| Drawing has been around for centuries. In fact, | | | | the pencil to a fine point - just a blunted point. |
| wonderfully vital drawings and paintings by | | | | Now you have your sketchbook and your pencil, |
| primitive peoples have been discovered, which | | | | what are you going to look for? What are you |
| proves that many thousands of years ago the | | | | going to start on? Don't start straightaway on a |
| art of drawing was there, innate, in mankind. | | | | landscape. Just focus your attention on a few |
| Everyone can draw, for it is an inherent human | | | | simple things that are before you in the room you |
| trait far more natural than writing. | | | | are in. Something the shape of which attracts |
| Unfortunately most people lose this power as | | | | your interest, say a decanter, or a wine glass, or |
| they grow older, or rather it is overlaid by more | | | | a vase of flowers. Draw a definite shape on the |
| complicated mental processes. It needs only the | | | | blank page of the sketchbook with a firm, thick |
| desire to reawaken it and the courage to proceed | | | | line - say a rough oblong. Count this as your |
| and rapidly the power to express what one sees, | | | | picture space: into this defined shape you are |
| in drawing and in paint, comes back again. | | | | going to put your drawing. |
| So take courage and go ahead. | | | | Then begin with the part of the selected object |
| The first thing to get is a sketchbook: not too big | | | | that interests you most. Perhaps it is the bulge of |
| a one but a handy pocket size that you can carry | | | | the decanter - boldly draw the curve of the |
| about at all times. You can of course buy a | | | | right-hand side and then look across and draw the |
| children's drawing book for a few cents, but this | | | | corresponding curve of the other side; then go |
| has a flimsy cover and has to be folded or rolled | | | | upward to the lip and the stopper, drawing first |
| to carry, and that spoils the page, so a | | | | one side and then the other; then look at the |
| sketchbook with thinnish cartridge paper and a | | | | base, the dark curve where the decanter rests |
| good stout cover is the best investment in the | | | | upon the sideboard. You now have the shape of |
| end. See that the paper is not too thick or too | | | | the object - then relate this to the glass that is |
| rough in surface. Nothing harder than a 3B pencil is | | | | near it; notice the size of the glass in relation to |
| much use. Get a black Conte crayon or black | | | | the decanter and repeat the process, taking into |
| chalk pencil with the wood round it, for this is the | | | | account where the two objects are placed in |
| kind of pencil that will give you most satisfaction | | | | your oblong space. |
| in sketching. Of course you will need a razor blade | | | | Continuing to practice these techniques will help |
| or sharp penknife because the breaking of points | | | | you get a grasp for the way drawing should feel |
| is a very frequent occurrence. Do not sharpen | | | | and ultimately look. |