Sarah Simblet - Sketch Book Fo the Artist - 4

7/28/2019 Sarah Simblet - Sketch Book Fo the Artist - 4

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Earth and the E l e m e n t s

H N R U S S E L L

rai t pastel is t to King

rg e III of England, and an

o m e r w h o d e d i c a t e d

0 years to s tudy i ng the

st-e ver accurate image o f

s su r face , t wo

Lunar Planispheres, an d

mo on g lob e ca l l ed the

Selenographia. He also

sho rt han d calculat ions.

1 7 9 5

ft x 5 ft 6 in (1 52 x1 6 8 cm )

J O H NRUSSELL

IM AY S E E M PE RV E RS E to start a chapter t i t led "Earth and the Elements" with an image

of the Moon, but i t can be seen as a lens to our observation of this planet. I t is Earths

satell i te, our com pan ion, and its draws the t ides of the seas. Jus t as NASA photo graphs

of Earth h ave h ad a profoun d ef fect on th e way we view our f rag i le h ome, so Joh n

Russell's tour de f o r c e drawin g ( o p p o s i t e ) was a masterp iece of observa t ion in h is t ime.

This is the world's f irst accurate image of the Moon. I t now hangs on the staircase of the

History of Sc ien ce Museum, Oxford, En glan d, surroun ded by th e br igh t in s trumen ts of

cen tur ies of n aviga t ion , specula t ion , an d exper imen t . Th e paste l drawin g was con structed

from myriad te lescopic observa t ion s a lmost 200 years before th e Apol lo Moon lan din g .

Th e forces of n a ture , a s opposed th e ph ysica l i ty of Earth , a re th e rea l sub jects in

great landscape drawings. Look closely at works by many artists and you will see that

they have not represented hil ls , trees, rivers, and the sea. What they have drawn is the

force of n a ture on th ese propert ies : h ow th e win d h eaves th e n igh t ocean ; h ow th e

moun ta in cut by ice an d ra in i s n ow f leet in gly l i t ; h ow th e soi l i s scorch ed, or h as

cr ac ke d and fallen under the weight of water; and even how the Sun i l lum inates, and

meteor impacts h ave scarred, th e face of th e Moon . By drawin g such momen tous an d

everyday even ts , a r t i s ts see for th emselves th a t wh ich is momen tary an d etern a l .

Will iam Turner is said to have had himself lashed to a ship 's mast to comprehend the

storm ( see p. 199). Rich ard Lon g, a con temporary en viron men ta l a r t i s t , makes h is work by

t h e a c t o f w a l k i n g , m a r k i n g t h e g r o u n d w i t h l i n e s o f f o o t p r i n t s o r b y t u r n i n g s t o n e s ,

a rran gin g th em in perfect c i rc les on th e moun ta in s ide or in l in es dr i f t in g out of s igh t

beneath low clouds. There is a sense of the heroic in drawing outside—we race to catch a

form before the t ide engulfs i t , the sun comes out to blind it , or the wind carries i t away.

W e a t h e r i s e s s e n t i a l i n a l l l a n d s c a p e d r a w i n g . B e g i n n e r s w i l l o f t e n c h o o s e c a l m ,

sunny days, when l i tt le stirs and empty blue skies offer even less to latch l ines to. These

con dit ion s a re very di f f icu l t to express wel l . I t i s bet ter to get up before dawn ; to be

ready to draw th e n ew l igh t as i t breaks across th e lan d. Take ch an ces aga in st th e ra in

an d wor k with th e win d or fog ; th ey are th e an im ators o f you r sub ject . In th is ch apter

we exper imen t with ch arcoa l , learn in g to draw l igh t out of dark , an d take bold s teps in

emulating the swell of clouds and the forces of torrential water.



EAHATHEEMN Air in Motion

THE GREAT INVISIBLE SUBJECT of t h e s e d r a w i n g s is the w i n d . By

s e e i n g h o w it shakes, l i f ts , and g i ves mot i on to each i mag e , and

b y o b s e r v i n g its t i des ande d d i e s in our owne n v i r o n m e n t , we

c a n s o o n l e a r n to d r a w its f o r c e . B e l o w , D a u m i e r ' s c a r t o o n

shi nes w i th the b r i l l i ance of h i s c o m i c m e m o r y . He k n e w how

t h e w o r l d b e n d s and s tut te r s under such g usts . T hi s w i f e , l i k e

a n u m b r e l l a f o r c e d i n s i d e - o u t , has b e c o m e a hy ster i ca l k i te ,

f l u t te r i ng heavi l y ; a s a i l b r o k e n l o o s e in a s t o r m y m a r r i a g e .

T u r n e r c a r r i e s us to the h e a r t of t h e m a e l s t r o m . T e r

w a v e s of m e r c i l e s s n a t u r e r o a r a c r o s s the p a p e r . Th

m a s t e r of E n g l i s h s e a s c a p e is c o n d u c t i n g w i t h his g

ener g y . The s h i p , a s c r a t c h e d g h o s t , is a l r eady l os t .

H o k u s a i s s e d a t e w i n d p r e s s e s r e e d s and the j o u

y o u n g l a d i e s . F l a p p i n g k i m o n o s and an o n l o o k e r t u r

b a c k h a v e the m a g i c of a m o m e n t c a u g h t , u n d r a m a

b r i mmi ng w i th s ty l i zed r ea l i sm.

H O N O R E DA U M I ER

French satir ical cartoonist l i thographer , painter ,

sculptor , and pioneer of expressionism.Through

political drawings he fired his sharp wit at the king,

the government , the bourgeo is ie , and the legal

profession, serving a prison sentence forhis views.

Crayon and l imestone This is a lithograph. A hard waxy crayon

was drawn across a heavy limestone Varying definitions of lire

and depths of tone conspire togive volume, distance, speed, and

solidity. Fluid strokes inflate the woman's dress and pin shadows

to the ground. Hazy vertical marks reveal buildings receding

into the mist. D o t s and dashes suggest trees out of focus.

