for in a drawing paper in hopes they will come up with something more satisfactory.” Collins adds that he likes doing silverpoint drawings on papers that he prepares. He coats the surfaces of cold-pressed watercolor paper with a

Legion Paper_Revere ad:best of drawing 2009

9/18/09

9:42 AM

Page 19

I N T R O DU C I N G A N E W P R I N T M A K I N G PA P E R F R O M M AG N A N I

“

© Wolf Kahn

Since 1968 I have worked with some of the most respected and demanding artists in the world, including Wolf Kahn, Donald Sultan, Joan Mitchell and Frank Stella. As a Master Printer I have used every major mould-made paper in the world, and I can honestly say that Revere outperforms them in all areas: Full range of shades and finishes Receives ink from both strong and delicate lines … Versatile across all types of printing: Aquatint, Mezzotint, Dry Point, Etching, and Lithography … Paper dries flat

Reliable, Respected, Revered

… …

”

These are some of the reasons why Revere has become my paper of choice.

anthony kirk

artistic director/master printer center for contemporary printmaking www.contemprints.org

W W W. L E G I O N PA P E R .C O M t I N F O  L E G I O N PA P E R . C O M t 1 . 8 0 0 . 2 7 8 . 4 4 7 8  N Y  t 1 . 8 0 0 . 7 2 7. 3 7 16  L A 

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

5:49 PM

Page 20

LEFT

Portrait of Victor Edelstein by Matthew J. Collins, 1996, sanguine on cream paper, 71⁄2 x 6. Collection the artist. OPPOSITE PAGE ABOVE

Female Study by Matthew J. Collins, 2004, sanguine and white chalk on cream paper, 10 x 7. Collection the artist. OPPOSITE PAGE BELOW

Copy of Cristofano Allori Drawing for Judith With the Head of Holofernes by Matthew J. Collins, 1994, black and white Conté on blue Canson Ingres paper, 10 x 71⁄2. Collection the artist.

liquid made from a combination of glycerin, gum arabic, and bone-white chalk and allows the surface to dry to a hard finish that can be scratched with strands of sterling silver. “The coating is made using the formula Cennini recommended in his classic book on artists’ materials” (The Craftsman’s Handbook, by Cennino D’Andrea Cennini, translated by Daniel V. Thompson Jr., Dover Publications, Mineola, New York), he explains. 20

THE BEST OF DRAWING

Collins concludes by saying his research is intended to support the education program of the Cecil Studio. “Our school is different from others in that we look at nature through the language and rhythms of the Renaissance masters,” he explains. “We are concerned with investigating the idea of beauty and the means of expressing beauty.” For more information on Zecchi’s art supplies, write: Zecchi Colori Belle ArtiRestauro, Via dello Studio 19/r, 50122

Florence, Italy; call: 011-39-055-21-14-70; or fax: 011-39-055-21-06-90. For more information on the Charles H. Cecil Studio, write: Ms. Danielle DeVine, Dept. DRAW, Borgo San Frediano 68, 50124 Florence, Italy; call: 011-39-055-2851-02; or e-mail: [email protected]. For more information on the Parmigianino exhibition and a copy of the catalog, call The Frick Collection at (212) 288-0700, or visit the museum’s website at www.frick.org. ❖

DRAW SIP 09 Parmagianino:AA feature

9/18/09

1:12 PM

Page 21

Raw Materials for Drawing in Ink, Charcoal, and Silver The raw materials shown above are used by New York artist Karen Gorst to create drawings in the manner of artists in the 15th and 16th centuries. Starting in the lower left-hand corner of the photograph is a reed pen filled with a sliver of sterling silver that Gorst uses for silverpoint drawings on prepared papers and boards. Next is a rolled paper stump for carefully smudging charcoal; two bamboo-reed pens for ink drawing; natural galls to be boiled with ferrosulphate to make ink (see the formula below); left- and right-handed quill pens made from goose feathers; additional natural galls; a bottle of ferrosulfate; two pieces of willow charcoal; particles of gum arabic used in making ink; and pieces of both sanguine and white chalk. Stated briefly, her formula for making ink is to mix 3 parts boiled oak galls, 2 parts ferrosulfate, and 1 part gum arabic. “Boil the oak galls and water to the consistency of tea and let that sit for two to three weeks so the liquid will ferment,” Gorst explains. “Add the ferrosulfate and strain the liquid. It should immediately turn black. Then, add the gum arabic.” Gorst teaches medieval techniques of drawing and calligraphy at a number of New York locations, including the Center for Book Arts (phone: 212-481-0295; www.centerforbookarts.org) and Kremer Pigments (phone:212-219-2394; www. kremerpigments.com). She also conducts workshops in public schools and art centers around the country. For more information, contact Gorst at [email protected].

