Sight Size -- Illustrated

[Steven Sweeney]

[Steven Sweeney]

The main purpose of this illustration is to show that your subject and your easel must both be within your field of vision at the same time. This means that you have to stand some distance back from your easel to make your viewings and take your measurements. How far? I

[Steven Sweeney]

Now go back to your taped position, hold up your plumb line, and look again. Keep your arms extended, make sure the thread is horizontal, and try to assume the same posture you had the first time. (This is not easy at first. It is also learned.) As in this illustration, you

[Steven Sweeney]

Now lower the plumb line to another

[Steven Sweeney]

Keep doing this, for many points

[Steven Sweeney]

The Fixed Vertical Plumb Line.

I

[Steven Sweeney]

I now hold the thread between my thumbs and measure from the vertical plumb line to the outside edge of some feature of the subject at its widest point, and then turn and transfer that measurement to the paper. I do the same thing, at the height of the subject's widest point in the other direction, and transfer that measurement.

I learn something . . .

[Steven Sweeney]

I can now see where the drawing will sit on my paper, because I

[Steven Sweeney]

With all the many vertical and horizontal reference marks I

[Steven Sweeney]

This illustration is a bit out of sequence, but I put it in here to show the effect of placing your easel somewhere other than next to the subject. For example, if you stand in the same