Clarifying traditional cast drawing methods ...
 

After the Spring and Summer layoff, I'm pulling out my drawing materials this weekend and will begin concentrating on the basics again. I've done a little cast drawing with help from a mentor who is an illustrator and college drawing teacher, and I wanted to try one using the traditional atelier-style methods. Can someone please correct my understanding of the general process, where needed? I understand there are differing methods, including sight-size v.s. basic units v.s. measuring with calipers, but here's the general technique I've gleaned from various sources ...

* Measure vertical limits of cast on the media (place tick marks), then measure horizontal limits (using plumbline, calipers, etc.) and mark. Also measure mark some basic relationships within the cast and mark them as well.

* Create basic external contour, recheck. Then measure and draw basic shadow lines while ignoring halftones and reflected light.

* Block in the background.

* Model the halftones and reflected lights within the cast. Then lastly place the darkest darks and refine the background.

I realize this is greatly over-simplified, but is this the general method used in classical training?

Any pointers?

Thanks for any help at all ...

Minh Thong

Minh,

That

P.S. I see that Mari DeRuntz has just completed her first cast drawing.

Perhaps since she's steeped in this work right now, she'll have some fresher insights to offer you.

Thanks for the info, Steven. Last Winter I printed off the demo you mentioned and about three others from the net. There's SO much valuable info out there today.

This year I now have a large room dedicated to nothing but hobbies and avocations (meditation, art, music, and the 'Slither Twins') so I have a pretty big section of the room for just drawing/painting setups. I currently have the cast set on top of a black-draped four-feet high dresser with a grey background cloth hung. I'm 6'1" and so I have to set my easel up in such a way that I'm actually looking slightly down on the cast somewhat if I use the sight-size method. But I'm wondering if this will cause problems. Should I find a way to raise it up higher so that I'm looking dead on? I haven't yet found an easel that allows me to stand fully erect and paint in a way that I'm completely comfortable. I always feel I'm somewhat crouched when drawing or painting.

Thanks again for the assistance.

Minh

Yes you should, if that will make for a better drawing. If ANYTHING about the set-up isn't good, that "wrong" thing will be what you draw. Nip it in the bud.

I understand the height thing. I'm 6-3, and I think I've mentioned before that a fellow studio mate (about 5-6) said once, looking at my still-life set-up and my painting, "I always feel like I'm getting a bird's-eye view when I look at your paintings."

But yes, certainly -- stick a box under the cast, and cinder blocks under the easel, if that's what it takes to get things where they need to be to get the job done right.

Boxes
 

Yes Minh, raise it up. I use a box (I'm 6' 1" too) I think here and on ARC and in some of the art magazines they show diagrams of how to poistion the set-up to the canvas or paper. Do it correctly. This is no place to fudge. You can do these and watch as each one gets better. Save them and compare them. 2 or 3 casts are all you need for dozens of exercises. Then go to coffee cans or oranges. You can add color after you get where the drawings come easily. One day the color will come easily too.

Thanks for the feedback, the help is greatly appreciated.

I'll try to find something to raise it up on tonight before I start measuring. If I use my smallest drawing support I think I can place it high enough on my mast-style easel to give me a straight-on view of the cast and the media without crouching.

I'll try it.

Minhberg

Improvise if and as you have to. For drawings like this, I'd tape paper to a plywood or Masonite backing and then secure it to the mast with a couple of spring clamps.

Do WHATEVER you have to, to avoid crouching. If not boxes and bricks, then stack books or magazines to raise your surface or your subject. It's hard enough to return to the same spot and posture for measuring, without going through contortions (which will completely frustrate your attempts to measure accurately.)

Good luck.

Thanks for the tips, guys.

I finally got everything arranged last night, and all is set per your input. The view is much better and I'm not crouching. I have a plumbline attached to a yardstick clamped to my easel, so I have a constant reference. I'm all set, except for this: I've tried various lamps and positions for lighting my workspace, and the minimum effect to the cast of this second light I can come up with is a bit of wash-out on the top of Apollo's head. I've arranged the lamp so that it is hidden by the drawing board, but there is still a noticeable effect on the top of the head of the cast when I turn it on.