Danger of Wearin

Petticoats

UNDATED

HONORE DAU

198



J.M . W . T U R N E R

British landscape, seascape

and h is to r y pa in te r whose

pr imary in terest above a l l

was l ight. Turner w or ke d in

o i l s and wa te r co lo r s and

sketched copiously on h is

travels. Ther e are many stor

of h is passionate w or ki ng

meth ods, includ ing being

lashed to a ship's mast in

order to study a storm.

Penci l and watercolor Stains of

subdued watercolor are splashed

brushed, and pressed into this

absorbent sheet The paper's very

own coior is brought through as

banks of mist and fog. A penciled

outline of a skeletal ship is

scratched into the waves, while

the whole composition leans and

swells around its fateful center.

Ship in a Storm

c. 1826

91/2 x 113/4 in (241 x 300

J . M . W . T U R N E R

K A T S U S H I K A H O K U S A I

ProlificJapanese co lor

wood-blockp r in tmake r ,

painter, designer and bo ok

illustrator; nfluenced by

examples of Wes ter n ar t

ob ta ined th roug h Du tch

trading in Nagasaki. Hokusai

in tu rn has since significantly

in f luenced Eu ropean a r t .

Landscape and city life were

hisprinc ipal subjects, and his

best-loved wo rks inc lude

100 views of Mount Fuj i

and 12 volumes of Manga.

Wind direct ion This is a colored

wood-block print. To represent

wind, Hokusai has chosen the

direction from which it blows

(from the right), then lifted

clothing horizontally and flowed

it into the stream of the wind.

Plants also bend and flow from

right to left

Coup de Vent a Asajigahare

1802

81/2 x 131/2 in (2 17 x 343 mm )

H O K U S A I K A T S U S H I K A



EAHAND THEEEMEN

StormsSTORMS CAN BE SEEN an d dr a w n i n tw o w ay s : f i r s t , a s

a s u b j e c t a n d s e c o n d , a s a g e s t u r a l s t o r m o n t h e p a p e r .

T h e v e r y n a t u r e o f b o t h i s t u r m o i l a n d a n i n t e r w e a v i n g

o f e l e m e n t s , i n k s , m a r k s , w a t er , a n d t o s s e d o b j e c t s —

a per f ec t sub j ec t i n w hi ch ar t i s ts can f or g e t themse l ves , g r ab

t h e i r b r u s h , i n k , o r c h a r c o a l , a n d s w i m i n t o t h e p a g e .

T h e m e n a c i n g d a r k n e s s o f H u g o 's s t o r m b e l o w i s so

con vi n c i ng , it i s di f f icu l t to con tem pl a t e i t s b r o od i ng a nd

n i g h t - s o a k e d h e a r t . H e b r i n g s u s t o s t a r e i n t o a p l

t h a t n o s a n e h u m a n w o u l d e n t e r . O p p o s i t e , L e o n a r d

Cloudburst of Material Possessions i s o n e o f h i s m o

e n i g m a t i c a n d m y s t e r i o u s w o r k s . I t l o o k s s o c o n t e m p

a s i f d r a w n j u s t t h i s y e a r . D o m e s t i c o b j e c t s w e c a n

and name f a l l f r om the c l ouds , l i nes of r a i n escor t i ng

t o b o u n c e a n d c l a t t e r . A n u p d a t e o n b i b l i c a l s h o w e

f is h a n d f ro g s , th i s i s a b o m b a r d m e n t f r o m o u r h

V I C T O R H U G O

French novelist and artist (see also p.28). In periods

between writing, drawing was Hugo's principal means

of expression. His subjects include ruins, fantasy

palaces, haunted shadows, and the sea studied

from his home in Guernsey in the Channel Islands.

Pen and brush Hugo drew first with pen and ink, com posing

banks o f waves an d dense, active surfaces of water. Then, with a

brush, he blanketed the drawing in darkness, leaving nothing but

a glimpse of moonlight glistening on the froth below. Turner

(see p . 1 9 8 ) admires the majesty of nature. By contrast, this

is a writer's narrative of terror.

Le Bateau-Vision

1864

71/2 x 10 in (1 92

V I C T O R H U G O

20 0



LEONARDO DA VINCI

Leonardo devised many artifacts of our modern

lives, envisioning machines centuries before their

making (helicopters and bicycles, for example). He

bequeathed his drawings to a friend, and they

passed through private hands for 400 years before

becoming widely known. It is interesting to speculate

how engineering might have develop ed if his ideas

had been shared with the world earlier

Ink and chalk This is a pen and ink drawing with touches

of black chalk. Each item that has crashed from heaven is

drawn in such a way that we can feel Leonardo's nib

picking it up in the speed of a doodle. There is a little

magic in recognizing ma ny items from our homes -

something like a rake, a hook, a bell, and a wheel, together

with half the contents of our garage. Above and below are

examples of his mirror handwriting. He was left-handed

and wrote backwards in Italian from left to right.

Cloudburst of Material Possessio

1510-12

45/8x 43/8 in ( 1 1 7 x 1 1 1 m m )

L E O N A R D O D A V IN C I



EAHAND THEEEMEN

Nature ProfilesTHE PROFILE OF A HORIZON is a line we immediately recognize

and respond to . Whether land- , sea - , or c i tyscape, i t i s the

unique ca l l igraphic s ignature of the place in which we s tand .

Claude Lorrain drew directly on location, and we can imagine

s ta n d i n g o v er h i s s h o u l d er , wa tc h i n g h i s h a n d a n d ey e a t

wo r k to g eth er , r a p i d l y l a y er i n g c o n to u r s to s h a p e p l a c e ,

a tmosphere, and mood s imul taneous ly . Even d is t i l l ed f rom

al l other deta i l , a hor izon l ine can tr igger our recogni t ion.

