How to Gesture Draw
Materials:
Pen, pencil or crayon (pick a tool)
Paper
Vocabulary:
Application, technique, gesture, depth, overlapping, contrast, layering
Purpose:
Want to Draw Well? Gesture Drawing is a Great Beginning! You will be introduced to gesture drawing. Gesture drawing is many things: a way to “see,” a technique of drawing, an exercise, a defined “scribble”, and a finished style.
Everyday objects like the above, are excellent sources for practice in learning gesture drawing skills.
General:
Basically, gesture drawing is a method of training hands to quickly sketch what the brain has already seen. Staying “focused” means sustained concentration. Once you start drawing, don’t stop–there’s only 10-30 seconds to finish! As you proceed in skill development, drawings should be “grouped” with overlapped shapes and time extended up to 2 minutes. This is Gesture practice.
1. FOCUS— constantly. The eye, a wonderful camera, estimates proportions, contours, movement, and contrasts quickly. Determine contours first, then interior shapes and shadows.
2. DRAW LIGHTLY—for the 1st “layer” as a rough draft; darker for the 2nd drawing corrections right over the 1st layer adding contrast; then, the darkest 3rd layer with deep shadows and final contours.
3. DRAW QUICKLY— The entire image is viewed in a blink. Make the pencil follow content flashed to the brain. Keep the pencil/pen in constant circular and linear motion. Catch the form, not the details.
4. CONSTANT MOVEMENT—is a necessity. Quick, light drawing makes for easy clarifications in succeeding layers. Move eyes with quick returns without moving the head. Accuracy takes patience, perseverance and lots of practice.
5. TIMED DRAWINGS—from 10-30 seconds for skill practices of single shapes and 1-2 minutes for grouping objects together. It’s a challenge only in the beginning.
6. NO ERASING. Step 2 is the key. Gesture drawing’s purpose is to develop visual skills which will affect expertise. Erasing breaks focus and wastes time.
Daily Goals
1st Day
We will do as many practices as time allows. At the end of the period the gesture practices will be graded as they are shown to the teacher at the computer. Watch your grades being entered and store your art in your portfolio. Be sure all papers have your name and period on them so they can be graded.
2nd Day
We will set up several small still life groupings. With watercolor the placements will be established in broad brush strokes. This will be timed. At the end of the time you move to the next arrangement. By the time you come back to the original still life set up the watercolor should be almost dry. You will create a gesture drawing on top of the color, not worrying about the color being outside the lines.
3rd Day
First select a large page of wall paper. When you select your colors they should be reflected in the colors of the wall paper. Do the same as last class but the still life objects will be set up as single objects around the class and your are to do one at a time in the same manner you did the still life set ups from last period. Now that you are more familiar with the objects the quality of the final product should be improved from last class. Cut these out carefully. Arrange them on the wall paper in an interesting composition. Add contrast, shadows, etc to give excitement. Glue them onto the wallpaper. Finalize by the end of next class –
4th Day
Fill in the Gesture Assessment. Bring the final art up to the computer with your assessment and watch your grades being recorded. Hang the best one of all your gesture drawings in the hall. Work on extra credit (see me about browsing the programs we have in the computer)
* Artist Tip: Pick a subject or object you like to draw. This will ensure you enjoy the drawing process.