Strokes Of Genius 6: The Best of Drawing

269 Pages·2014·35.17 MB·English

by  Rachel Rubin Wolf

Strokes of Genius 6
The Best of Drawing
value | lights
& darks
Edited by Rachel Rubin Wolf
NORTH LIGHT BOOKS
CINCINNATI, OHIO
artistsnetwork.com
FOR GENERATIONS TO COME – SEA OTTERS (PREVIOUS
SPREAD)
Kevin Johnson • Graphite on illustration board • 91⁄ " × 13" (24cm ×
2
33cm)
As one of fifty artists who ventured deep into Canada’s Great Bear
Rainforest, I created this artwork for the Raincoast Conservation
Foundation’s Art for an Oil-Free Coast project. Endangered sea otters
represent community and family to me; they depend on each other and
on the kelp forests and waters that are at risk. The final image was
created using various grades of graphite, erasers and blending tools.
“If realism is your goal, then the drawing must capture
all the values and details that your eyes actually see
rather than what your mind thinks it sees.”
—KEVIN JOHNSON
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
1 VALUES IN PORTRAITS
2 INSPIRING OBJECTS
3 FASCINATING FIGURES
4 PLACES WE GO
5 FUR AND FEATHER FRIENDS
CONTRIBUTORS
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Coypright
CHARY
Candice Bohannon • Graphite on bristol paper • 9" × 29" (23cm × 74cm)
This young beauty brims with intellectual energy, hiding a well of emotion
few are allowed admittance to. The drawing was slowly knit together with
light, deliberate crosshatching. Value, rather than line, developed the
forms until the drawing gradually took on a sculptural quality. I
surrounded the figure with soft textures to convey a sense of delicacy
and suppleness to the cloth and flesh. This allowed me to draw the focus
to her face, framing her lively eyes with the strongest darks in my value
range.
INTRODUCTION
Tonal value is one of the key art elements—some would argue the
most important of all. The consideration of tonal value is essential for
any drawing. Even a simple line drawing consists of decisions about
value and thickness of the line. In a more complex drawing the artist
generally decides on a value key, whether in the light or dark range or
with a full range of values from black to white. It is tonal value that
most creates the illusion of three dimensions in a drawing, and it is
also the foundation of design. One cannot overstate the value of value
in drawing!
Our artists would agree almost unanimously. I noted how much the
artists in this volume had to say about our theme—tonal value—
compared with responses to past themes. Many commented
specifically about how important tonal value is to their own art. Scott
A. Williams echoes the thoughts of many: “The correct use of value is
critical for defining forms, controlling edges and creating a believable
three-dimensional reality.”
Many of the artists highlighted how values not only define form but
create mood. Michael H. Malta suggests, “One can create mood by
using values correctly … . ” Steve Wilda opines: “The delicate
subtleties of graphite can evoke a deeper mood than color, which can
often be a distraction.” Karen S. Clarkson, among others, speaks of
balancing values: “Pure white and pure black should be used
sparingly, yet without them the full tonal range does not register.”
Linda Lucas Hardy emphasizes the essential nature of tonal value:
“Value without color has the power to stand alone—color without
value can’t.”
This was the first time that I remember receiving a poem in one of
the captions; it expresses the pure and simple joy of drawing:
My Drawings
My Every Day
My Joy
I Love that Moment
That Noise
That Scratch
Pencil over Paper
Moment of Truth
Like Life
Like Love
—WAGNER ANARCA
I hope the wonderful collection of art here in Strokes of Genius 6
stirs you toward fulfilling your creative dreams.
Rachel Rubin Wolf
WAITING
Ona Kingdon • Pen and ink with a watercolor on bristol board • 12" × 14"
(30cm × 36cm)
Drawing any black animal can be challenging, but if you look at black fur
in strong sunlight, there are actually huge contrasts in value. Areas in the
shade can merge with the dark background, while areas caught by the
sun almost appear to turn white. Harry is a purebred black Labrador. He
was peering under the wooden gate on our deck at us in the garden, and
I wanted to capture the stark contrast as well as the soulful expression in
his eyes.