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Creating and Understanding Compositions

Drawings...

  1. improve perception and self-expression

  2. help plan projects

  3. make a finished artwork

 

To an artist, looking and seeing should not be the same thing.  Looking is simply noticing an object as you pass by it.

Seeing, or perceiving, is actually studying the object. 

  • It is picking up on every line and shadow.

  • It is observing all the details.

  • Through drawing practice, artsist become better at perceiving.

Developing ideas and compositions...

Personal Experiences

Personal Experiences

The people we know, the places we've been, the books we've read, the music we listen to - all our experiences generate ideas.

Experience with Media

Experience with Media

Your experience with different media and the ability to try new media or try them in new ways can help develop new ideas.

Perception

Perception

Examining objects that you are drawing closely, taking into account the various features and qualities that make it unique.

Perceiving Others Work

Perceiving Others Work

By carefully and critically perceiving the drawings of others, you will improve your own drawings.

Imitationalism

Imitationalism

Art that focuses on realistic qualities in a drawing.

Formalism

Formalism

How effectively an artist has used the principles of design to arrange or organize the elements of art. There is no interest whether a drawing looks real or not.

Emotionalism

Emotionalism

Expressive qualities are the way the drawing effectively communicates an idea, feeling, or mood to the viewer. Art should arouse an emotional response in the viewer.

Figure and Ground Relationships

Figure and Ground Relationships

Consider your picture plane, the subject matter, point of view, and cropping. All of these can dramatically affect the end result.

Unique and Original Work

Unique and Original Work

Create original work that communicates your thoughts and ideas using distortion, exaggeration, humor, symbolism, abstraction, texture,or mixed media. Take a new approach, look at things differently.

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