When applied to drawing, it means sketch of the future drawing.
Literally, translated from English sketch, it means "sketch","sketch", "sketch".
"Sketch is the perfect genre for a budding artist."
Drawing such sketches is quite simple. Sketch allows you to fill your hand, learn how to use a pencil and feel confident in your abilities. After such a training, you can easily take on more complex work that requires detailed drawing and mastery of more complex materials.
“Everyone who starts with sketches then makes fewer drawing mistakes. "
Artists make their sketches on the go, without making any corrections to them. The sketch should be compact in size, no larger than a landscape sheet. For work, paper of any quality and density is used. Work is done with a pencil or pen.
Writers and journalists make notes in notebooks for future texts, and artists draw sketches for future paintings. At the same time, everyone has the same goal - to create short and quick notes with which you can quickly remember what you wanted to capture.
“The main thing is to catch and manage to transfer an important moment to paper. That's what a sketch is."
A few confident strokes on the clean surface of the sheet - and you get a sketch of the future picture, from which you can immediately see how objects are located or in what poses people are, all the features of the shape of an object are clearly visible. After a while, the artist returns to his sketch and draws the entire scene from it in detail. Sketches allow you to plan the main parts of the plot: the location and shape of objects, the horizon line, movement, shadows, and so on, without going into details.
“Working with sketches is a kind of fun game. And like any game, it certainly has its own rules. The main rule is to keep the presence and location of the main elements.
How to learn to draw high-quality and fast sketches?
The sketch technique is quite simple. The process includes three stages.
- Look through the eyes of an artist. Squint, mentally dim the lighting and discard the details. Only the main lines of the form will remain. Make a rough sketch, while maintaining the proportions and location of objects, the distance between them. Shade dark areas.
- Add color. Sketches are not always black and white. Sometimes, along with the location, size and shape of objects, it is necessary to fix their color. Then pencils, markers, felt-tip pens, watercolor are used. It is not necessary to paint over the entire surface, the main thing is to show the presence and location of color spots.
- Use notes. The figure can be any kind of notes and short notes. Sometimes artists sketch some details separately on the same sheet: for example, a sketch of a small gesture or facial expression.
An experienced mentor will help you master the art of sketching.
In our Academy EvrikUM you will always be helped to touch the world of art. A wonderful artist, our illustrious countryman, works with us
PESTOV ANATOLY VASILIEVICH
Participant of city, group, family, regional, zonal, regional, interregional, republican, union, all-Russian, personal, international art and design exhibitions. Member of the Union of Artists of Russia.
In the classroom with Anatoly Vasilyevich, real miracles happen with children. Mischievous hands suddenly become obedient, whims give way to enthusiastic activity. Not even a month passes, when a real meaningful face of a person with a deep look is already looking at you from a sheet of paper. The guys who came to our circle for one course often stay in it for several years, which determines their future life path. Whatever our students grow up to be in the future, the art of quick sketches forever provides the child with good taste and an aesthetic outlook on life.
You can sign up for our circle by calling 57-43-43.
Classes are held throughout the year. And during the holidays, Anatoly Vasilievich is happy to teach the pupils of our city camp to draw.
The first steps in drawing are perhaps the most convenient to start with. Making sketches is easy enough and with their help you can learn how to avoid serious ones in more detailed drawing.
Sketch like artist's notes
To create a sketch, any paper, pen or pencil is suitable - the choice is yours. Small sketches are like a kind of notes made by an artist, sketches of a future picture. They are made without corrections, on the fly.
Sketches - helpers and drawing tools
Pencil sketches can serve as memory aids. With sketches, you can quickly outline the main features of a subject or make a quick sketch of the whole picture. Also often artists use sketches for the general planning of the subsequent painting. Without worrying about the details, in sketches you can quickly manipulate objects, the horizon and other parts of the sketch, creating a future shape or indicating movement.
How to draw sketches
Think of your subject as almost devoid of detail, as if you were looking sideways or in low light. All that remains of your "hero" is just rough lines and some shapes. now make a rough little sketch. Maintain proportions and arrange objects (or orientation) as for a future large drawing. Clearly define key shapes and use shading to indicate dark areas. And one more thing: in the sketch there is no concept of "right / wrong" - this is a completely individual work.
