RD
Representational D rawing
A Resource to Promote Representational Art Making in the Art Curriculum
A cknowledgments
2
I would like to thank Kerry Vosler and her students as well as their parents at the Vosler Young Artists Studio for allowing me to conduct a case study regarding representational instruction for 21st century students. Due to your support I can provide beneficial evidence to other art educators who are interested in teaching their students how to draw.
Representational Drawing
Acknowledgments
TA B L E O F
CONTENTS
2 A Note to the Reader
4
My Stor y
5
Representational Drawing in Ar t Education
6
Benefits in Representational Drawing
8
Fundamentals in Representational Drawing
10
Curr iculum for Representational Drawing
12
My Final Thoughts
14
Students’ Wor k in Representational Drawing
15
Resources for Lear ning
16
3
A
N ote
to the Reader
The purpose of this article is to serve
profit art school, Vosler Young Artists’ Studio
as a resource to inform you, art educators,
(VYAS), where I conducted a case study. The
about utilizing representational drawing in
goal of my research at VYAS was to learn
your curriculum. I use Stankiewicz (2001)
the process and results of using a classical
and Kamhi and Torres (2008), which provide
approach to teach representational drawing to
an overview of what representational art is
21st century students. The study contributed
and its absence from today’s art education
to my understanding of how representational
curriculum. I then go on to discuss the
drawing can be taught to students who lack
benefits of representational drawing with
drawing skills, which I plan to use to improve
the help of Drake (2004), Edwards (2012),
my own teaching practice. I conclude the
Thomas and Quillian (2015), and Garner
article with resources that will help you and
and Van Meter (2005) who suggests that
your student develop your drawing skills
students can learn to draw representationally
using traditional drawing techniques.
with the use of perceptual skills and their learning in other disciplines can be enhanced through drawing. I offer evidence of how representational drawing is taught at a for-
4
Representational Drawing
My
S TO RY
As a middle school art educator, I worked
representational or observational drawing being
with students from different artistic backgrounds
taught in art education today? According to the art
but the majority shared the same lack of confidence
educators who replied, the two main reasons why
in their drawing skills. The students would say they
representational drawing is not being taught consist
were not talented in drawing, and due to that lack of
of the following: not having enough time to cover
talent, they could not draw. There was one student, a
drawing along with other media and techniques
six grader, who was very eager to learn how to draw
and the lack of students’ effort and patience.
and as a first year art educator I tried to figure out
When art students do not have knowledge in skill-
ways I could cater to her needs. I was challenged by
based drawing, they lose out on understanding
time and a lack of resources to create lessons plans
and
practicing
and my attempts were not as successful as I hoped.
After completing a case study at Southern
The student was not pleased with the results of her
Atelier, a school for fine art, during a graduate
drawing experience so she felt like art was a waste of
course on art education outside of schools I noticed
time. If I knew about resources such as lesson plans
how the adult students who couldn’t draw before
that cover skill-based (Da Vinci Initiative, 2014)
attending the school created realistic works of art
or representational drawing, I could have better
that exemplified knowledge in structure, shapes,
assisted the six-grade girl and her classmates who
angles, value, and more. I left the study wondering
shared her desire to render representational images.
why these drawing methods aren’t taught in
Skill-based art education in the form of
school-based settings to help teach the students
representational drawing is not being taught
how to draw. As a result I decided that conducting
much in the k-12 public art education system
a study at Vosler Young Artists’ Studio, which uses
today. To begin this study, I informally presented
the same methods to teach teens, might provide
the following question to an art teacher group
beneficial information to me and other art educators.
on an online discussion forum: Why isn’t
related
perceptual
skills.
5
Representational
D r aw i n g i n A r t E d u c a t i o n
Representational drawing in the
1800s. She explains how representational
classical style, which promotes skill, is no
drawing was first used in the classroom to
longer the primary subject matter in the
help the students observe, following the
school art curriculum like it was in the 1800s.
Massachusetts Drawing Act of 1870 and how
There are not many scholarly works regarding
it received more attention than other types
the reason, but Stankiewicz (2001) and
of drawing. Later, however the advocates of
Kamhi and Torres (2008) have some ideas.
child study like G. Stanley Hall encouraged
Stankiewicz (2001) provides an overview
art educators to recognize and celebrate the
of the different movements that have taken
creative impulses young children possessed
place in art and art education since the mid-
rather than teach them adult techniques. He and his followers were motivated to model art education more on the practices of the kindergarten than those of the atelier. When modern art appeared it greatly influenced art education in the first three decades of the twentieth century. Other art movements like contemporary art also had some influence on art education. For example, there are now art projects that consist of creating installation art based on cultural themes.