Oppos i te below, Clare Bryan took panoramic photogr

th e E n g l i s h S o u th D o wn s , a n d a f te r t r a c i n g h er c a

l ine, trans ferred i t to a scrol l . Drawing wi th a sca lp

teased away f ragments of paper to i l luminate her v

a very d i f ferent work ( opposite above) , m a d e i n s i d e

Bryan cu t the prof i l e of a c i ty . She was inspi re d b

research of aer ia l p lans of London and the s tory o

a l ien map butter f ly ( see caption).

C L A U D E L O R R A I N

French classical landscape painter draftsman, and

etcher who lived most of his l ife in 17th-century

Rom e. Clau de is dist inguished by, and famed for ,

his unsurpassed h andling of light, which he use d

to unify his composit ions.

Segments The top half of the drawing is a view as we enter the

valley. Claude has used a fine nib to delineate segments of land as

they recede into space. In the lower half he has walked downhill

a little, and across to the right. Over first lines, rich, thick, and dry

marks in the foreground appear to be made with his finger. Paler,

cooler tones receding into the distance are applied with a brush.

Views from Vellet

c.1638

85/8 x 121/2 in (219

CLAUDE LORRAIN

202



Sca lpe l-drawn This book-bound drawing w a s inspired

by the story of a foreign butterfly wrongly introduced

to Great Britain in 1912, then hunted down and

destroyed. Ideas of introduction and removal led

Clare Bryan to research historical plans and aerial

drawings of London showing its population growth

since Roman times. On turning the pages of C i t y ,

progressively more and more paper is drawn away

with a scalpel to show the expansion of human

settlement around the river. The edges of each page

(cropped here) fa de into the solid paper of an

unpopulated landscape.

City

2001

CLARE BRYAN

C L A R E B R Y A N

3ritish artist, printmaker graphic designer, specialty

bookbinder, and visit ing professor at numerous art

schools. Her recent paper photographic, and digital

print-basedworks ref lec t upon the h is tor ies and

poetry of " left behind and in-betwe en spaces."

C ut line This is a small section of a preparatory

5-ft 1.5-m scr oll .The horizon was drawn with a

scalpe

work s l lumina tedby standing its lower edge on a

sourc

Landline

2003

271/2 x 59 in (70 x 150 cm)

CLARE BRYAN



E

RTH AND THE

E

EM

ENT Charcoal

CHARCOAL IS PRODU CED f r om wood bak e d

s l o w l y w i t h o u t e x p o s u r e to air, so it c h a r s

b l a c k as o p p o s e d to i g n i t i n g and t u r n i n g

t o a s h . W i l l o w is the m o s t c o m m o n w o o d .

A r t i s t s h a v e a l s o u s e d l i m e , b e e c h , m a p l e ,

v i n e , and p l u m . B u n d l e s of t w i g s w e r e

t r a d i t i o n a l l y s e a l e d i n t o e a r t h e n w a r e j a r s

or we t c lay and he a te d s lowly and i n t e n s e l y

in a fire or k i l n .

Char coa l l i f t s away f r om pape r e as i ly with

the ve r y l ig ht touch of an e r ase r , a p i e c e of

f r e s h b r e a d , the h e e l of y o u r h a n d , a rag,

f e a the r , or f i n g e r t i p . L i n e s are a c h i e v e d by

d e p o s i t i n g p a r t i c l e s in the g r a i n of p a p e r .

S m o o t h p a p e r a c c e p t s f e w p a r t i c le s , r e s u l t i n g

in a p a l e l i n e . R o u g h p a p e r can be l o a d e d ,

and of f e r s a r i c h , b l a c k f i n i s h .

C h a r c o a l n a t u r a l l y g l i s t e n s . It can be

m a d e d u l l e r , b l a c k e r , and m o r e i n d e l i b l e

b y s o a k i n g it in l i n s e e d oil. Alternatively , you

c a n p u r c h a s e m a c h i n e - m a d e c o m p r e s s e d

c h a r c o a l . As its n a m e i m p l i e s , it is c o m p r e s s e d

a n d m o l d e d at h i g h p r e s s u r e , r e s u l t i n g in

a s t i c k t h a t g i v e s a b l a c k e r , h a r d e r l i n e . It

d o e s not e r a s e e a s il y , l e a v i n g u n d e r t r a c e s

of f i rs t thou g ht s .

RANGE AVAILABLECharcoal (in its several forms shown here) is loved or loathed

by the beginner to wh om it isoften recommended because it

produces pleasing results quickly. It is also easily erased if the

maker of the m ark isnot happy with the result.

1. THIN W ILL OW CHARCOAL : I used

a piece like this tomake the drawing

opposite. The tip snaps easily to renew

a sharp edge if required.

2 . MED IUM WIL LOW CHARCOAL :

The same as above, only a little thicker.Boxes often contain arange of thicknesses

to choose for different needs.

3 . TH ICK W IL LO W CHARCOAL :

Big pieces are perfect for very large-scale

drawings—even larger than yourself. Try

itworking on big paper covering a wall.

4. CHAR COAL PENCIL : Types made by

different manufacturers vary in quality and

density ofline. Essentially, they are all

intended for fine work.

5. COMPRESSED C HARCO AL:

Machine-made, cylindrical, blacker, and

heavier than willow. Not to be confused

with square conte sticks (see p. 162) or

graphite (see p.54).

6.CHALK CHARCOAL: Technically, this

does not exist. Beware of cheap brands

selling dyed chalk as compressed charcoal.

In use, it looks gray and feels like chalk.

7. SQUARE COMPRESSED CHAR COAL:

Not often sold, but some specialists stock

compressed charcoal indelicate square

sticks. A great find when available.

LIFTING OUTThis technique is a very

method ofdrawing a

fine, white line into the

or grayness of willow c

It allows you greater pr

in your mark-making

you rub away the cha

with aneraser.

