Friday, February 23, 2007

Episode 08 - Halfway Points Add depth to a single line!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like how you finished up!

Recently I've been improving at my figure drawing. Within the last few days, I had a sudden realization - I've been structuring my drawing process a bit too much. Every time I sat down to attempt a figure, I'd try to do it using the exact same method. Then, just the other day, I started going crazy with ovals. The resulting rough sketch was one of the best figure outlines I've done in quite a while.

So if you could, you might want to suggest in one of your videos that people just mess around if they're having trouble with something.

Just a thought. ;)

Mark Chong said...

Usually I find that if I get stuck it's because I'm not sure what I'm trying to do -- I might not have any particular motivation to do anything. It's all fine and good to have a process of execution but that process has to be motivated by goals and intents.

In my case, everything boils down to:

What's going on in the picture?

What elements do I need to draw in order to tell this bit of story?

Of the things I want to draw, what are the critical elements that are necessary for this bit of story to make sense?

How will I lead the viewer's eye towards the critical elements of the composition in an appropriate order? Furthermore, what IS the appropriate order? Rocket crashes into Planet -- or -- Planet crashes into Rocket? This is one such way in which ordering the focus can change the story.

How should I spatially juxtapose everything to achieve the desired effect?

What are the basic principles I need to apply to achieve the spatial juxtaposition I just decided on?

Now that I know where everything is positioned in space, how should I sculpt progressive levels of detail to the objects to make them match their real-life counterparts? How are the real life objects constructed?

etc...

***********************

A drawing approach can be ordered and structured -- wild experimentation can be helpful in finding things you hadn't found before, but remember that it is still wild experimentation. If you achieve success -- question WHY it succeeds. How does it help you visualize what you intend to draw? Don't just do things because they work -- find out WHY they work. If you find yourself getting stuck, look towards your goals and intents. What constitutes a successful drawing? Ask these questions, always!

Art said...

I didn't understand what are those halfway points for? Tell me please.

Anyway, I really like your lessons. Thank you for them!

BROD WONG said...

Whod've thought half way points made my perspective drawing look so much better and the sense of being in control of what I'm doing is satisfying. another perspective myth of mine demystified!