Z06 hatching with chalk

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Z06 ADVANCED: DRAWING ON THE MASTERS Explorations into chalks used during the Renaissance, are applied to the rendering of a figurative sketch. Simple step-by-step illustrations take you through the process of using hatching graduations to add shading.

This project is divided into the following two sections:

RESEARCH AND PLANNING: Creating the illusion of a three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface was a major innovation of the masters of the Renaissance. Artists discovered how to transform shapes into forms by identifying highlights and shadows, and translating them into light and dark values.

USING HATCHING TO SKETCH A FIGURE: You render a rough sketch of a man dressed in medieval garb, by using chalk and graduations of hatching lines; in the final step, you add highlights with white gouache.

I have used the following supplies for rendering this project: Sepia, sanguine and white chalk pencils (you may prefer conté); Arches 140 lb., hot-pressed, 100% cotton watercolor paper block; and white gouache (an opaque craft or acrylic paint will also work).

7 PAGES – 12 ILLUSTRATIONS This lesson is recommended for anyone with an interest in Renaissance art, as well as home schooling,

academic and recreational fine art educators of advanced students. Published by Hoddinott Fine Art Publishers, Halifax, NS, Canada - 2007

Copyright to al l art icles, images, text, projects, lessons and exercises within this drawing class belong to Brenda Hoddinott and may not be reproduced or used for any commercial purposes whatsoever without the wri t ten permission of Brenda Hoddinott .

E-mai l bhoddinott@hoddinott .com Web si tes http: / /www.f inearteducat ion.com and ht tp: / /www.drawspace.com

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Figure 01: Leonardo da Vinci, Head of a Soldier in the Battle of Anghiari, Red chalk on paper.

RReesseeaarrcchh aanndd PPllaannnniinngg Creating the illusion of a three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface was a major innovation of the masters of the Renaissance. Artists discovered how to transform shapes into forms by identifying highlights and shadows, and translating them into light and dark values.

Rough sketches in medieval times were simply a stage in either the pursuit of knowledge or the creation of another artwork in a different medium. The process of rendering a sketch with hatching during the 16th century started with a contour sketch and the application of light values. The shadows and darker tones were then superimposed onto the sketch, and the light values and highlights were brought out with chalk and/or paint to complete the illusion of a three-dimensional space.

Toward the end of the fifteenth century, Leonardo da Vinci became the first artist to acknowledge the potential of red chalk for rendering both rough sketches and detailed drawings.

His dramatic drawing of the profile of a shouting soldier demonstrates the incredible hatching details that can be produced by red chalk. This drawing is only 9 by 7.5 inches!

Chalk became widely used during the sixteenth century, when artists collectively acknowledged its ability to render delicate details and smoothly graduated values in very small and intricate drawings and sketches. Small lumps of chalk were mined from the earth, placed in metal holders, and the drawing end was shaved to a point.

Red Chalk, also known as sanguine chalk, comes from the red ochre variety of hematite, and was commonly used during the Renaissance for rendering sketches. The pigments of the red ochre variety of hematite are derived from its iron oxide content. The proportions of hematite to clay, determines the hues of the chalk, which include brownish orange (sanguine) and reddish brown (sepia). Different hues of red chalk were used independently or together, and often combined with white chalk and/or white gouache to enhance the technique of chiaroscuro.

White chalk generally referred to either calcite (or calcium carbonate) or soapstone. Calcite was soft and produced a fairly brilliant white, and soapstone was slightly harder and created a bluish white. White chalk was often added to drawings to lighten sections and/or accentuate highlights.

White gouache is an opaque water-based paint with a matte finish that makes it an ideal medium for heightening, by covering other media. When added over dark values and/or a dark colored paper as highlights, sketches become more vibrant and three-dimensional.

The chalks I used for this project were in pencil format rather than chunks in a metal holder. Nonetheless, I experienced incredible difficulty in rendering fine details in a tiny space, as in the masters’ works. The facial section of my sketch is only 2 inches wide. I used Arches 140 lb., hot pressed, 100% cotton watercolor paper.



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Figures 02 and 03: A comparison between the

reference photo and my rough sketch.

Figure 04: The details of Lord Algernon’s face, hair, collar, and hat are captured in a close-up photo.