1uspend a length o

tape, sticky side d

between your middle fin

thumb. Hold itover your

without touching the sur

2eep the tape abo

drawing. Use any f

pen or pencil (I used a b

draw a firm line on the

tape. Then l ift it away.

3white l ine is lif

by the tape. Slightly

tape's stickiness before

prevent it from lifting ou

than you intend.

2 0 4



ERASINGT h i c k l y a p p l i e d c h a r c o a l

qu i ck l y o ve r co mes a p l as t i c

e rase r A w ar m ( so f t and tack y

putty eraser i s more effect ive ,

as i s f r e sh ( unb u t te red ! )

bread. He re , I used a p last ic

e rase r e f fe c t i ve l y o n th in l y

app l i ed char co a l .

L i f t ing out Th is detai l shows

an example of where I used the

lifting-out technique demonstratedopposi te to draw f lashes of

lightning against rain clouds.

Different tones seen throughout

the main drawing on pp.212-13

were made by a l ter ing the

pressure applied to the charcoal.

8 . T O R T I LL O N : Th i s is a t i gh t ro l l o f

paper used t o b lend charcoa l , graphi te ,

pastels , o r any other dry media . Layers

can be peeled away to refresh its surface

C o t to n s w a b s a ls o w o r k .

9 . P EN: Any f ine pen or penci l can be u

to draw on the back o f masking tape wh

lifting out. He re we used a ballpoint. Lift

broader marks w i th a la rger implement.

1 0 . M A S K I N G T A P E : A n i n v al ua b le

resource, sold in several widths. Use high

quality (very sticky) to f ix paper to walls

and boards . Use cheaper ( less s t icky)

for l if ting out.



LandscapesTREES ALONE OFFER MARVELOUS shapes todraw. They

a r e a l s o g o o d m a r k e r s of r e c e d i n g s p a c e , e s p e c i a l l y

when making f i rst excursions into aer ial perspect ive.

This term simply means that as land rolls away into the

distance, details blur and colors grow paler and bluer.

It isthe visible effect of the atmosphere between where

you stand and what you see inthe distance.

Landscape drawings are traditionally arranged inthree

parts: a detailed foreground; a less distinct middle ground

composed of shapes and textures; and an abstract , hazy

d i s t a n c e . S u c c e s s f u l d r a w i n g s o f t e n o n l y s u g g e s t the

qualities of the scene without overdescribing them. On

p p . 9 8 - 9 9 we noted that in r e s p o n s e to v i s u a l s t

our brains search for nameable th ings and wil l pe

com plete p ictures from very li t t le in forma t ion . I ro

the less you describe, the more you encourage the v

i m a g i n a t i o n to join in a n d s e e . E x c e s s i v e d e t a i l

a d m i r e d f o r its s k i l l a n d a c h i e v e m e n t , b u t is o f t

evocative and engaging. At its worst, it results in fla

o f c lu t ter . To exper iment with drawing landscapes

use o f charcoal , pack your mater ia ls (as advised bel

set off for a local view or y o u r n e a r e s t a r b o r e t u m

w o r r y if it is c l o u d y : c l o u d s a d d d r a m a a n d p e r

a n d m a k e g o o d s u b j e c t s in themselves (see pp.21

MATERIALSPack several thick an

sticks of willow ch

a reel of masking t

eraser your drawing

or a board and pape

(or hairspray), and

in a plastic bag to si

you arrive, begin by

out several small sq

you r paper, to co nt

of your composition

Seeing tonesIn this first view there

foreground and middl

The long view is hidd

trees. I relaxed my ey

focus to dissolve distra

into abstract patches

darkness. Th en I drew

of the tonal patches I

EAHANTHEMEN

06



Exploring the viewIn my second square I exp lo red a s imple

v iew contrast ing soft , rounded, dark trees

with bright, horizonta l regions of grass. Th is

composition turned out a l ittle flat because

I have an almost even quantity of earth and

sky. It is better to give distinctly m ore pictorial

space to one or the other (see below).

Inventing drama

Redrawing the scene above, I haveinvented drama with diagonals set

against each other I tilted the earth,

shadows, the trunk of a bare tree,

and broke a v iew through the

hedge into the distance with a dark

sky threaten ing ra in . Remember ,

your vie w is your inspiration, full of

information you can use to create

what you want!



EAHAND THE EEMEN

Drawing in the RoundW H EN DRAW ING IN THE LA NDSCAPE, se e k p lac e s in l ig h t

shade out of the glare of the sun, so the paper is not made

b l in din g a n d y o u r h a n d c a n n o t c a s t a s h a do w o n y o u r

work. I usually begin by making an image of the whole view.

This f irst drawing serves as a process of arrival, settling my

concentra t ion, and seeing what the rea l choice of subjec t is .

After my f irst drawing, I am then able to home in

interes ts me most for fur ther s tudy . For example,

t h e s c en e b e lo w led m e t o f o c u s o n t h e dec a y in

oppos ite . S imilar ly , on pp.214-15 my f irs t drawin

whole view of the T iber led me to see the rea l su

the day, which was the f low of water over rocks.

FINDING THE SUBJECT

Finding a remarkable subject is even better when you can circumnavigate it in an arena

of space. Th e m ud o f the tidal shore in Rye, England has emb edd ed w ithin it the decaying

skeleton of a burned fishing boat, bare r ibs, engine, and til ler stil l standing proud. Circling a

subject and drawing it from several views imprints on your memory a better understanding

of its three-dimensional form. Building on earlier studies of structure in space using shoes

(pp.164-65) a n d a wir e viol in (pp.104-05), your challenge now is to f ind a sculptural

subject in the landscape, taking with you y our draw ing bo ok and pen.

"Drawing in the round m eans to literally walk around your

subject, observing it from several views so as to better

understand it as a whole."

20 8



SERIES OF STUDIESThis stunning ghost of a boat comes into

vie w twice a day, wh en the sea rec edes.

W he n yo u have found you r subject, make a

series of drawings from different positions.

