Drawing lessons - illustrated lesson notes for teachers and students

kissing practice, a painting

Fig. 1

Preliminary sketch on a small gray board

Fig. 2

Preliminary sketch developed and transferred to

canvas

After sketching my forms, in many aspects, and deciding on my general composition, as I have
done here in Fig.1 in pencil, I am ready to transfer this to my prepared canvas. In this case it is
roughly 52" by 36" and primed with acrylic primer and covered by an imprimatura of umbers and
light grays to a value between 4 and 5.

In Fig.3 I have transferred my sketch using the 'grid' method and added some anatomical features.
For a painter the study of anatomy is as important a skill as the practicing of scales to a musician or
the use of a saw, chisel and drill is to a carpenter. There is no short cut to study and drawing of
muscles, sinews and bones if a painter desires to paint the human form. My sketch here is done in
chalk for easy removal.

Fig. 3

Looking for shapes that satisfy the eye

Fig. 4

Hinting at a background

To further define my composition, and particular the masses of the forms and how the
negative and positive spaces react with each other, I have, in Fig.3, highlighted the
background.

In Fig.4 I suggest a background. Here, since the figures will dominate the painting, I place

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