Figure 1. Cast drawing. Courtesy of Southern Atelier. 6
Representational Drawing
Figure 2. Plate drawing. Courtesy of Southern Atelier.
Kamhi and Torres (2008) focus on the
issue of the meaning and standards of what’s considered to be contemporary art. They believe that classical forms of painting and sculpture should be relevant and regarded as contemporary art because there are still artists working in these styles today. But instead, they suggest, sound art, performance art, and monumental digital dialogues have eclipsed traditional art forms in the contemporary art world and classroom. They go on to argue
Figure 3. Cast painting. Courtesy of Southern Atelier.
that scholars and teachers are ignoring the classical realist style of art and its creators.
7
Benefits
o f R e p r e s e n t a t i o n a l D raw i n g
Representational drawing provides
students who don’t draw well can improve
techniques that develop and enhance
by developing their perceptual skills,
skills like perception, problem solving,
which include perceiving edges, spaces,
and interdisciplinary learning. These
relationship, lights and shadows, and the
skills are helpful in 21st century learning.
gestalt. Students can use their developed
According to Edwards (2012) the training
perceptual skills in any career to solve
of perceptual skills “is the rock bottom
problems. Edwards (2012) gives an
ABC of drawing� (p. 17).
example of a designer who has a problem
Enhances Perceptual Skills
with agreeing to a job offer. The designer
Drake (2004) examined the
who has been practicing the perceptual
perceptual abilities possessed in students
drawing skills can solve the problem by
that can draw realistically. In her study,
using the learned skills. She can look
sixty-seven 6 to 13-year olds with a range
around and survey the whole situation and
of drawing skills where given the Block
be receptive to all information, positive or
Design Task testing the ability to segment a
negative.
complex form, a Group Embedded Figure
Enhances Interdisciplinary Learning
Test testing the ability to see hidden forms,
and an observational drawing task. The
Garner and Van Meter (2005) provide
outcome showed students who scored high
descriptions of drawing to learn. They
on drawing realism out performed those
focus on using the drawing strategy in
who scored low in drawing realism on both
biology and emphasize the process and
perceptual tasks.
benefits of it in the curriculum. Garner and
Van Meter (2005) go into more detail
8
Edwards (2012) believes that Representational Drawing
Thomas and Quillian (2015) and
regarding the usage of the strategy in other
generated drawing is and what it can
subjects not just biology.
achieve in the classroom. Learner-generated
drawing is a strategy in which learners
Thomas and Quillian (2015) argues the
importance of having visual representation
construct representative illustrations in
in the biology curriculum. They assert this
support of learning goals. An example was
to promote model-based reasoning, which
a teacher’s assessment of prior knowledge
is a type of problem solving that helps
in a high school science class. “The teacher
the investigation of complex concepts.
instructed students to draw what they would
For example a student can gain a better
see if they were looking at water through a
understanding of an anima’s anatomy through
super powerful microscope” (p. 294). The
the exploration of drawing. Later in the
scholars go on to provide insight into how
article the scholars offer a framework of
representative illustrations can improve
drawing-to-learn that explains drawing and
observational process by observing an object
the different reasons to use it in the biology
and then drawing it from memory. The benefit
classroom. For example students can use
of drawing is also explained in content areas
representational drawing to illustrate cells or
such as language arts. An example was
anatomical structures. For instance, “a highly
giving in which elementary students used
representational drawing of a wolf might
drawing in a compare and contrast lesson. The
be appropriate to a study of wolf behavior
students were giving a story-based homework
(where the stance and position of ears and tail
assignment where they had to draw a
is germane to the point)” (p. 5). The scholars
character both before and after a personality
then go on to say that drawing can motivate
change. “These drawing attributes suggest a
students to learn and make them self-aware of
belief that drawing should be used for more
their intellect. They conclude the framework
than memorization tasks” (p. 314). The
with some suggested practices educators
scholars conclude the article with a discussion
can use to teach drawing for model-based
about strategy instruction and how it might
reasoning in biology.
play a role in the effectiveness of the drawing
strategy.
Similarly, Garner and Van Meter
(2005) gives an account of what learner9
F
UNDAMENTALS
I N R E P R E S E N TAT I O N A L D R A W I N G
Observing the drawing lessons Vosler
through a semi-structure interview with Vosler.
instructed at VYAS and hearing about the
During that time she discussed the different
layout of her program during our semi-
techniques she utilizes in her instruction.
structure interview, I noticed that drawing is
Those techniques include the identification
a teachable skill. Vosler helps the student see
of lines and shapes, lights and shadows, and
what they need to see in order to draw and
forming the drawing through value. After
using gradual steps, she guides the student as
the interview and observing the instruction I
they convey the subject onto their drawing
realized drawing can be a teachable skill.
pads.