Each new drawing gives a different insight.

1ere, I spent equal time looking at the

subject and th e paper, marking straight,

careful l ines to establish the skeleton that

gives this wre ck its distinct form, charac ter,

and structure.

2n this tail-end view, I looked more boldly

at the p lanes and the dynamic of the

sculptural craft My lines have become darker

and more forceful as confidence in my

understanding of the vessel grew.

3his impression notes the angle of the

broken boat, its overall balance, and the

order and shape of its component parts. I drew

with quick, unfussy l ines, looking more at the

boat than at the paper

4rom this low position I have emphasized

how the boat i s swal lowed in mud by

outlining its shadow on the ground. Th e outl ine

ties a shape of darkness to the boat like a weight

so that it becomes part of its form.

Overleaf: Decayin







T HIS STORM DRAWING , m a d e o n s m o o t h ,

h o t - p r e s s e d d r a w i n g p a p er (see pp.20-21)

u s in g a t h in s t i c k o f wi llow ch arc o al , was

m a d e w i t h g e n t l e b u t u n h e s i t a t i n g s p e e d .

L o o k i n g b a c k a n d f or th f r o m t h e h e a v e n s

t o f i rmly tape d-do w n paper , I wo rked qu ick ly

t o c a t c h a n d w e a v e t h e t u r b u l e n t c o n t r a s t s

o f r i s in g win d an d appro ach in g wat er befo re

t h e d r a w i n g c o u l d b e w a s h e d a w a y .

Cloudburst





Notes of ForceT H E G R E A T F L O W I N G T I B E R R I V E R has cut through Rome, shaping the city, since

ancient times. On the pages of a small, black, pocket-sized notebook, I drew with

a needle-fine fiber-tip pen, focusing on the river's eddies, pulse, and rhythmic

detail as it passed through the ancient gully of the city.





MountainsS I T T I N G I N T H E S H A D E of a tree on the Greek island of Antiparos,

I used a dip pen and waterproof India ink with brushed watercolor to

draw the view. The strong diagonal of the com position from bottom left

to top right carries the eye through changes of height and focus from

the foreground to the mountains beyond.







Abs t rac t Lines

A D O L F W O L F L I

One of the greatest masters

of Ar t Brut. Wolfl i was a

Swiss draftsman, poet,

writer and composer whosuffered from paranoid

schizophrenia and w as

resident in the Wa ldau

Aslyum near Berne. He

made thousands of drawings

to chronicle his complex life.

Swirling, writhing torrents of

color, fictional language,

drawn sound, and poetic

myth roar and cascade

within his tightly framed

pages. His drawings are

collected and exhibited

internationally and held by

the Ado lf Wolfli Foundation,

Museum of Fine Arts, Berne.

Sa int-Mary-Cast le-Giant-Grape

1915

413/8x 285/8 in (105 x 72.8 cm)

A D O L F W O L F L I

T H E D E V E L O P M E N T O F W E S T E R N abstract art at the beginning of the 20th century

significantly paralleled major changes in world thought, belief, and history. The

growing r ise of Darwinian ideas coupled with Freudian and Marxist perspective

forced Western society to reconsider its origins and future. Internal workings of th

mind were suddenly free to find a new language of expression. Artists were given a

different tool—a line threaded directly from their subconscious to their hand—and

with i t they began to map a bold new landscape of marks and concepts that woul

d r a m a t ic a l l y a n d f o r e v e r c h a ng e t he f a c e o f W e s t e r n a rt . T h e f at e o f O l d W o r l d

thinking was finally sealed with the brutality of World War I . Afterward, picturing

a stabilized world was impossible and Modernism rode forth with vigor.

However, abstraction is not so easy to define, and it has always been with us.

was not invented in the 20th century, only rediscovered. From one point of view, a

pictorial representations are abstractions of reality. From another viewpoint, many non

Western cultures have highly sophisticated abstractions at the core of their art , an

have been making abstract drawings for centuries—Japanese calligraphy, for exampl

Indian mandalas, and Aboriginal art. Perhaps in Western culture we bred this intuitive

freedom out of ourselves in our insistence on complex figuration. Outsider artists, su

as A dolf Wolf li, opposite, and young children show us that abstract, expressive mar

and shapes are at the core of natural, spontaneous image - making.

Not everything we know has a physical form in the world. Many concepts and

fee lings can only be ex press ed throug h marks, so unds, actions, or ges tures. A n

abstract mark is often a better conductor of a thought or feeling, precisely because it

does not have to represent a physical object; it is simply itself. People are often scared

by abstraction and see it as the enemy of figurative art. It is actually its foundation

and its infrastructure. My own work is firmly centered in figuration, yet my kinshi

to abstraction is fundamental. I begin every image by feeling its meaning, direction

and emotion. First marks, which are essentially abstract, strike the paper to find form

As you approach the classes in this chapter, don't be timid; be brave and enjoy the

A bstra ction is a direct , l iberating, and indepe ndent me ans of c ommunic atio n. It

also underpins and gives strength and unity to all figurative work.



AR

LNProcess and Harmony

S O M E T I M E S A D R A W N L I N E sings on the surface of i ts support .

S o m e t i m e s it smolders l ike a deep shadow. It can proclaim

mood, si lence, and sensit ivity with its thickness and pressure

of touch . A l ine can be finished in a second, or , as Twombly

shows us opposite, it can keep reforming through the inherent

repetit ion of a process. A Neolithic chalk tablet bears cut l ines

that were s lowly carved. Below, Mamoru Abe prepares an

image that will appear through the chemistry of iron, water,

and patient watching. Abe's physical drawing is a scu

instal lat ion . Damp Japanese paper was la id over car

arranged i ron bars . Moisture produced rust , s ta in in

brown lines into the white surface. Five forged steel

akin to stones in a Zen garden, sit in silent harmony,

ink marks on a page. Twombly 's mesmeric wax l ine

over house paint is like a signature, rhythmically engag

i tse l f , scro l l ing across the c a n v a s in an i n t i m a t e c re

M A M O R U A B E

Japanese sculptor and installation artist, and Assistant

Professor of Fine Art at Fukuoka Univers i ty. Abe

works with materials such as soil, forged steel, brass,

ice, salt, and plaster ingalleries and landscapes. He

travels widely to research ancient sacred sites.