THE BEST OF DRAWING

21

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:10 PM

Page 22

Graphite: The Drawer’s

Humble Tool

The graphite in pencils is common and largely uncelebrated, but its history, applications, and physical properties are worth a closer look. by Bob Bahr

H

ow little does our society think of graphite pencils? Well, small ones that cost about three cents are given away free at some government offices where forms need to be filled out. Ditto at horse-racing tracks—even at miniature-golf courses. In these situations, they are likely used for just a few seconds, then thrown away. The pencil’s luck is little better in the art world. Graphite pencils compete with charcoal as the least valued media—at least in terms of asking price for a finished piece—a further insult when one considers that a detailed graphite drawing can take much longer to execute than an oil painting. It wasn’t always this way: Graphite used to be a rare commodity—rare enough to spawn imitators. Counterfeiters would sell pencil-shaped wood with the “lead” merely painted on. Others would make pencils with graphite in place only for the first inch or so of the writing end. The mineral was so valued at one point that graphite mining involved the kind of security used for the extraction of a closely related form of carbon: diamond. Operators of the graphite mine at 22

THE BEST OF DRAWING

Borrowdale, in England’s Lake District, locked the entrance to the mine each night and searched the miners at the end of each day for smuggled pieces. According to Henry Petroski’s exhaustive—and somewhat exhausting—book on the subject [The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance (Knopf, New York, New York)], a saying in the Lake District in the 17th century held that “a mouthful [of graphite] was as good as a day’s wages.” As the reserves dwindled in that mine, which was renowned for its pure, highquality product, the owners occasionally flooded the pit in the late 1600s to control supply of the material and to prevent its illegal removal. Graphite’s ups and downs are directly tied to its usefulness. Artists and tradesmen had long known about graphite’s ability to make marks, but it was rarely found in pure form and therefore didn’t distinguish itself from other marking materials. Artists interested in fine lines worked in metalpoint using silver, gold, zinc, or true lead, which left a faint, metallic line that could be removed using the soft parts of fresh bread,

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:11 PM

Page 23

Graphite leads at the Caran d’Ache factory in Switzerland.

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:11 PM

Page 24

General Pencil Company sells graphite in the form of pencils, sticks, even fist-sized chunks.

24

THE BEST OF DRAWING

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:11 PM

Page 25

wadded up. Because graphite made a darker mark, it was referred to as black lead. The discovery of the Borrowdale deposit, which was initially only valued by the locals for its ability to mark their sheep, represented the first time that pure graphite could be cut into a stylus and wrapped in string to make a writing instrument that made a consistent, dark line. Its fame spread—and so did the confusion of its true nature: Graphite is better thought of as a higher form of coal, with no relation to lead. To this day, some parents erroneously worry that their child could get lead poisoning from the graphite in a pencil. It’s important for artists to know graphite’s physical properties in order to use the material to its best advantage. The mineral is metallic in appearance, almost glassy, which accounts for its sheen when applied in concentration. Graphite is useful for its superlubricity, which it gets from the weak atomic bond between the hexagonal “sheets” that its components form and this weak bond’s interaction with moisture. This slipperiness means it can be difficult to apply another material on top of a layer of graphite. Artists warn that if drawing materials are mixed, the softer media (charcoal, for example) should be laid down first, because a harder material (such as graphite) would eliminate the tooth on the surface. Graphite came out of the Borrowdale mine in large, pure chunks, allowing pencil makers to simply cut it into

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:12 PM

Page 26

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT

Connie XI by Costa Vavagiakis, 2003, graphite, 251⁄2 x 191⁄2. Collection the artist.

Maria VI by Costa Vavagiakis, 2005, graphite, 69 x 48. Collection the artist.

Rainbow XII by Costa Vavagiakis, 2006, graphite, 121⁄2 x 91⁄2. Collection the artist.

small rods and lay it in the slots of blank pencils, then glue another piece of wood over the slot to encase the graphite. This product was in demand the world over. But because of diminishing supplies and embargoes due to war, those outside of England experienced years of graphite scarcity. The situation became dire enough for France’s Minister of War to commission the noted engineer Nicolas-Jacques Conté to discover an acceptable substitute for the Borrowdale graphite pencil. According to legend, it took him less than a day, in 1794, to come up with the process still used today to optimize a limited amount of graphite. Conté found the answer by efficiently separating pure graphite from its matrix, mixing the resulting fine-powdered graphite with clay and water, forming 26

THE BEST OF DRAWING

the mixture into the desired shape, allowing the thin strings to dry, then firing them in a kiln at about 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. (In contrast, Conté crayons, which represent an extension of the engineer’s innovation, often contain wax and/or softer clay and frequently utilize colored chalk or another type of pigment.) This process not only created a consistent, effective pencil lead but it also allowed Conté to manufacture leads in various degrees of hardness. That’s why today the softest, darkest leads, such as 6B or 9B, are nearly 90 percent graphite, while the hardest leads, such as 6H or 9H, are less than 50 percent graphite. Approximately 5 percent of a pencil’s lead composition is wax; when graphite strings are impregnated with wax, they create smoother-flowing lines.

