Page 208 - sarah-simblet_sketch-book-for-the-artist

EARTH AND THE ELEMENTS208

Drawing in the Round

WHEN DRAWING IN THE LANDSCAPE, s e e k places in light After my first drawing, I am then able to home in on what
shade out of the glare of the sun, so the paper is not made interests me most for further study. For example, making
blinding and your hand cannot cast a shadow on your the scene below led me to focus on the decaying boat
work. I usually begin by making an image of the whole view. opposite. Similarly, on p p . 2 1 4 - 1 5 my first drawing of the
This first drawing serves as a process of arrival, settling my whole view of the Tiber led me to see the real subject of
concentration, and seeing what the real choice of subject is. the day, which was the flow of water over rocks.

FINDING THE SUBJECT

Finding a remarkable subject is even better when you can circumnavigate it in an arena
of space. The mud of the tidal shore in Rye, England has embedded within it the decaying
skeleton of a burned fishing boat, bare ribs, engine, and tiller still standing proud. Circling a
subject and drawing it from several views imprints on your memory a better understanding
of its three-dimensional form. Building on earlier studies of structure in space using shoes
(pp.164-65) and a wire violin (pp.104-05), your challenge now is to find a sculptural
subject in the landscape, taking with you your drawing book and pen.

"Drawing in the round means to literally walk around your
subject, observing it from several views so as to better
understand it as a whole."