Drawing Seeing And Observation

Through sustained observation and practice anyone can develop the skills and understanding essential to being able to draw. This book approaches all aspects of drawing with a strong emphasis on seeing, and provides a comprehensive drawing course for beginners and for those with experience who want to re-examine the fundamentals. Illustrated with many suggestions for practical work, this book also offers teachers at all levels a ready-made instruction programme which progresses from basic drawing problems to the development of personal style.

Ian Simpson's clear systematic approach to all aspects of drawing provides a comprehensive drawing course, ideal for both beginners and for those with considerable experience who want to re-examine the fundamentals. Illustrated, and with many suggestions for practical work, this book also offers teachers at all levels a ready-made instruction programme which progresses from basic drawing problems to the development of personal style.

Franck, the author of Zen of Seeing, the classic guide, returns with more teachings and instructions.

Today we are all familiar with the iconic pictures of the nebulae produced by the Hubble Space Telescope’s digital cameras. But there was a time, before the successful application of photography to the heavens, in which scientists had to rely on handmade drawings of these mysterious phenomena. Observing by Hand sheds entirely new light on the ways in which the production and reception of handdrawn images of the nebulae in the nineteenth century contributed to astronomical observation. Omar W. Nasim investigates hundreds of unpublished observing books and paper records from six nineteenth-century observers of the nebulae: Sir John Herschel; William Parsons, the third Earl of Rosse; William Lassell; Ebenezer Porter Mason; Ernst Wilhelm Leberecht Tempel; and George Phillips Bond. Nasim focuses on the ways in which these observers created and employed their drawings in data-driven procedures, from their choices of artistic materials and techniques to their practices and scientific observation. He examines the ways in which the act of drawing complemented the acts of seeing and knowing, as well as the ways that making pictures was connected to the production of scientific knowledge. An impeccably researched, carefully crafted, and beautifully illustrated piece of historical work, Observing by Hand will delight historians of science, art, and the book, as well as astronomers and philosophers.

The first university-level textbook on the power, condition, and expanse of contemporary fine art drawing A Companion to Contemporary Drawing explores how 20th and 21st century artists have used drawing to understand and comment on the world. Presenting contributions by both theorists and practitioners, this unique textbook considers the place, space, and history of drawing and explores shifts in attitudes towards its practice over the years. Twenty-seven essays discuss how drawing emerges from the mind of the artist to question and reflect upon what they see, feel, and experience. This book discusses key themes in contemporary drawing practice, addresses the working conditions and context of artists, and considers a wide range of personal, social, and political considerations that influence artistic choices. Topics include the politics of eroticism in South American drawing, anti-capitalist drawing from Eastern Europe, drawing and conceptual art, feminist drawing, and exhibitions that have put drawing practices at the centre of contemporary art. This textbook: Demonstrates ways contemporary issues and concerns are addressed through drawing Reveals how drawing is used to make powerful social and political statements Situates works by contemporary practitioners within the context of their historical moment Explores how contemporary art practices utilize drawing as both process and finished artifact Shows how concepts of observation, representation, and audience have changed dramatically in the digital era Establishes drawing as a mode of thought Part of the acclaimed Wiley Blackwell Companions to Art History series, A Companion to Contemporary Drawing is a valuable text for students of fine art, art history, and curating, and for practitioners working within contemporary fine art practice.

Perceptual drawing, in which one renders the physical world as it appears to an observer, is the focus of this new text for the introductory drawing course. With an emphasis on progressive skill development, Drawing from Observation offers a balanced mix of hands-on technique and perceptual theory while making a compelling argument for the long-term value of studying perception-based drawing.

Ideal for introductory studio art courses in drawing, Drawing Essentials: A Guide to Drawing from Observation, Second Edition, explains clearly and in depth the essentials of depicting form and space on a two-dimensional surface, focusing on the cultivation of observational skills, increased sensitivity, critical thinking, technical refinement, and knowledge of materials. FEATURES * Written by an award-winning artist with thirty years of teaching experience * Presents clear, direct explanations of drawing fundamentals including: the process of sighting; scaling techniques; creating meaningful line variation; methods for tonal development; creating effective still lifes; understanding the human figure, portraiture, and anatomy; color theory and application; perspective systems; using photos as references; and brainstorming to generate ideas * Provides helpful pointers on both group and individual critiques * Offers practical advice about traditional and nontraditional media and surfaces as well as alternative processes that can be combined with drawing * Includes a comprehensive appendix featuring more than eighty illustrations by twenty-one contemporary artists, a bibliography, and a list of supplementary readings