DRAWING 101
Sketching
Module 1 - Lecture
Sketching plays a crucial role in the artistic process. It's a means for artists to quickly jot down ideas, experiment with compositional layout, and to identify the main forms the artist is wanting to accentuate in a compositional piece. Sketches are often the preliminary stage for more detailed works, allowing artists to plan out their concepts before committing to a final piece.
Many great artists have used sketching as a tool for their great works. Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) often did studies of subject matter in his works by utilizing sketching as a tool. Here is an example:
The image on the left is a study of a young woman. This study helped da Vinci refine the final piece which can be seen on the right.
This video shows an artist using Leonardo's method in drawing a composition.
Beyond its utility in art, sketching is also a powerful tool for enhancing observation skills, improving hand-eye coordination, and developing a personal style.
A great example of this is perusing through the sketchbook of Leonardo da Vinci’s rival, Michelangelo (1475-1564). In the following example, you can see the great artist studying and perfecting the human form. The only areas he refines would be the areas he is studying. He isn’t concerned in these studies with the detail of the hand rather, he seems to be working out the structure and form of the limb and how the muscles react to bending and stretching the limb.