Lines, tone, and texture Pillars of the gallery are made part

of this drawing by their inclusion in the paper. This amplifies

their bracing separation of the floor from theceiling. Iron rods

reaching from beneath the paper rest within the framelike

rim of floor space. Changes in tone, texture, and temperature

between paper, iron, and wood are also part of the work.

The Physical Sp

1990

3 0 x 30 ft ( 9 1 4

M A M O R U A B E

22 0



A N C I E N T C A R V I N G S

Many ancient cultures have made and left behind

drawings and texts c arved into stones o r animal

bone, such as the Rosetta stone, the Babylonian

world map, and American Indian petroglyphs (see

p.241). This e xample is one of two chalk tablets

found in a Late-Neolithic pit, close to Stonehenge

in Wiltshire, E n g l a n d . Thesite's purpose is unknown;

theories suggest astrological observations, burials,

and the worship of the sun and ancient gods.

Cu t lines Chalk carves easily. Precise lines suggest the use of a

sharp flint The framed rectangle of this image isechoed in that

of Abe's installation. The central pictorial space is also similarly

cut and divided by the considered arra ngement of straight lines.

Neolithic Chalk Tablet

3,000-2,400BCE

21/4 x 21/4 in (58 x 58 mm)

A R T I S T U N K N O W N

C Y T W O M B L Y

Contemporary American art ist who emerged

through the 1950s Ne w York art scene in the heyday

of Abstract Expressionism and Action Painting. At the2001 Venice Biennale,Twombly was presented with a

Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement.

Language Over the course of fifty years, Twombly has

evolved a raw, energetic, emotive, and sensuous language

that challenges the separation of word from image, and

drawing from painting. Many of his graffiti-like wo r kscombine abstract gestures with statements. Here we

might seek to grasp letters in the turning of his line.

Untitled1970

C Y T W O M B L Y



A

R

C

L

N W rit ing T im eSINCE THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, abstract art is ts and composers

have s t r iven to break down o ld p ictoria l and musical

structures to explore new and unfettered modes of expression.

Both abstract drawing and composi t ion involve the perfect

sequencing of sounds and marks against space and s i lence .

Bussot t i , opposi te , broke new ground in the 1950s wi th

g ra p h i c s c o re s n o w c o n s i d e re d a m o n g t h e m o s t e x t re m e ,

beaut i fu l , and invent ive o f h is t ime. A graphic score is a

unique, abstract , music manuscript requiring instrume

to improvise , in terpret , and part ic ipate in the comp

The scores are also exhibited in galleries as visual art

Hugo, below, said, "There is nothing l ike dream to

the future." An innovator who never fails to surprise,

anticipates abstract expressionism by 100 years. His

writes the t ime of i ts own physical process by express

extreme concentrat ion o f the moment in which i t wa

V I C T O R H U G O

F re n ch n o ve l i s t w h o m a d e m a n y d ra w in g s in

m ixe d m e d ia ( se e also p.28). H u g o ' s a b s t r a c t

d r a w i n g h e r e c a n bed e s c r i b e d int e r m s of

Gestalt, aG e r m a n ph i l o s o p h i c a l i d e a a b o u t

t h e p o w e r of m o m e n t , o f t e n e x p r e s s e d in

visua l te rms. Gestalt i s t h e i n s ta n t re co g n i t i o n

o f a n u n n a m e a b le th in g , ac o n f i g u r a t i o n , or a

p a t t e r n of e l e m e n t s sou n i f i e d as a w h o l e

t h e y c a n n o t bee x p l a i n e d as as u m of p a r t s .

Ink impressions When drawing nightscapes Hugo often laid

paper disks in place of the moon, brushed night skies over

them with ink then lifted the disks to reveal white moons.

Here he appears tohave saturated the cut-out moon disks

with gritty pigment, pressed them fa ce down, and lifted them

away to leave impressions ofwatery planets and seas.

Texture Compare this drawing to Hugo's octopus on p.28.

Similarity in gritty texture suggests that here, too, he mixed

graphite into ink, and let the drying meniscus deposit

granules in linear drifts such as we would see in the satellite

photographic mappin g of rivers. Marks across the cent er

appear to be made with his fingers.

Two Impressions from a Cut-Out

Paper Disk

1853-55

V I C T O R H U G O

2 2 2



S Y L V A N O B U S S O T T I

Italian avant-garde composer and principal 20th-

century exponent of the graphic scor e. This is a page

from Due Voci, Bussotti's first mature work. His later

works become increasingly abstract; a far cry from

any recognized musical notation.

Sound and rhythm This flickering rondo of sound written in

pen on a hand-ruled stave can be heard in our imaginations as

much as seen. Following the notes, we can feel their rhythm

and easily attach sounds to them. Compare this work to that

of Libeskind on p. 70 in relation to Bussotti's clustered notes

to the left of his rondo and open space to the right.

Circular Score for "Due Voc

c. 1958

SYLVANO BUSSOTTI



AR

LNChants and PrayersWHEN ABSTRACT LINES are o r g a n i z e d in r e p e t i t i o n , t h e y

m a k e a v i s u a l and p h y s i c a l e c h o t h a t t o u c h e s s o m e d e e p

par t of t h e h u m a n s p i r i t . T h i s t a k e s a f or m in m o s t c u l t u r e s .

