Life drawing : how to portray the figure with accuracy and expression

Аннотация

When I began my education at the University of Utah in the late 1960s, I was able to study drawing and painting with a gifted draftsman and portrait painter named Alvin Gittins. He hailed from England and maintained his pronounced British accent, which, to me, added an air of authority to what he said. He was committed to teaching and became a mentor to many of us. Among other things, Alvin felt that the idea for a drawing or painting was always vulnerable to failure if the artist lacked the technical skill to give it authority. He remained convinced that art that was different for the sake of difference failed ultimately to hide its mediocrity. If drawing truly is an act of discrimination, as Alvin felt it was, then the process of refining one’s skill can teach the artist discernment as a way of thinking and a way of life. Several years of teaching experience have convinced me that there is no curriculum content compelling enough to make up for the deficiencies or miscasting of the teacher. The best teachers are those who love learning and know how to help it happen. They are specialists in nurturing and guiding talent both conceptually and technically. They understand that talent without skills, inspiration without knowledge, and creativity without technique count for little but lost potential.