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:12 PM

Page 27

Advanced mining techniques for finding the mineral, and the discovery in 1847 of a large deposit of graphite near the Siberian border with China, have allowed graphite’s price to stay very low. Pure graphite in its natural form is no longer particularly desirable. Artists do indeed use graphite in solid sticks, in pencils made entirely of 99.95 percent graphite, even in fist-sized chunks—but it all enters the factory as a powder—what Katie Weissenborn, an executive at General Pencil Company, likens to “gray sugar.” From that state it is mixed, molded, and fired into a variety of shapes and hardnesses, just as Conté suggested. It’s generally assumed that the softer the graphite in the pencil, the darker the mark— and this is true because the clay in harder pencil leads does not contribute much to a line’s darkness. But as the graphite content increases, so does the sheen. Artists’ feelings on graphite’s sheen run the gamut, but love it or hate it, this shiny reflectivity is something a draftsman must take into consideration. Costa Vavagiakis, a New York artist and instructor who draws detailed figure drawings with a graphite pencil, points out that the sheen can affect one’s process. “It acts like a shiny painting,” he says. “You have to maneuver to not let that sheen distract you—otherwise, it can be a total ‘flashout’.” Fernando Freitas tells his students the sheen is unavoidable. Freitas, the senior instructor of the Academy of Realist Art, in Toronto, says graphite’s reflectivity becomes a bigger factor

JULIETTE ARISTIDES KOO SCHADLER

|

GEOFFREY LAURENCE

Graphite pencils coming off the assembly line at the Caran d’Ache factory in Switzerland.

JOHN MORRA

|

MATT BUCKNER

TIP TOLAND

|

KENT LOVELACE

WINTER WORKSHOPS IN SEATTLE! Register Online Now! xxx/HbhfBdbefnz/psh
¦
911/991/49:9

|

GABRIELLE BAKKER

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:12 PM

Page 28

Discover Drawing Back Issues!

%SBXJOH
NBHB[JOF
JT
ZPVS
FTTFOUJBM
UPPM
GPS
CFHJOOJOH
BOE
BEWBODF
ESBXJOH
UFDIOJRVFT
BOE
WBMVBCMF
JOTQJSBUJPO
%POµU
NJTT
B
TJOHMF
JTTVF
TIPQ
PVS
CBDL
JTTVF
TFMFDUJPO
UP
DPNQMFUF
ZPVS
%SBXJOH
DPMMFDUJPO
5IF
POMZ
¾
OF
BSU
NBHB[JOF
PO
ESBXJOH
FWFSZ
JTTVF
PG
%SBXJOH
JT
¾
MMFE
XJUI
TUFQCZTUFQ
EFNPOTUSBUJPOT
UFDIOJDBM
RVFTUJPOT
BOE
BOTXFST
JOEFQUI
BSUJTU
QSP¾
MFT
BOE
NPSF
4IPQ
#BDL
*TTVFT
5PEBZ FBDI

To order, visit InterweaveStore.com

in areas where a 9B or 8B pencil has been used. “It becomes almost a mirror,” says Freitas. “But if you don’t use nonreflective glass when framing the piece, the viewer will never encounter it.” New York artist Sherry Camhy makes sure viewers of her work encounter graphite’s sheen—she builds her drawings on black paper, with 9B graphite serving as the lights. This artist turns what many consider a disadvantage into one of the most compelling aspects of her work, and she accomplishes it by seeing the entire process in reverse. It’s a novel solution. “I’ve never explored graphite’s sheen as an advantage because it only seems to happen in the shadow patterns,” comments Freitas. Camhy instead lets the black of the paper provide the shadows, and allows the sheen of the graphite to provide the highlights. Frederick Brosen also uses graphite in a fashion that seems contrary to logic. Despite graphite’s superlubricity, the New York artist puts down a graphite underdrawing for his watercolors that is so thoroughly toned, Brosen says it’s “almost like laying a light glaze over a complete grisaille.” He reports no trouble with the watercolor paint adhering 28