The contour drawing and shading are rendered with light and dark red chalks. Shading is rendered with diagonal hatching lines. White chalk created the light values on the face and served to blend the values into smooth graduations. In the final step, white gouache is added to the brightest highlight sections of the face. (The white chalk I initially used in these sections didn’t show up well enough, so I resorted to using white paint.)

My reference photo demonstrates a lighting technique derived from research into Renaissance paintings and drawings.

I used the same lighting technique for my rough sketch.

Meet Lord Algernon, known in mundane world as John Percy! John kindly served as a model for my sketch and was extraordinarily patient. He barely moved a muscle for over five minutes, while I moved about and took tons of photographs from different perspectives.

I duplicated Renaissance lighting by having my model sit in the natural daylight shining indoors from a large window, on a slightly overcast day. The light is coming from the left. Algernon’s face is tilted toward the artist, but his eyes are looking into the light.

UUssiinngg HHaattcchhiinngg ttoo SSkkeettcchh aa FFiigguurree In this section, I discuss and illustrate the process of rendering a quick sketch in chalk and gouache, by using graduations of hatching lines to add shading.

I begin by setting out my materials and preparing my paper. I prepared the paper with a diluted wash of sepia ink to darken its surface, so as to enhance the planned heightening of the facial section, and give the sketch a more authentic look.



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Figures 05 and 06: Full and close-up views of the initial outlines of the sketch.

If possible, use a sheet of paper attached to a watercolor block instead of a single sheet of paper. Watercolor paper that is not part of a watercolor block, or has not been pre-stretched, will probably curl up around the edges as it dries, making the sketching process very challenging. If you are not used to preparing or working with wet watercolor paper, you may be better off simply using dry watercolor paper as is, or another type of drawing paper. In other words, feel free to skip over the first two steps of this lesson.

1. Mix a few drops of sepia ink with water in a small glass or bottle.

2. Use a large soft brush to brush the mixture over the entire surface of the paper. My goal is to create the illusion of old paper so as to make my sketch appear authentic to the sixteenth century. Allow the paper to dry for 3 to 4 hours before you start sketching.

3. Use the sharp edge of a sanguine chalk to outline the shapes of his head, hat and body. Take note of the three angular lines on his face; his face is at a slight angle, so his facial features will also be at the same angle.

As you draw, constantly compare the proportions of your sketch with the reference photo and my sketch. Sketching accurate proportions is integral to achieving a likeness to any subject. You can use a sharp knife or a sandpaper block to keep your chalk freshly sharpened as you work.

The compositional pathway begins with the head, and then travels counterclockwise toward the hand holding the sword. The eye is then naturally pulled toward the other hand, up the sleeve, and back to the face.



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Figures 07 and

08: Close-up

and full view of sketch

with light and

medium values added

with hatching.

Figure 09: Graduations of values added to the background with sepia chalk.

4. Refine the outlines to better show the various curved lines that make up the shapes of the figure.

5. Use hatching to add light and middle values. Different values are created by varying both the density of the diagonal hatching lines, and the amount of pressure applied to the chalk.

6. Use a sepia-colored chalk to add a range of values to the background. Take note that all the diagonal lines are relatively parallel. Also, the values graduate to slightly lighter around his head.



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Figure 10: Dark values are added to the hat and a small section of the background.

Figure 11: Detail of face after adding a full range of values with chalk, and then

painting the highlights with white gouache.

7. Add more shading to the face, hat, and a small section of the background. The darker values added to a section of the background, along the right side of his head, create more contrast.

The face is the focal point of the composition; hence, this section is sketched in greater detail than others.

Middle and dark values define the shadow sections. White chalk brings out the light values in the face and hair.

After closely examining the way the light hits his face, I add white gouache to sections of the face and hair with a tiny brush, to bring out additional highlights, and enhance the illusion of forms.

8. Use loosely rendered hatching lines to bring out the forms of his clothing, hands, and sword.

Refer to Figure 12 on the next page.

Excluding the scanning time, my sketch was completed in a little over an hour. I suspect this is a little longer than the masters would need for a similar sketch.



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Figure 12: Completed

sketch of Lord

Algernon.

While it would be fun to keep going with the shading, I’ll quickly lose the loosely rendered feel; hence, this sketch is done!

CChhaalllleennggee Render a similar sketch of a Renaissance subject. Use your local library or the Internet to research artists who used chalk to render this style of drawing during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. When you find an artist and a drawing you like, draw a copy of it using the same media, process and techniques demonstrated in this project.