Adding color
Sketches are convenient to use to indicate the color spots of the future drawing. In the course are pencils, markers, watercolor. You don't have to paint the entire surface. It is enough to make only certain sketches, clearly showing the colors, but not distracting from the main details.
Take notes and sketches
Once you've created your sketch, you may want to make some more notes next to it. For example, about the position of the sun, the play of colors, or make a couple more very small sketches of specific objects. You can also make a working sketch. It can be in size, like the finished work. With the help of such sketches, you can work out problem areas in advance or more accurately portray some points of the picture.
Which already shoots on a par with a DSLR, there is a group of people who are ready to walk half the city in order to catch the perfect moment, stop ... and sketch it. We talk about travel sketching as a way to save memories and share them. Even if you can't draw, it's worth a try. And that's why.
What is a sketch?
Sketch - sketch, sketch, sketch. In other words, this is the fastest drawing in the world, which is available even to those who have forgotten how to hold a pencil. With the help of sketches, you can make plans for tomorrow or take notes on lectures, as they do in Japan. And also “write down” recipes, emotions from books read, brainstorming results, and so on ad infinitum. With travel sketches, everything is the same, including all the delights of life that the word “travel” carries in itself.
What types of sketches exist?
Sketches. Such sketches suggest that the lines should not be even, and the characters should be clear, the main thing is to convey the atmosphere and their state at that moment. Everything is like with photography, only more exciting.
Cards. Having your own map is the best way not to get lost in a new city. Draw a map of the historical center with objects that are of interest to you and put on it the location of coffee shops and restrooms. Walking will be more enjoyable!
Travel notes. The format of the visual travel diary allows you not to be limited to drawings, here you can come up with your own formula for the perfect trip. Add text to the sketches, connect the routes with arrows, highlight the most important things: the best views, food, oddities of the locals... absolutely everything will do!
For inspiration, take Katya Gushchina, who once got on a Moscow-Vladivostok long-distance train and made an amazing sketch story about it.
Travel books. And if the mood is very decisive, sit down immediately for a travel book! An important rule: one trip - one book. Combine all of the above in one notebook, and also draw sneakers that have traveled thousands of miles with you, and a dessert that you will definitely want to repeat at home. You may have to carry a glue stick with you to stick tickets from the gallery and cards from the photo booth at the railway station into your chic travel book, but it's worth it. After all, a travel book is even cooler than an album of photos, which you don’t already have.
A kind of travel book is "Walks around St. Petersburg" by Yana Frank, so maybe you will print your own when you get back?
Climb into someone else's sketchbook
We invite you to look through the thoughts and drawings of travel sketching practitioners.
Inna Karney
Keeps visual notes and draws maps on travels.
About how to start
At the very beginning, there was the idea of a drawn diary to record the events of life. At first it seemed that there was nothing to fix, well, what happens there in a day? The first drawings were primitive and described one or two events. Escorted her husband to the airport, for example. Everything fit on a piece of A6 paper. About two weeks later, I discovered that I needed a larger sheet, and since then my visual day has taken up the entire A5 sheet. An experiment with a drawn diary was designed for one hundred days. Just at this time, we were returning from a trip to Mongolia and Baikal, the last pages were notes about a trip to the rocks in the Baikal region. These were already travel sketches, but then I didn’t single them out as a separate genre, because in fact they were drawings of the past day.
About goals
I drew a map of Warsaw in order to recognize iconic places during a walking tour of the old town. The fact is that when I read guidebooks, my head is a mess of facts, objects and descriptions. Another thing is a map, especially a hand-drawn one.
The Iran travel sketch has a route, an idea and a budget, here the emphasis is not on impressions (impressions in sketches of individual cities), but on useful information for other travelers.
Beginner Tips
1. Practice. Best daily. The idea of a drawn diary worked for me. For some, an online extreme sketching course is suitable. In any case, gradually you will develop the skill and become a level eighty sketcher. If you practice.