THE BEST OF DRAWING

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:13 PM

Page 29

LEFT

BELOW

627 West End Avenue

Jesse and Friend

by Frederick Brosen, 2006, watercolor over graphite, 32 x 24.

by Fernando Freitas, 2007, graphite, 12 x 16. Private collection.

to the graphite layer, but Brosen does recommend harder graphite, such as a 6H pencil. “Subsequent washes of watercolor will not mix with a hard graphite like this,” he says. “With softer leads, you run the risk of having some of the graphite mix with the washes and gray the colors.” The artist reports that the more opaque watercolor hues hide the sheen, and even when the more transparent colors don’t, he doesn’t mind. “I happen to like what the graphite does to the finish on the paper,” says Brosen. “But actually, one often can’t really tell which is the graphite and which is the watercolor. They sort of fuse together.” The other popular underdrawing medium is charcoal, which is slowly charred wood. Many oil painters prefer to do their underdrawings with charcoal because the charcoal can be brushed off, has a darker tone, and doesn’t have graphite’s slipperiness, but even graphite’s slickness has its proponents. English artist Christopher Cook buys graphite in powder form, mixes it with oil and resin, and pushes this mixture around on a prepared panel until an image begins to emerge. “This mixture produces a very slippery quality—especially on my nonabsorbent surTHE BEST OF DRAWING

29

Highlights Promo ad:best of drawing 2009

9/18/09

9:45 AM

Page 30

)JHIMJHIUT A Special Issue from the Editors of American Artist magazine American Artist Highlights is a special magazine issue devoted to fine art, with in-depth studies of various mediums. Previously published American Artist articles are organized into a convenient guide for the best instruction available. Create artwork with a variety of art media and in several different styles with American Artist Highlights. The Latest 2009 Issue of American Artist Highlights includes: s!NINTRODUCTIONTOTHE"ASICSOF0AINTING ASWELLASMANYTIPS to make your painting the best you’ve ever painted! s4ECHNIQUESFORPAINTINGCLASSICALmORALSTILLS MANAGINGVALUES and opacity in your work, and even how to see nature with fresh eyes for plein air painting s!NIN DEPTHLOOKATARTEDUCATIONANDTEACHINGFUNDAMENTALS s!NDMORE
$8.99 Available October 2009

Shop American Artist Highlights at InterweaveStore.com JOUFSXFBWFTUPSFDPN

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

5:30 PM

Page 31

faces—that encourages improvisation and risk-taking,” reports Cook. “I have so far resisted the temptation to use anything except damar resin and stand oil in the mixture, as the pure graphite has allowed me enormous range of expression. The larger particles capture intensely detailed touches very well yet also allow geological attributes to form in the image: erosion, sedimentation, rock strata, and so forth. There seems to be plenty more work yet to come from this intense focus.” Intensity and graphite drawings seem to go hand in hand. Pencils usually imply lines, and tone made from line can only cleanly come from lines that are very carefully drawn, be they parallel or crosshatched. “For me, a large part of the work is the process,” says Meghan Gerety, a New York artist who draws silhouetted details of trees and other natural forms. “It’s not so evident in some reproductions of my work, but in person you can see all the graphite strokes, all the time that went into it. I am interested in how the process is reflected in the

In the Context of War by Meghan Gerety, 2007, graphite on watercolor paper, 72' x 52'.

THE BEST OF DRAWING

31

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:13 PM

Page 32

work. If you focus on the process, you can achieve the sublime.” Gerety often starts with a color photograph of a tree or other subject, then photocopies the image to reduce the information—particularly the color and details. Tight realism is not her goal at all. “I like the contrast between the gestural nature of the subject and the obsessive nature of my process,” she explains. “I am interested in the idea of the place, the emotional or spiritual essence of a location.” Gerety’s use of a multitude of lines to create tone is not uncommon, even though graphite’s many forms allow for a seemingly limitless number of ways to create dark passages in a drawing. Adds Vavagiakis, “The line is really a point of departure as much as it is a point of arrival. The line has to be a ballpark figure in the beginning. One must start gestural and then work toward pinpoint accuracy.” The artist uses hatching to create dark areas but he will also use a stump to create smooth, subtle tones—although he warns that many of his fellow instructors consider stumping an 32