Visua l ly , it is f o u n d in the r e g u l a r i t y of o r d e r e d l i n e s or a

p a t t e r n . In m u s i c it c a n be felt in the dive r s i ty of p l a i n s o n g

a n d A fr i c an d r u m m i n g , for e x a m p l e . T h e s e p h o t o g r a p h s

d o c u m e n t the m e d i t a t i v e d r a w i n g s of t w o w o m e n l i v i n g

w o r l d s a p a r t in dif f e r e nt countr ie s , cu l tur e s , ce ntur ie s , and

c i r c u m s t a n c e s . In the l a t e 19th c e n t u r y , M a r i e L i e

p s y c h i a t r i c p a t i e n t in the H e i d e l b e r g A s y l u m , G e r m

t o r e c l o t h i n t o s t r i p s and u s e d t h e s e to d r a w p a t t

s y m b o l s on her c e l l f l o o r . O p p o s i t e , an a n o n y m o u

in the s o u t h e a s t I n d i a n s t a t e of T a m i l N a d u m a k e s

d r a w i n g on the b r i c k c o u r t y a r d of her h o m e , d i p p

f i n g e r s i n t o a pot of r ice f lour . It w i l l p r o t e c t the p l

e vi l and m a k e a p l e a s i n g i n v i t a t i o n to g o o d s p i r i t s .

M A R I E L I E B

Litt le is k n o w n o f t h i s w o m a n for w h o m the act

o f d r a w i n g w a s e s s e n t i a l . L i e b is o n e of c o u n t l e s s

t h o u s a n d s o f " O u t s i d e r " a r t i s t s — d i v e r s e i n d iv i d ua l s

i n c l u d i n g o r d i n a r y c i t i z e n s , s o c i a l o u t c a s t s , and

sufferers of p s y c h i a t r i c i l l n e s s e s — w h o h a v e a l w a y s

e x i s t e d , m a k i n g o b j e c t s and i m a g e s o u t s i d e of

m a i n s t r e a m c u l t u r e .

Torn cloth This is one of two published photographs showing

Marie Leib's torn cloth strips significantly placed on her cell

floor. Cloth is the simple instrument with which she has

conducted and ordered he r universe. Compositional rightness

(see pp.228-29) has been adjusted with each movement

of the rags to draw a cosmos of balance and perfection.

Cell Floor With Torn S1894

M A R I E L I E B

2 2 4



S T E P H E N P . H U Y L E RPhotographer art historian, cultural anthropologist,

lecturer on the subjects of Indian art and Indian

women's identity, at the University of London

and Ohio State University, among others. Huyler

is the author of Painted Prayers, and for over

30 years has traveled extensively through the Indian

subcontinent creating an edited archive of 200,000

images.Theseare widely published in journals and

are the subjects of international exhibitions.

Designs and motifs Rangoii (or mandalas) are ritual

drawings made by many m illions of women a cross rural India.

Materials such as rice flour, chalk, lime, or flowers are marked

or arranged on the ground or on the walls of homes, and in

places of worship and celebration. Skills are handed down

through generations and from friend to friend. Popular

magazines feature new ideas each week and on special

occasions there may be contests. In daily practice, women

pride themselves on never repeating a design. Motifs

are geometrical or based on plants, animals, and birds.

Painted Prayers

UNDATED

STEPHEN R HUY



CompositionsA B ST R A C T DR A W I NGS A R E L A R GE L Y or entirely free from

figurative representation—that is, free from the direct imaging

of known physical things. Their energy can therefore be

a purer expression of an idea or emotion.

These two works present complex compositions with

differing intensions and methods of making, but similarities

in mood, structure, and choice of hues. They each find their

pathways and equilibrium in atmosphere and suggestion,

using the viewer's eye to track and unfold layers of

Catling's torn paper shapes and shadows spill light ou

frame like a fractured mirror. Oval moons eclipse ea

and oscillate between landforms and portraiture;

heads in a subdued atmosphere of dream. Klee's math

maze of thinly washed surface resonates with met

planning. With no depth of field, it is ruled and conta

in one dimension by its interlocking ink-lined border

B R I A N C A T L I N G

British sculptor poet, performance and installation

artist, filmmaker Professor of Fine Art, Ruskin School,

and Fellow of Linacre College, Oxford. Catling's works

made for international galleries and museums involve

drawing as a tool in their development and making.

Mixed media This is a collage of torn white and gray tissue

paper previously stained with ink; gold paint a nd iridescent

gouache mixed with water; and water-resistant layers of

spray and enamel paint on thick paper. Catling's abstract

drawings are usually made in series and in parallel to written

poetry and sculptural installations.

Untitled 2001

2001

153/4 x 215/8 in ( 4 0 0

B R I A N C A T L I N G

ABSTRACTLINES

226



P A U L K L E E

Swiss painter and sculptor

(see also p.31). Klee painted,

drew , philosophized, and wro te

copiously about the natures

and relationships of colorand form. He explained his

polyphonic painting as "a

harmony of several color

voices" searching for a visual

parallel to music.

Geometr ic harmony This is a

work on paper made with a

sharp ink pen, ruler, watercolor,

and brush. It is a geometric

harmony of straight lines and

tonally graded flat colors that

by their arrangement draw our

eyes inward to their white center.

Line and surface Klee observed

the visual capacity of lines to push

or pull within an image. W e can

see some diagramma tic examples

of this among the optical illusions

on pp.97-99. Klee also felt that

a line represents the passing of

time, whereas tonal surfaces are

perceived more immediately as

a whole, and might be read as

active or passive.

Polyphon Gefasstes Weiss

(White Framed Polyphonically)

1930

131/8x95/8 n (333 x 245 mm)

Paul-Klee-Stiftung,

Kunstmuseum Bern

PAUL KLEE



"Whenall pictorial elements come together in

pleasing and perfect ba lance, they are just."