How do you guys deal with this? Lower wattage easel lamp?

Thanks again,

Minh

You wouldn't want to compromise the light on the easel necessary to see your work well.

If I correctly understand the problem -- the easel light is messing up the lighting you've tried to establish on the cast -- what I would do is hang a yard of fabric or a piece of cardboard somewhere between the cast and the "offending" light, to block the direct influence of that light. It won't take much to effect the necessary interference.

This will again call upon you to improvise -- you might have to sew a dowel into the top edge of the fabric so that you can hang it from two threads attached to the ceiling. Those spring clamps mentioned earlier can sometimes be made to hold the cardboard.

Hi Minh,

It's great to see you back! I bought a cast this summer and it has been extremely helpful. I formed a base out of modeling clay so I could sketch if from various angles and lighting effects instead of mounting it on a wall.

Welcome back!

Renee Price :)

Hi Renee!

Yes ... I dragged my stuff out on the first cold day, not sure if I could get motivated to do anything, since my last 'painting season' was so frustrating. I set up my mast easel and a prepped canvas I had from March and started a self-portrait. No drawing, no practice pieces, no nothing. I just walked in cold and started it. It has turned out so well (so far) that I'm spending every spare minute at the easel or with my sketchbook. Kinda' strange, really. I haven't so much as touched a pencil since March or so, but the self-portrait is the best thing I've done yet (it's still just student work though). So, I'm getting back into drawing to ensure the self-portraits continue to improve with each piece.

How are you doing? I heard that you were a bit 'under the weather'. I hope you're feeling better, and thanks for saying 'Hi'.

Minhberg

Hi Minh,

Now aren't you glad you didn't sell your supplies? ;) I'm glad that you're painting was successful and that you enjoy painting again. Sometimes we all need a break to deal with the frustration.

You heard right; I am sick. We can talk about it off the list if you want. Thanks for your good wishes!

I'm glad you're back :)

Renee

Renee - I PM'd you. :)

Steven - I decided to light the cast from above, which reduces the effect of the easel lamp to practically nothing. I will probably make up some sort of barrier though, for future drawing projects.

Thanks again everyone for the gracious assistance!

Minh

Update ...
 

I'm on my third piece of paper because there were quite a few problems which arose when I tried to cut corners, and I didn't have a complete picture of what I was trying to accomplish. I'm almost finished with the outline on the new drawing and it's progressing well. I am already slightly amazed at the difference I see after merely beginning it correctly for a change.

I solved my light 'spill-over' problem by moving the whole setup to a new spot and just using the easel lamp to light the cast. I've recently moved to a new house I now have a large bedroom that is, instead, used only for art and music. So I've set the cast up on the black-draped dresser that I use for a stand, and I have the easel sitting just to the right of it. I have a permanent vertical plumbline from a yardstick which is clamped to the easel and the light from the easel lamp now illuminates the cast just fine without any help. I've taped off my viewing distance for reference and using a pair of calipers and a yardstick (I don't have a level yet) I have completed the outline from the measured marks I did first in vine charcoal.

I've also started to be very methodical about where I stand and which eye I use for sighting. I feel that my left eye is stronger (I'm right-handed) and I'm now wearing the glasses that I use sometimes in the office for 'PC Eye'. All the changes appear to be making a real difference. It's coming along nicely. Thanks Steven and Tim, for all the gracious assistance.

Also, I am now life-drawing on Thursday nights with a group that includes three professional illustrators and one teacher. It's a VERY motivating experience. I also plan to take my very first drawing class in January with one of the guys in the group who teaches in Winston-Salem. He's from a classical background (Ben Long and Pietro Anigonni) and is just what I was looking for.

Thanks again for the help everyone!

Minh

Hi Minh,

I'm glad to hear about your new setup and especially to see the confidence you're developing. You're starting out the best way. It's hard to make a drawing or painting look realistic when someone has only worked from photos.

I also use my cast as a reference when I have to paint from a photo. I try to replicate the lighting and angle so it will be similar the man I'm painting. There is such a diffence between working from a photo and a 3 dimensional reference. Now if I can find a cast of a child - my kids are tired of being models!

Keep up the great work! :D

Renee