Welcome to this Sample lesson from the online class, SEE, Draw, Print. Let’s get some new confidence around drawing skills.
Drawing is a skill that can be learned with plenty of playful practice. Keep it fun.
Let’s study the work of the master Henri Matisse to build our skills.
Attrib. Henry Matisse Femme Avec Poils Desserres 1944 (woman with loose hair) Print Signed and stamped on the back 20 x 27cm
Print out the image above.
Get a piece of tracing paper.
Tape the tracing paper to the copy and trace the image slowly and carefully
Trace slowly, draw the large contour line first and then go back to the smaller details
Notice:
- Are you holding any tension in your body?
- Are you having fun?
- What are you saying to yourself as your draw along the lines?
- Are you judging or just training your hand and eye to work together?
#2 Now stand up and with a colored pencil trace over the tracing very slowly, relax, release tension and notice how the lines touch and relate.
#3 Finally get a fresh piece of paper and set the original drawing in front of you so you can easily see it and your paper with out needing to move your head, just shifting your eyes.
Make sure you have the desire and energy to do this last part of the exercise. If you are too tired come back when you have the energy.
Slowly draw your copy of the masters drawing.
Constantly look at the original and notice how the lines relate to one another, go slowly and try not to judge. You are training your eyes and hands to work together in a new way.
This exercise builds on your interests and allows you to learn from a master artist. The most important thing is that you do the exercise with an attitude of experiential learning. Every time you draw you hand/eye skills with be getting stronger.
Bonus Confidence Builders:
- Repeat the exercise everyday for a week.
- Find a line drawing by a master artist who you admire and do the exercise.
- Flip a line drawing upside down and slowly copy it upside down. This activates the creative side of your brain.
- Trace the contour lines of photos and repeat the exercise.
We are using tracing as a tool to teach our eyes to see in a new way and then training our hands to work with our eyes. Suspend judgment and trust your eyes and hands to train your brain to work in a new way.