THE BEST OF DRAWING

undesirable crutch, especially in creating transitions. “It can get too velvety,” says Vavagiakis. “I sometimes will stump—I see it like a glaze, with hatching being like a scumble. Diego Catalan Amilivia and his peers have developed a technique with stumping where they sort of scumble over a tone—they stump an area and then hatch over the top of it. They are going for high luminosity and sharp tactile definitions to emphasize the form.” The key to precise hatching, which is crucial for a cleanlooking drawing, is having a sharp point on the graphite pencil. Brosen uses a mechanical pencil, always sharp. Vavagiakis favors no particular brand, but he usually works from softer to harder lead. “I start in the middle range—usually an HB or a B,” the artist says. “I want to cover ground.” He may end up with a 9H in his hand. It may seem counterintuitive to start with the darkest pencil first, then move to a harder, lighter lead, but the issue is erasability. One must press down harder with hard lead, which leads to a slight

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:14 PM

Page 33

scoring of the paper. No eraser can completely eliminate the resulting marks because any additional work in the same area will show the valley of the scored line because it will hold more of the newly deposited graphite. “The worst thing you can do is score the paper. But if you do, it’s not the end of the world,” comments Freitas. “You just have to work more carefully to fill in the trench. Still, if you tilt your head the right way, you will always be able to see it.” On the other hand, very lightly applied lines from a soft, dark pencil can be pulled up with an eraser—but they shouldn’t be rashly eliminated. Those early, preliminary lines should be left in place even when the artist realizes some of them are wrong. “A beginner erases by erasing the mark,” Vavagiakis says. “A professional knows that a mark is something you work off of. Make the adjustment first, then get rid of the unwanted mark. The further you get in your drawing, the more sure you are about the marks, and the harder you go.” The artist uses a vari-

ABOVE

Light and Illusion Metaphor by Sherry Camhy, 2005, graphite on black paper, 33 x 54. Collection the artist. OPPOSITE PAGE

Etude by Sherry Camhy, 1997, powdered graphite on gray paper, 141⁄2 x 191⁄2. Collection the artist.

THE BEST OF DRAWING

33

DRAW SIP 09 Graphite:AA feature

9/18/09

3:14 PM

Page 34

“A beginner erases by erasing the mark. A professional knows that a mark is something you work off of.” —COSTA VAVAGIAKIS

TOP

ABOVE

Home

Terrain

by Stephen Sollins, 2002, graphite on 12 catalogue pages, 30 x 32. Courtesy Michell-Innes & Nash Gallery, New York, New York.

by Stephen Sollins, 2001, graphite on catalogue page, 161⁄2 x 225⁄8. Courtesy Michell-Innes & Nash Gallery, New York, New York.

ety of erasers on his drawings, from a typewriter eraser to a stringlike polymer eraser, but the primary choice of Vavagiakis and most artists and drawing instructors is the kneaded eraser. “You can use it to create hard edges or granular ones that help suggest a lost edge,” says Freitas. “If you roll the eraser to a point, you can very specifically tap dots in the marked area. You can key in on pockmarked areas and lighten certain spots to make them read the same as other dots in that area. You can press it flat and get a chiseled edge to sharpen a hard line for a contour on a drawing.” 34

THE BEST OF DRAWING

Artists who work in graphite rarely recommend pencil sharpeners. Instead, they suggest shaving the pencil to a point with a knife or razor blade, then perhaps sharpening the exposed lead with sandpaper. A sharp point doesn’t just allow for sharp lines. It also prevents undesired scoring of the paper. “If a pencil is sharpened properly, this forces an artist to have a light touch, or the point will snap,” explains Freitas. The type of paper used with graphite is not a grave consideration. Graphite does not require the paper to have much tooth—in fact, too much tooth can impede the flow of a mark. “Find your preferred paper then stick with it,” Freitas simply says. “Master it.” Vavagiakis prefers paper that is externally and internally sized so it can withstand much reworking. Dan Gheno, a devoted drawer, art instructor, and regular contributor to Drawing magazine, uses ordinary bond paper for gesture drawings and favors Bristol board for more finished graphite pieces. Delicate beauty can emerge from simple tools. Vavagiakis, a meticulous artist, began drawing with his dad’s flat carpenter’s pencil, and he still recommends that variety to students who need to loosen up. Most artists may gravitate toward a specific brand of pencil, but even the exacting Freitas says, “If a student wants to pick up his or her pencil at the dollar store, I’m OK with that.” The magic is in what you make with it. Says Cook, “I enjoy the elemental status of graphite, a form of pure carbon that is a close relative both of soot and diamond. These radically different states of the same element provide a good metaphor for my creative process, especially the notion that something base can become precious.” ❖

Drawing Sub Promo ad:best of drawing 2009

9/18/09

9:44 AM

Page 35

Feed Your Passion JlYjZi`Y\kf[XpXe[ ^\kX=I