When I conducted semi-structure
The starting point for the students to
understand in learning how to draw is have
interviews with the students at least three out
the ability to see angles in their subject using
of the five stated they couldn’t draw well prior
a sighting tool, such as a skewer or a narrow
to their attendance at VYAS. The length of
knitting needle. One of the first lessons the
time the students attended Vosler’s program
younger students (elementary age) are taught
ranged from six months to about three years.
is the lesson of line direction. Vosler teaches
One of the students Kim, started out drawing
the students about horizontal, vertical, and
shapes that exhibit low value contrast and now
diagonal lines, along with the plumb line,
a year and a half later can draw from a plate
which is the true or the straight vertical path.
that exemplifies a developed understanding
This knowledge is then transferred to drawing
of contrast in value. I received more insight
shapes. Vosler stated, “I start them off with
on the process that helped Kim and her
basic shapes of nature like the sphere, the
classmates improve their drawing skill
cone, and the cylinder and place one single
10 Representational Drawing
Figure 5. Value scale.
Figure 4. Sphere drawing.
light source on the shape� (personal
During this lesson the student draws a circle
communication, January 24, 2016). Once the
and capture the highlights, half tones, and
student understands how to draw the shape
shadows. Vosler goes over the different levels
onto the drawing pad they are taught how to
with the student and have them to number the
see light and shadows.
tones. When the student understands how to
transform a flat shape into a form using the
Vosler stated, “ we immediately
teach them about core and casts shadows by
basic understanding of value, Vosler provides
examining how the light is shining on the
more insight. The student engages in another
object, what is interrupting the light, what is
exercise in which she makes a value scale,
creating a cast shadow, and what is creating
which is the tool that helps her see the tone
a core shadow� (personal communication,
of the subject she is drawing. The student
January 24, 2016). The student learns to
uses the value scale by lining up the subject
identify the line between the lights and the
to the closest tone she observes (see Figure
darks, which is the core shadow. One of the
4). Vosler explained that one of the biggest
first lessons that help the student understand
challenges for the student is to understand the
the lights and shadows is the sphere drawing.
value system. 11
C
URRICULUM
F O R R E P R E S E N TAT I O N A L D R A W I N G
As I observed Mrs. Vosler I noticed her
ability to differentiate the drawing activity for each student. She uses the Charles Bargue with the Collaboration of Jean-Leon Gerome: Drawing Course book to teach representational drawing. The drawing course is set-up in three sections that reflect what I saw at the atelier. The first section consists of plates drawn after casts, usually antique examples. Vosler has a great number of the plates copied and enlarged to help
Figure 6. Student working on a plate drawing.
assist the student. Different parts of the body
off on a plate drawing. The easiest or basic
are studied in the level of difficulty. The
level plate drawings are the facial features.
second section contains lithographs after
For instance, a new student who starts
exemplary drawings by Renaissance and
drawing can use a plate of the human eye.
modern masters. The third section contains
The plate of the eye is set-up in different
drawings after nude male models, which are
stages that shows the eye in different angles.
originals by master artists. I only noticed
Vosler stated the purpose of drawing from
the students draw from the first and second
the plates was to, “help the students slow
section as stated above and then proceed to
down and spend time looking, which in
drawing from a cast.
essence builds their observational skills as
Vosler recognizes the different levels of
well as understand the drawing process from
learning for her students. Instead of starting a
beginning to end� (personal communication,
new student on drawing a cast she starts him
January 17, 2016). When students finish one
12 Representational Drawing
Figure 7. Student working on a casts drawing.
Figure 8. Student working on a portrait drawing of me.
plate they move on to a more advanced plate
of the cast that the single light source reflect
that has fewer stages to draw from.
upon. The student can advance at this area
of drawing just like the plate drawings. The
When the student exemplifies her
skill in capturing the likeness of the subject
more detailed the cast is the more advanced
from the plate drawings, Vosler moves the
the drawing will be.
student on to cast drawings. By this point the student should understand how to use her drawing tools and see the angles, lines, and shapes when drawing. The student’s prior knowledge will help when she starts drawing the replica of a three-dimensional source. At this stage the student has the ability to grow in her skill to capture the light and shadows 13
My
Final Thoughts
When I assess the curriculum of
should consider the fact that students in their
classical representational drawing in the
classrooms desire the knowledge to draw.
context of contemporary art education I see
The data collected through semi-structured
that it doesn’t cover everything. The atelier
interviews and photographs of students
curriculum offers many skills but it doesn’t
learning to draw realistically reveals that 21st
offer lessons in identity, visual culture,
century students possess the willingness to
multicultural and intercultural, digital media,
learn a skill-based drawing practice. This
and creativity. The curriculum is focused
evidence is essential to the art educators
more on developing technical skills to get to
concerned that teaching skills will not be
the point of creating creative and individual
receptive by their students and shouldn’t be
work. Although the curriculum of plate and
taught. I believe students will be motivated
cast drawings don’t include the contemporary
when they see the results of their work.
issues stated above, you can create lessons centered on a cultural theme and through it introduce skill-based drawing exercises. Both practices I find to be important because the contemporary practice allows the student to relate the lesson to their life and the traditional practice equips them with transferable drawing skills that can help articulate what they want to express.
