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In this commentary we suppose that you sketch directly from life or from a proper photo. In other words, we suppose that you do not use the so-called grid technique. This technique relies on a grid sketched both on the photo of your model as well as your drawing paper. If this is so, the first thing you will do is to produce a line-drawing. And the very first part of your line-drawing will consist of drawing the so-called arabesque. In pencil portrait drawing, the arabesque is defined as the complete positive shape of your model's head. In other words the arabesque is the outer contour of the head. The arabesque includes the proportions, the shape, and the symmetry of the head. This means that the arabesque expresses pretty much an overall likeness of your model and often a great deal of expressive content. In trying to realize the arabesque we meet our first test as a draftsperson. That is, the test of "seeing the reality". Indeed, when we observe an entity a complex mental process is started which in part falls short of the degree of accuracy necessary to produce an acceptable portrait. The mind, for good reasons (one is to maintain our sanity), immediately replace the very complex subject with the an icon it has stored since childhood. For instance, we all know how a child sketches a house. It really is more like an icon of a house. But this is what the mind tends to bring up and often even adults sketch a house like they did as a child. Evidently, it is these iconic preconceptions (a left brain phenomenon) that are the enemy of the draftsperson. You must teach yourself to ignore those icons and really see what the reality of, for example, a house is. In general, learning to sketch is about the reprogramming of the mind's eye. To this end, there is a skill-set that has been developed over the centuries since the Renaissance. Applying this new found technique to the arabesque is particularly significant. "Drawing" the arabesque is maybe the most significant element in the production of a good likeness. Once you have this technique down path all the rest will follow quite easily. The first step in striking a accurate arabesque is to force your eyes a bit out-of-focus. This situation is called seeing with a "soft eye". With a soft eye proportions and shape are more easily seen. It also helps you to avoid the invocation of the symbolic preconceptions we mentioned. To teach your eye to improve your powers of seeing you must always sketch first and check second. There is not much to gain from pre-measuring. The habit of pre-measuring of the height and width of your model's head will hold you back in the long run. When striking the original arabesque at all times use short straight, i.e., architectonic lines. This will impart a sense of the head's structure and the shape of the underlying tissues and bones. Note that round or curving lines are symbolic preconceptions. Also pay attention to the symmetry of the head. The term "symmetry" in the context of drawing and painting does not so much refer to the correspondence of two parts but more to the attractiveness that comes from accurate proportioning and rhythm. After striking the arabesque (without doing any sizing) you can check the proportions. Take a measure of the largest width (i.e., the width of the arabesque along the brow line) and set it off vertically starting at the bottom of the chin. The end point of the width as a rule ends up somewhere close to the middle of the hair. The idea is to decide exactly where that end point is at. Best is to judge the shorter of the following two lengths: (1) the vertical distance from the brow line up to the end of the measure; (2) the vertical distance from the end of the measure up to the arabesque. The shortest distance is likely to be the most right. Do not forget, the arabesque includes the entirety of the head including the hair. With practice your eyes will develop this critical technique. Then, once the size and shape of the arabesque have been established you are prepared to continue with placing the so-called landmarks.
Article Source: http://www.new.citynewslive.com
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