2. Shut up your inner critic. You are not an artist, just allow yourself to capture impressions with the help of words and pictures as it will turn out. Yes, I still draw crooked little men and make mistakes in the inscriptions. But when I look at the drawn route through Jerusalem, the city with all its narrow streets and the people I meet there rises in front of me. It's priceless.
About my favorite sketch
Since we are talking about travel sketches, let's take a look at the map of Riga. Although actually my favorite pancake recipe sketch, but that's a completely different story.
Sketches panoramic views and details of travel "here and now". Once he went to France alone and kept a diary for.
About courage
I'm sure everyone can draw, just in different ways. Therefore, if the soul asks, then why not. The most important thing is to overcome your fears, then everything will be fine, and passers-by smiling at you will cheer you up even more.
About places
I try not to skimp and draw on the spot, because otherwise it is difficult to consider it as travel sketches. But sometimes circumstances do not allow, if, for example, I am not traveling alone. Sometimes it happens that I look through photos from trips and understand: “Oh! I need to draw this ASAP!" And sometimes I start on the spot, and finish after. Sometimes I like to finish something in a graphics editor. My best sketches came from nature, not from a photo. Perhaps this is because the photograph is flat, and there I am directly surrounded by what I draw.
About materials
It really depends on the mood. I try to take different materials, although at any time you can buy something on the spot. I love pencils and pens. Sometimes I want to draw with colored pencils - I use Faber Castel. I have the simplest pens, ballpoint or gel. Sometimes you really want to paint with paints, but it's hard to carry them with you. I think I'll start painting again with watercolor, it's very good for a sketch. In general, you can draw with anything, whoever likes what more, except that it’s always hard to carry. I have a pencil case that just fits all this.
Beginner Tips
You can draw anything. Starting from the narrow streets of old cities, ending with seascapes. Who likes to draw objects and details - it's great to draw in antique shops, you will never be refused if you ask. If you like to draw food, markets are the best. In the same place, by the way, you can draw general multi-figure plans, as well as practice sketching faces. You can draw in museums, especially in zoological or technical museums. Animals do not move there, which facilitates the process. On the other hand, something very simple can also be interesting. There are no limits here except those that are in our heads, so the sooner you overcome your shyness, the better!
About my favorite sketch
The sketch has recently been gaining the attention of beginners and continuing artists. Sketches are a unique opportunity to see the world through the eyes of an artist.
A sketch is the best way to reflect reality on paper in a short period of time. How to start sketching? This requires practice, as well as the availability of the necessary materials to create a sketch.
To get started, you need inspiration and a lack of fear. Inspiration will help you see a certain picture that you want to remember and reflect on paper. And the absence of fear will allow you to quickly switch to creating a drawing and not be afraid of a blank sheet of paper. As practice shows, if you are a novice artist, then it is the fear of the result and self-doubt that can slow down any inspiration you have. Try to draw, let creepy images come out at first, with time and practice, high-quality images will appear that you will look at with pleasure.
Further, a sketch is a sketch, a picture that you want to keep in memory, and then enjoy viewing the pictures after some time. To do this, it is best to purchase a special notebook where you will add drawings every time you see something interesting. Such a notebook will encourage you to draw better and more, as you will be able to view the resulting drawings. However, having a notebook does not mean that you will be sketching. If you have inspiration and desire, then at first you can draw sketches on plain paper, the main thing is that it be at hand at a certain time. In the future, the choice must be taken more seriously.
The sketch can become your book of impressions, memories and ideas for the future. If you still bought the necessary sketchbook, then you can collect various tickets, checks, small photos in it, as well as make notes and, of course, draw.
Sketches should be light, fast and uncomplicated, this rule is the main idea of sketches. So, you do not need to have a full-fledged art education for your sketchbook to become the embodiment of creativity and beauty. The idea of sketches is that the artist draws what he sees, so there is often a small amount of time to create a sketch. It is enough to outline the silhouette, and then work out the details. Let the resulting drawing not be a clear copy of what you saw, but it will convey your feelings and impressions at that very moment.