As I examine the significance of
21st century students learning a traditional drawing style I believe art educators today 14 Representational Drawing
Figure 9. Students working on plate drawings.
Figure 10. Student’s plate drawing of a foot.
Figure 11. Student’s plate drawing of a hand.
S TUDENTS’ WORK
I N R E P R E S E N TAT I O N A L D R AW I N G
Figure 12. Student’s plate drawing of a foot.
Figure 13. Student’s cast drawing.
Figure 14. Student’s portrait drawing.
15
Figure 15. The Da Vinci Initiative workshop for art teachers.
R
of knowing and responding to a visual image
with the ateliers and how they practice
(“About The Da Vinci Initiative,”2014).
studying artistic principles that are found in
Edwards (2012) agrees: “…in time learning to
masterpieces. “The atelier model of training
draw will emerge as an equally vital skill, one
is designed to ensure that the artist develops
that provides equally transferrable powers of
the character and skill set needed to succeed
perception to guide and promote insight into
in the art world” (p.3). The Da Vinci Initiative
the meaning of visual and verbal information”
(2014) has the same belief and approach for
(p. xiv). She also believes along with the other
students; where they can learn about realist
two practitioners that anyone can learn how to
art skills that were implemented by Leonardo
draw.
da Vinci and Michelangelo. It is their goal to
provide skill-based learning in art education
believes that drawing can be quickly and easily
in order to deepen the understanding and
taught and learned, not strung out over years.
applications of visual literacy, the processes
Her approach to drawing is a different
EPRESENTATIONAL D R AW I N G R E S O U R C E S
Aristides (2006) discusses her affiliation
16 Representational Drawing
Unlike the others, Edwards (2012)
approach from Aristides (2006) and The Da
foundation, which provides resources that
Vinci Initiative, which practices a classical
are suitable for teachers as well as students
approach. Edwards’s work (2012) is primarily
including classroom resources, outreach
for individuals who cannot draw what they
programs, and professional development
perceive. She provides drawing exercises that
(“About The Da Vinci Initiative,” 2014).
trick the left hemisphere of the brain to allow
The classroom resources include a series of
the right side of the brain to take control; one
educational videos and k-12 lesson plans. The
of those tricks include drawing the subject
lesson plans are intended to train both the
matter upside down.
teacher and student about technical art skills.
Aristides (2006), The Da Vinci
Edwards (2012) provides drawing exercises
Initiative (2014), and Edwards (2012) share
through books that are available in bookstores
the goal of bringing drawing back to art
and libraries worldwide that can help a
education. In order to achieve that goal,
struggling student of any age learn to draw.
Aristides (2006) provides drawing exercises
She also offers five-day workshops where
in the classical style and provides examples of
she teaches her drawing techniques and sees
work from master artists. Other resources that
results by the end of the week. She also
are provided are nationally and internationally
provides a tool list that can be ordered to go
presented workshops. The Da Vinci Initiative
along with each of her drawing exercises.
is part of a 501c3 non-profit educational
Figure 16. Classical Drawing Atelier.
Figure 17. Drawing On the Right Side of the Brain.
Figure 18. The Da Vinci Initiative lesson plan.
17
R
EFERENCES
Student’s portrait drawing of me,
About The Da Vinci Initiative. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.davinciinitiative.org/mission.html Aristides, J. (2006). Classical drawing atelier: a contemporary guide to traditional studio prac tice. New York, New York: Watson-Guptill. Drake, J. E. (2014). Knowing how to look predicts the ability to draw realistically. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 32, 397-414. doi:10.1111/bjdp.12048 Edwards, B. (2012). Drawing on the right side of the brain: the definitive 4th edition. New York, New York: Penguin Group. Garner, J, & Van Meter, P. (2005). The promise and practice of learner-generated drawing: literature review and synthesis. Educational Psychology Review, 17(4), 85-325. Kamhi, M. M., & Torres, L. (2008). What about the other face of contemporary art? Art Educa tion, 61(2), 53-58. Quillin, K, & Stephen, T. (2015). Drawing-to-learn: a framework for using drawings to promote model-based reasoning in biology. Life Sciences Education, 14 (1), 1-16. Stankiewicz, M. A. (2001). Roots of art education practice. Worcester, Massachusetts: Davis.