Drawing is the most basic and fundamental skill for the artist to master. It is the foundation of all the visual arts, such as painting, sculpture, architecture and printmaking. It has been said that one can become a great draughtsman without being a great painter, but one can never be a great painter without being a great draughtsman. So learning to draw well is essential for anyone who wishes to seriously pursue any visual art form. Drawings and sketches are often the most endearing and revealing examples of an artist's work, and can be completed works of art as easily as any painting. This article will outline an approach to drawing that will help the student to realize the importance of drawing and to gain proficiency in this essential skill.

Many styles of modern art have de-emphasized drawing. However, the ability and understanding necessary to render abstract or semi-abstract forms effectively stems from a firm grasp of drawing and its relationship to design. It's worth noting that Picasso could draw realistically as well as any of the Old Masters! And although different drawing mediums such as pen and ink, charcoal and pencil require different techniques, the basic principles of drawing apply to all.

To draw realistically begins with learning to use your eyes, then learning to use your hand. It is necessary to overcome the mentality of drawing what you think is there, and instead draw what you actually see.

While it is necessary to develop a high degree of hand-eye coordination, most of an artist's skill lies within his brain--the ability to understand what he is looking at. It helps the student to know that all forms in nature can be broken down into four basic geometric shapes; cube, cylinder, cone and sphere. This is particularly helpful when rendering the human body--it helps to simplify what is otherwise the most complex subject for the artist. It also helps to understand three-dimensional form, and the way that light and shadow play upon its surface. Looking at the subject as a combination of three-dimensional shapes also gives mass to the subject, helping the student to understand how the subject occupies space.

To begin a sketch or drawing, first establish your composition, particularly what the focal point of the piece will be. The next step is to establish your vantage point or eye level--in a landscape the horizon will be at the same level as your eyes. Then determine the direction that the light is coming from. It is a good idea to use only one source of light, or your shadows will be confusing. And be certain to keep the direction of the light consistent throughout the composition. You don't want the shadows on a person's face to be on the opposite side that the shadows on the body appear!

Once these considerations have been established, you should generally block in the largest shapes first, then gradually work in the smaller shapes and details. Pay close attention to the edges of your objects and figures--you should vary your contours: hard linear edges, soft blended edges and rough edges. This prevents the subject from looking flat and cut-out.

To draw accurately, it is necessary to develop a keen sense of measurement and proportion. You should constantly compare the area that you are currently working on with the surrounding areas to get the size and scale correct.

There are many drawing exercises to improve your skill---drawing with your left hand if you're right-handed; drawing with both hands simultaneously; drawing from memory; contour drawing and action sketching are some of the most useful exercises.

Here is how you can practice contour drawing--first, select a simple object such as a tea kettle. Choose a point on the edge of the object as a starting point. Allow your eyes to follow the edge of the object all the way around the object until you reach your starting point. As your eyes follow the edges of the subject, your pencil or pen should move in harmony with your eyes, tracing the outline of the subject on paper. You can start by periodically looking at the paper to make sure that you have not gotten too far off track. But as soon as possible, stop looking at the paper all together.

Keep in mind that the purpose of contour drawing is not to produce a finished work of art. Don't worry about the result--contour drawing is simply an exercise to improve your hand-eye coordination, and will be effective when practiced regularly.

Drawing from memory is a challenging skill, but immensely useful to the artist. A well-developed visual memory is one the most important faculties for the artist. There is no doubt that great masters such as Rubens and Michelangelo had extraordinary memories, able to recall how the human figure appeared in any position. The most basic memory exercise is to simply study a stationary subject for a period of time, then remove the subject or turn your back to it before drawing it. As you improve your skill, you should reduce the amount of time spent studying the subject.

Action sketching is another valuable skill for the artist to develop. Sketching a moving subject, such as a person or an animal, forces the artist to study and understand the subject matter better than any other method. Moving subjects require the artist to quickly analyze the subject and determine the most distinctive features. It also forces you to quickly determine the basic proportions, weight distribution and lines of movement for the subject.

Sketching a moving figure is largely a matter of memory. You should spend a period of time studying the subject, then quickly sketch it. Do a series of quick sketches if necessary, correcting and refining the drawing until a satisfactory result is attained. At first it may be necessary to break down the subject into simple geometric shapes to establish the basic form.

The beginner should avoid sketching moving subjects until he has gained proficiency rendering stationary subjects. But once skill has been developed, action sketches can be rich source material for more finished works. I have found that action sketching and contour drawing, along with regular drawing, have been the most beneficial exercises for improving my drawing skills. But whatever you do, just draw! As often as possible.

A word about using photographs--the beginning artist should avoid using photos, as the camera lens distorts proportion and perspective. This is particularly evident in portrait photos. Photos can be invaluable to the experienced artist, who uses them as a guide only, and understands how to compensate for distortion. The beginning artist should always draw from life whenever possible.

I started to draw as a child by copying the drawings of Michelangelo, one of the great masters of the human form. In the beginning I even traced these drawings, an excellent practice for the rank beginner. I then learned how to break the human figure into geometric shapes, thus learning about three-dimensional form, light and shadow, measurement and proportion. Only many years later did I begin to work seriously in color. I feel that if you can render the human body accurately, then you have all the skills necessary for all other subject matter. For most people, however, it would be wiser to start off with simpler subjects, such as still-lifes and landscape scenes, as the human figure can be an intimidating subject.

Draughtsmanship is no longer emphasized in art schools and academies as it was in past centuries. But every serious artist recognizes the value of mastering the fundamentals of drawing. Line, value and form are key elements of design, and there is no better way to master them than through the medium of drawing. I hope that this article will help you to develop your drawing skills and to see the importance of drawing, not only as the foundation for painting, but as a complete and independent medium in itself.

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The artwork of the author, Charles Griffith, can be found at http://charlesgriffith.tripod.com/ and he can be contacted at charles_griffith@lycos.com. Charles Griffith's interest in art began in childhood, and was encouraged by his family. Later, while serving in the U.S. military in Europe, he was inspired by seeing firsthand some of the treasures of European art. Today his art focuses on traditional realism, often with elements of Expressionism and Surrealism.