If you're painting in a public place, don't be afraid to be judged or looked at from the outside. You draw for yourself, and everyone who looks with condemnation may not even know how to hold a pencil in their hands.
How can you draw a sketch? Everything you have on hand is suitable for - liner, pencil, felt-tip pen, pen. At the beginning of your creative journey, use a simple pencil, it will allow you to make adjustments to your drawings. Also, a nag will become an indispensable assistant.
Your goal is not to build an academically correct drawing, but to create an interesting illustration that will remind you of a specific point in time. Of course, do not forget about practice and certain skills that you need to achieve before you admire your drawings.
As practice shows, for hundreds and even thousands of centuries, sketches have been used by artists, designers, inventors, architects and engineers to quickly display scenes, objects or their thoughts on paper.
Some sketch what they see directly, others sketch ideas that come to mind before they are forgotten.
Some sketches become the basis for a work of art or an invention. And others remain only in the album.
Whatever the reason for creating a sketch, there is always an opportunity to make them better. After all, fortunately, sketchers in their history, based on experience, have created their own golden fund of tricks and tricks.
We'll take a look at the best tips from the best sketchers in this article.
1. Make the sketchbook your friend.
Drawing in an album teaches you to first look, then observe, and finally, it becomes possible to find a source of inspiration in it.— Le Corbusier
Any drawing requires practice. But, since sketching is, in many ways, aimed at capturing the present moment, it is not enough to sketch only on a planned schedule. It takes a lot of practice to create spontaneous sketches, and for this you always need to have an album with you.
Countless great artists always carried a sketchbook with them wherever they went. Pablo Picasso used his sketchbook to constantly practice his technique. His notebooks are full of preliminary drawings for some of his great works, as well as copies of paintings he liked, or just sketches of views from his studio.
Film director Guillermo del Toro uses his notebook to describe in detail the ideas behind his films. His notes are interspersed with illustrations of weird and wonderful fantasy characters, caught whenever he had an idea. Other artists also use their scrapbooks to collect fleeting ideas to use later. British ceramic artist Grayson Perry describes his notebook as "an archive of silly notes that later become art".
The most famous sketchbook creator was Leonardo da Vinci. In his albums you can find anything: from anatomical drawings to inventions in the field of technology.
There is one common feature of all these albums. Compared to an artist's finished work, which may appear highly detailed and accomplished in a gallery or movie screen, sketchbook drawings are rougher, simpler, and more spontaneous. And, thanks to the habit of their creators to always carry their album in their pocket, sketches in them could be created at any time.
Buy a sketchbook from your local art store and let it become your new best friend. Whenever you see something interesting, take the time to do a quick sketch. It doesn't have to be perfect, and you don't have to sit down at the table every time or look for another convenient place to sketch.
Get into the habit of it, and very soon you will begin to look at the world through the eyes of a sketcher. The artist John Ruskin wrote that people who often draw the world around them begin to see it differently.
“Two people go for a walk. One makes sketches, the other has no such practice. They will go down the green path... One will see the alley and the trees... But what will the sketcher see? His eyes are accustomed to seek the origins of beauty and to penetrate into the smallest details of beauty.”— John Ruskin
The main idea:
Buy a pocket album and don't part with it. Do sketches spontaneously when you have a great idea or see an interesting scene.
2. Learn to hold your hand correctly
The first secret of a good sketch may seem obvious - it all depends on how you hold your pencil.
Incorrect hand placement is a typical beginner's mistake. Most people try to draw by holding a pencil in the same way as when writing. But this is not the best solution for drawing, using the same muscles as when writing.
The most important thing to understand is that different drawings require different hand positions.
Australian artist Helen Southes identifies four different ways to hold a pencil while sketching:
as when writing, the hand rests on paper. suitable for drawing intricate details
extended grip - when the hand is raised from the sheet and can create free lines
top grip is good for hatching
the lower grip can make extended lines
For more technical, precise drawing, such as an architectural sketch, the lines should be straight and as precise as possible. Architect Bob Borson recommends a curious trick for beginner sketchers: Try not to move your wrist or arm from the elbow, but move your entire arm from the shoulder.