A

RA

L

N

22 8

Being "Just"A SENSE OF "JUST" (or rightness) is a di ff icult concept to a Gardener, t h e l a t e g a r d e n d e s i g n e r R u s s e l l P a g e e x

e x p l a i n , b u t a n e a s y o n e t o u n d e r s t a n d . W h e n m o v i n g h a v e e x p e r i m e n t e d e n d l e s s l y w i t h t h i s i d e a . T a k e , f o r

o b j ec ts aro u nd i n y o u r y ard , o r h o m e , o r o n a pag e , th ere is a g las s , a b u nc h o f k ey s , an d an apple , and pu t th e m

a c l ea r f e e l in g w h e n , a f t e r b e i n g c o n t i n u o u s l y a d j u s t e d , t h e y A s y o u m o v e t h e m a r o u n d , t h e ir i m p a c t , t h e i m p r e s

r e a c h a p e r f e c t p o s i t io n . T h e r e i s a s i n g le m o m e n t w h e n al l r e c e i v e f r o m t h e m , w i l l c h a n g e w i t h e v e r y r e a r r a

p r o p o r t i o n s , a n g l e s , a n d e l e m e n t s s e t tl e i n d e f i n i t i v e b a l a n c e . M a n y o f t h e i r i n t e r - r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i l l b e m e a n i n g l e

T h i s b a l a n c e i s w h a t e v e r y a r t is t a n d d e s i g n e r s e a r c h e s a n d w i l l b e m o r e o r l e s s h a r m o n i o u s , b u t e v e r y n o w a

fee ls fo r w h en m ak i ng an i m age . In h i s b o o k The Education of y o u w i l l h i t o n a n a r r a n g e m e n t w h i c h a p p e a r s j u s t . "

S E T T I N G U P

Justness can be harmonious or deliberately discordant. It is found in

all great a rt and design, regardless o f style, culture, media, or degree

of figuration. It is also found in nature. Seek it wh en looking at othe r

artists' work and in your everyday environment. Feel for it when

you draw. This exercise will help you start. Set up a sheet of paper

with a rectangle drawn on it, and ten straight sticks painted black.



WHERE TO STARTTake ten st icks of equal length, painted black.

Within a rectangle on a f lat sheet of paper set

about making a composit ion using no other rule

than a sense o f " jus t ." Mo ve the s t i cks to f ind

al ignments and imagined perspect i ves . W he n

the composit ion fal ls into place, f ix i t with glue.

1r range your ten s t i cks in two

groups of f ive, as shown here. Feel

for the rightness of their grouping and

their relat ionships to surrounding spaces.

Rem embe r the drawn rectangle i s a p art

o f the com pos i t ion (see pp.56-57).

2Move the s t i cks out in to the

re c t an g le , w h i ch n o w b e c o m e s a

t ig h t f ram e . A r ran g e t h e m s o th e y t o u ch

or cross in a series of intersecting balances.

A s t i ck touch ing the rectangle l inks thecompos i t ion to the f rame.

3n the s tep abo ve , hor i zontal s

dominate the lower area, suggesting

a hor i zon . Here , hor i zontal s dominate the

top , mak ing the compos i t ion seem t o f loat

beneath. In the f inal step (left) there is an

even balance.



SETTING UP

This lesson in collage is a direct continuation of the compositional lines made

in the previous class. Once the ten painted black sticks are set and glued in

place, they become a scaffold for the addition of further textures, colors,

and tones. Toprepare for this lesson, stain and dry a sheet of tissue paper

using blue nk. You will also need spare white paper; scissors, glue, a compass,

correction fluid or white paint, and black ink.

"My understanding is that every object [or shape] emanates—sends ou

vibrations beyond its physical body which are specific to itself."

(Russell Pa

A

R

LN

230

CollageH E R E W E E X P E RI M E N T with collage, which isthe shifting, ready- made depths and surfaces; aninfinite range

overlapping placement of materials on aflat plane. Cut or andmeaning. Images andfragments torn from d

torn layers and shapes, found ormade items, colors and life can bebrought together tomake achorus of id

textures can bemanipul ated until their pictorial harmony, emotions. R eturning toRussell Page, hewent on

or discordance, feels "just" (see pp.228-29). This principal "... youstart composing byadding orsubtracting

also applies tothree-dimensional drawings such asGaudi's andtextures andusing colors andtones toachieve

work with wire andweights onp.69 and A be's installation impressi on youwant tomake— whether dramatic

on p.220. Collage offers theartist aliberating palette of subdued, hard or soft, harmonious, oreven strid



WHAT TO DOLay the final step of the previous lesson

(p.228) in front of you. Cu t six small

rectangles the same propo rtion as your

whole image, and with a compass and

scissors, draw, then cut out, four circles

of blue tissue paper.

1egular-sized pieces of white paper

are moved over the sur face to

disrupt the even lines. This can also give

a sense of fragmentation or punctuation

to the composition. Glue them in place

once they feel " just"

2ranslucent c i rcu lar d isks of

tissue paper give color tone,

solidity, and shadow to thepicture.Th e

single disk that is folded with its straight

edge facing up appears heavier than

those that are flat.

3orn white paper moved over the

surface adds masks of rough-edged

ir regular vo lume. Obscur ing the b lue

disks, they deepe n pictorial spac e. In the

last step (left), correction fluid and ink

marks add further dimensions.





Zen CalligraphyH I T S U Z E N D O , A M O D E R N JA P AN E SE meditative art form inspired by the teachings

of Yamaoka Tesshu (1836-1888), is the practice of Zen through the calligraphic

marks of a brush dipped in carbon ink. Hitsuzendo drawings aspire to "breathe

with the energy and vitality of eternal life" achieved through "a state of no

mind—beyond thought, emotion, and

expectation." [Tanchu Terayama,

Z e n Brushwork].



NocturnesI N T H I S Q U A R T E T of semi-abstract drawings made

India ink, discord is balanced against rhythm to cr

mood. Lines made with a steel dip pen take on a scra

nervousness. These vibrate against w ashes of shadow

pitch-black mass. I flicked spatters of ink and rubbed

paper with a wet and a dry brush to achieve these eff







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