Introduction
use to make the drawing. Students and
beginners often forget this, and not to be
equipped with this in mind is like starting out
on a journey and not knowing your
destination. When drawing from nature our
aims should be to identify drawing
techniques that are a visual parallel to the
subject we have chosen to draw. In the
following chapters in the book, I constantly
refer to many approaches and techniques
that will enable you to make drawings of
nature. Historically artists have constantly
drawn from nature especially as a information
gathering exercise to fill their minds with
visual knowledge that is stored for future use.
7/ Presentation Drawings
This is usually referred to by its Italian name,
the Modello. These drawings are usually for a
patron or are a commissioned piece of work.
They are also referred to as artist’s
impressions. Their aim is to give the patron
an idea of what the finished work will look
like. Both the artist and the patron can reach
an agreement before the main piece of work
is started. These serve the purpose of
preventing mistakes being made, sometimes
at great expense to the artist or patron.
8/ Calligraphic Drawings
In calligraphic drawings, the artist has a
repertoire of marks that act as signs or
symbols for cultural meanings. As students or
beginners of drawing we should develop an
inventory of marks for the different mediums
that enable us to express our ideas, observa -
tions, and feelings. We should experiment
with making marks, lines, shapes, tones,
textures, and so on. These type of experi -
ments with the various different mediums are
evident in the chapters in the book, and they
are an extremely important part of our
experience when starting to draw, so do not
over look this element in the drawing
process. Calligraphy has developed from
strict cultural traditions and the earliest
known examples are from Persian and
Chinese cultural draughtsmanship. In these
cultures, strict traditions and practices had to
be learned and followed in the execution of a
drawing.9/Drawing in its own right
Drawings in their own right are drawings that
are made deliberately or solely for their own
aesthetic reasons. However, illustrations can
be put in this category, as they can act
independently or support text. When
connected with text, illustrations bring a
visual quality to the experience that stands on
its own merits.This book has been put together in a unique
way, as it brings about for the beginner and
the student of drawing not only the
techniques, but also the analytical and
emotive approaches and attitudes to
drawing. These techniques and approaches
are then linked to the appropriate mediums
for execution. However, one should only be
guided by the projects in the book as starting
points for your experience with drawing.
Whenever you feel bold enough to engage
with your own ideas and developments then
you should embrace them with endeavour
and gusto. Breaking with traditions,
techniques, and theories is the hallmark of
the true artist.Finally, I would like to acknowledge Philip
Rawson and his book on ‘Drawing’, and
Dubery and Willats ‘Perspective and other
Drawing Systems’.8