This eliminates the "wobble" created by small movements of the wrist and elbow.
The main idea:
Learn different pencil techniques, hand positions, what types of sketches they are suitable for. Practice your accuracy by drawing from the shoulder rather than at the wrist.
3. Don't be afraid to wash
Many skeptical beginners envy those who make almost no eraser adjustments to their work. They are upset by the sight of their own drawings, full of corrections, which they perceive as a failure.
But, as English artist Stephen Farthing explains, even experts make adjustments. In his series of lectures at Oxford, he points to the drawing of John Ruskin, perhaps the creator of the most talented sketches of nature in history. If you look closely at the drawing, you will see that Ruskin is constantly erasing and redrawing the lines, making dozens of tiny corrections.
“This is the essence of modern drawing, Farthing explains, Draw, make mistakes, correct them by drawing the right lines.
Using an eraser will give you great sketching practice. You will make more confident lines, because they can always be corrected. Instead of carefully trying to get the "perfect" line, you can take risks and draw without overthinking, knowing that you can erase it if necessary.
Sketches will become more lively, lighter and more similar to the original object.
The eraser can also be used for artistic effect on its own. Some sketches can be made beautiful by first covering a piece with graphite or charcoal, and then using an eraser like a pen to whiten out the highlights, as Disney animator Aaron Blaze demonstrated in his drawings of fabulous creatures.
The main idea:
All great artists use an eraser. Include it in your list of materials and don't be afraid to make corrections.
4. Learn to use tone
Tone is the gradation of dark and light. This is what makes our image three-dimensional, gives a sense of depth.
The simplest example of how to use tone is to see how light hits an object. The part closest to the light will be almost white, the farthest part will be the darkest. Between them there will be gradations, the sharpness of which depends on the softness of the light source.
However, there are many other ways to use tone.
Tone can give a sense of distance. In his art lectures, Stephen Farthing describes how John Ruskin, in his sketch of the mountain scene, uses darker tones in the closer parts of the image and lighter in those farther away, as in his sketch of the Alps below.
Sketchbook by John Ruskin
How tone affects a drawing depends not only on the darkness of the applied strokes, but also on how they are laid, in what direction. Different strokes can be used to create the feel of different objects in an image.
In his 1900 book The Practice and Science of Drawing, the English artist Harold Speed explains how different stroke directions can be used to create tone.
“Hatching lines that follow the shape suggest softness, rounded strokes give the fullness and tangibility of the form, lines can be hard and intersect in all directions, due to their diversity, a riddle of tone arises”. — Harold Speed.
Speed does not recommend messy scribbles, they look unprofessional and do not help in creating tone.
Pencil can be given a very even tone - good for smooth skin, clouds, or shiny hard objects - by a method known as brushing or polishing (described by artist Diane Wright).
Brushing consists of rubbing the design with a soft cloth or compressed paper and results in a soft, "mottled" texture, while polishing requires rubbing the sketch with a very hard (3H) pencil and this method retains more detail.
The main idea:
There are many methods for creating tone to make the objects in your sketches saturated. Carefully study shading techniques, how to use tone to show light, depth, and texture.
5. Create a "Dictionary of Meaningful Things"
When you get familiar with sketching tools, you can create a catalog from different materials (pencil, 3d pen, chalk, graphite, charcoal...) and techniques (hatching, crosshairs, shading, polishing...).
But how quickly can you get your bearings when sketching? When you grab your sketchbook to sketch a beautiful scene before it disappears, you may not have time to stop and consider whether it would look better with a 2B or 3B pencil, with a curved or crossed stroke.
As a solution to this problem, the Ashmolean Museum recommends creating a "dictionary of meaningful things" and writing it down in your album. Each time you learn a new tone technique or acquire a new type of pencil, mark it in your "vocabulary" and give it a short label.
This way you can quickly refer to your "vocabulary" whenever you start drawing. Quickly evaluate what method is best to sketch the scene in front of you. This is especially useful for painting outdoors where your time may be limited and your decision must be made outside the comfort of the studio.