To provide you with a launching point for research, the drawing style demonstrated in this sketch, is reminiscent of that of Leonardo Da Vinci and Hans Holbein.



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Glossary Chalk: is a drawing medium derived from various natural sources, including hematite, carbon, and calcite.

Chiaroscuro: refers to the technique of balancing contrasts of light and dark values, so as to create the illusion of a three dimensional reality on a flat surface. Chiaroscuro was first introduced during the Renaissance.

Gouache: is a water-based paint that had been rendered opaque by the addition of white pigment or chalk, and bound together with a binding agent such as gum arabic.

Heightening: refers to the technique of applying a light pigment, such as white chalk or gouache to sections of a drawing so as to enhance the illusion of form.

Life drawing: refers to the process of drawing from an actual object or living being, rather than a photo or sketch.

Renaissance: derived from the French word rebirth, refers to the diverse changes that occurred within European culture from the early 14th to the late 16th centuries.

Rough sketch: refers to a visual notation of an idea that is quickly rendered to illustrate the important elements of a subject with very few details. Sketches can capture a pose or gesture, establish values, suggest proportions, and/or arrange the major components of a composition.

White chalk: refers to either calcite (or calcium carbonate) or soapstone, applied to drawings to lighten sections and/or accentuate highlights (a technique called heightening) so as to emphasize form, mass, and volume.

Bibliography Braham, Allan. Dürer. London, England: Spring Books, 1965

Buck, Stephanie. Masters of German Art: Hans Holbein. Cologne, Germany: Konemann Verlaggsgesellschaft, 1999

Eichler, Anja-Franziska. Masters of German Art: Albrecht Dürer. Germany: Konemann Verlagsgesellschaft, 1999.

Hodge, Jessica. Rembrandt. London: PRC Publishing Ltd., 2001

Mitchell, B. Great Artists: A Treasury of Paintings by the Masters. Toronto: W. H. Smith, Marshall Cavendish Books Limited, 1987

Perard, Victor. Anatomy of Drawing. New York: Victor Perard Publisher, 1934

Teiche, Jessica and Tracy Barr. Da Vinci for Dummies. Indianapolis, Indiana: Wiley Publishing Incorporated, 2005

Zollner, Frank. Leonardo da Vinci: Sketches and Drawings. Taschen, 2005



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BBrreennddaa HHooddddiinnootttt As a self-educated teacher, visual artist, portraitist, forensic artist, and illustrator, Brenda utilizes diverse art media including graphite, technical pen, colored pencil, chalk pastel, charcoal, conté crayon, and oil paints.

My philosophy on teaching art is to focus primarily on the enjoyment aspects while gently introducing the technical and

academic. Hence, in creating a passion for the subject matter, the quest for knowledge also becomes enjoyable.

>Brenda Hoddinott<

BIOGRAPHY Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Brenda grew up in the small town of Corner Brook. She developed strong technical competencies with a personal commitment to self directed learning, and the aid of assorted “Learn to Draw” books. During Brenda’s twenty-five year career as a self-educated civilian forensic artist, numerous criminal investigation departments have employed Brenda’s skills, including Royal Canadian Mounted Police and municipal police departments. In 1992, Brenda was honored with a commendation from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and in 1994, she was awarded a Certificate of Membership from “Forensic Artists International”.

Her home-based art career included graphic design, and teaching recreational drawing and painting classes. As supervisor of her community’s recreational art department, Brenda hired and trained teachers, and designed curriculum for several children’s art programs. In 1998, Brenda chose to end her eighteen-year career as an art educator in order to devote more time to writing, drawing, painting, and developing her websites.

Drawspace http://www.drawspace.com incorporates her unique style and innovative approach to curriculum development. This site offers downloadable and printable drawing classes for students of all abilities from the age of eight through adult. Students of all ages, levels and abilities have praised the simple step-by-step instructional approach. This site is respected as a resource for fine art educators, home schooling programs, and educational facilities throughout the world.

LEARN-TO-DRAW BOOKS Drawing for Dummies: Wiley Publishing, Inc., New, York, NY, this 336 page book is

available on various websites and in major bookstores internationally.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Drawing People: Winner of the Alpha-Penguin Book of the Year Award 2004, Alpha - Pearson Education – Macmillan, Indianapolis, IN, this 360 page book is available on various websites and in major bookstores internationally.