Bargue Plate 5

Paul Foxton · 10-04-2006, 01:40 PM

For anyone who didn't catch the previous thread, Mischa has very generously offered to walk me (and anyone else who wants to join in) through a Bargue drawing.

Mischa, I've checked your list of tools and have everything bar the #2 Da Vinci synthetic brush. I don't think the local art shop has them, so if you can tell me the characteristics I should be able to get something near. Failing that, I can always order one I guess.

For everyone else, here's Mischa's Bargue drawing toolkit reproduced from the other thread:

Quote:

light toned of white Canson. Not to much tooth but enough to hold the graphite. Think about a smooth finish rather than the grainy look.
Sand paper pad,
Knife to sharpen your pencils.
2B 7mm led and led holder work fine.
A board to tape your paper on side by side,
string for measuring, make sure the string does not stretch and red is good
ruler to draw the plumb line with but all measuring is done with the string and by eye
kneaded rubber I prefer Design 1225 brand, it if soft but it is firm when you need a sharp edge. others are to soft. do not get a white kneaded rubber
a pencil type eraser that you can sharpen
a #2 da Vinci synthetic brush which you fill trim to a length of half a cm
a soft stomp

Without further ado, here's the plate ready to go. This is a full size reproduction, printed on a dye sublimation printer. It does a good job of reproducing the nuances of tone in the original. Let me know if you want me to change anything before we start. The picture was unfortunately taken in failing light.

Thanks for offering to do this Mischa, it's very much appreciated. I'll try to be a good student

Mischa Milosevic · 10-04-2006, 02:39 PM

Paul, thank you for accepting my suggestion. The work will be difficult and sometimes my requests difficult to follow but I am sure you will do your best. I will at times push you beyond your best but this will benefit you. So, please be patient with me and we will get through this.

Ok, let us start. First we will think where to place the drawing on the blank canson. So we must adjust the copy and the blank accordingly, side by side. It is good that you have posted all three drawings. The other two drawings are just but a guide in regard to the procedure but all measurements are to be taken from the original (the copy).

After we have envisioned where the drawing will be placed we need to draw a vertical plumb line on the blank paper but before you do that take a red string and figure out where the best place for a plumb line would be and tape it on the copy. You will make all your measurements from the plumb line and transfer them to the drawing. You can do this by eye if you wish but check it with a string held between thumbs. Do not use a tape measure. Use a straight edge just to make the plumb lines.

After the plumb line is drawn we need to establish and mark parallel vertical top and bottom measurements on the blank paper. Then we go towards mapping out all other measurements. Be precise, even a thin pencil width when off is not good enough. Do not use a ruler to measure rather use a peace of string between thumbs.

Always double check your measurements at least from three different points.

Make all lines light and thin with a needle point 2B pencil. The needle point should be long, this saves time and the the point stays sharp longer. Have a number of pencils ready to replace the dull ones.

Please do not go beyond mapping and lightly drawing all the lines. If you draw it in to dark and you need to move it than you will have undesirable marks in your finished drawing.

Wish you good speed. (speed is good but accuracy is better)

Claudemir Bonfim · 10-04-2006, 02:44 PM

That's very instructive.

My 2 cents... I use binder clips to fix my papers on my board.

Mischa Milosevic · 10-04-2006, 02:55 PM

Binder clips are good and I use them as well, same kind. For this type of drawing the the paper that we will be working on and the copy must not move. They are to stay side by side or one above the other until the drawing is finished. So, I recommend ordinary paper tape.

Mischa Milosevic · 10-05-2006, 03:12 AM

A small (#2) cheap synthetic brush will do the trick.

Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco · 10-05-2006, 04:21 AM

Thanks Micha for taking the time to explain
ilaria

Mischa Milosevic · 10-05-2006, 04:41 AM

Ilaria, no thank you. This is but a small contribution for the members of this forum a forum that has given me much.

Michele Rushworth · 10-05-2006, 09:35 PM

This is very interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing how this process will unfold!

Mischa Milosevic · 10-06-2006, 04:19 AM

Michele, I too am looking forward to see how this progresses. For me it is not just about giving instructions, the same must be clear and easy to follow. So, I hope to see image posts, from the forum, so we do not go of track.

If anyone is thinking of using tracing paper to check their progress DON'T. This will be defeating the purpose and one will lose more that gain. There is more to learn here then getting the lines right. Just taking three points of measurement is a lesson and a good habit to get into. Why? Later when you work on a live person this tree point practice will come in handy. You have no idea how much.
If you have everything setup do post a image of the setup. This will help you and me to get of to a good start. This will be difficult as it is, so lets check the setup.

All the best

Paul Foxton · 10-06-2006, 04:27 AM

Mischa, that's interesting you don't recommend using tracings to check. The book recommends it, I tried it on my last ears from plate 4 (after I'd finished them, not during, I think that's important) and found it quite instructive because it showed me how out I could be yet still think it was right to my eye - in short, how much eye training I still have to do.

I'm not arguing, I'm going to follow your instructions to the letter on this, just curious why you'd recommend not doing it?

By the way, had to work late last night so couldn't get started. Hopefully this evening.