Chinese Calligraphy

Posted on March 16, 2013 by FC_admin

Wanting to produce more drawings for the paper sheets illuminated in the Ingo Maurer-designed Zettel’z 5 Chandelier, I thought of adding Chinese characters that held some meaning to me and my family. Here are some of my initial experiments.

Despite my Chinese heritage, I do not speak, read or write Chinese. And I realize that trying to write in a language I cannot read nor comprehend can be dangerous, for a subtle change in a stroke here and a misplacement there could alter the meaning of a character, and possibly not in a good way.

Also, being left-handed, I cannot possess the natural inclinations of a right-handed calligrapher. Yet I admire Chinese calligraphy for its cultural significance and its visual beauty. I just hope I didn’t mangle the characters too much. After trying these, I realize Chinese calligraphy is an art form that cannot be learned quickly; it requires patience, practice, and a true understanding of the culture that nurtured it. All I can do is try to mimic the graphic qualities that I admire so much.

The Rule of Thirds

Posted on March 10, 2013 by FC_admin

Back in January, I posted a piece on maintaining a delicate balance between a static state and one of dynamic disarray when composing a scene and laying it out on a page. Thinking about this subject again brought to mind the rule-of-thirds, a principle of composition that has been used for centuries by painters, photographers, and other artists.

We can visualize this principle by dividing our canvas or page into nine equal parts with two horizontal and two vertical lines spaced equally apart.

The rule-of-thirds postulates that we should place points of interest at any of the four points of intersection or lay out important compositional elements along these lines. Applying the rule-of-thirds in these ways is supposed to create visual tension and an image that is more dynamic than one with the subject matter simply centered on the page.

Consider how moving the horizon line in these three compositions can affect how we perceive the same subject matter in subtle ways.

Of course, rules are alway subject to being broken but experimenting with the rule-of-thirds is a good first step before deciding to disregard it. Even when applying the rule-of-thirds, we should remember that it is not an exact rule to be applied in a precise manner. It merely serves as a guide.

The first decision we have to make is whether a composition is to be balanced in a symmetrical or asymmetrical manner. If the latter, then the rule-of-thirds can serve us well.

Understanding Geometry

Posted on March 5, 2013 by FC_admin

I’m sure not everyone would share my love for geometry but an appreciation of the subject has served me well in my years as an architect. Understanding geometry, especially spatial relationships in three dimensions, makes it easier to draw these correspondences in real life.

Take this interior view of St. James Cathedral. Because of the ornamentation, textures and color, it is easy to get confused when confronted by the richness of the scene. But underlying all of the lavish decorative features is a clear geometric scheme.

Imagine looking from above at the square crossing where the nave of the church intersects the transepts. From each side of the square crossing rises semicircular arches. From the apex of each arch, we can extend lines until they intersect at the center of the dome’s oculus. The diagonal groin lines that mark the intersection of the two vaults rise from each corner to intersect at the same center.

If we understand these geometric relationships and, just as important, we can see them as we sit in one of the pews looking upward at the dome, we can draw the square crossing and estimate the placement of the oculus without guessing. We can place it at the peak of the dome, at the intersection of the crossing groin ribs, directly above the center of the crossing.

Seattle Workshop

Posted on February 28, 2013 by FC_admin

Gail Wong and I will be offering a drawing workshop in Seattle May 17–19. We will begin on Friday evening with an introductory sketching session followed by dinner and presentations at the Ballard Pizza Co. The next day, we will have two sessions, one in the morning at Gas Works Park and another in the afternoon in the Fremont neighborhood. On Sunday, we will spend our last session together with the Seattle UrbanSketchers group in Pioneer Square or Pike Place Market. Should be fun. And beginners are certainly welcome!

For a complete schedule, details, and sign-up info, please see <http://glwsketchworks.blogspot.com/p/may-17-19.html> or <http://workshops.urbansketchers.org/2013/02/line-to-color-workshop-in-seattle-with.html>.

Medium & Surface

Posted on February 26, 2013 by FC_admin

We recently purchased an Ingo Maurer-designed Zettel’z 5 Chandelier. The distinguishing feature of the fixture are the 80 stainless steel wires from which hang sheets of Japanese paper that direct and diffuse the light. So this past Saturday, when the Seattle UrbanSketchers met at St. James Cathedral for their monthly get-together, I set myself the task of doing some drawings on the thin translucent sheets that came with the chandelier kit.

I soon found that ink bled on the paper so I had to adjust the way I drew—moving quickly and touching lightly for thinner strokes; proceeding more slowly and pausing even momentarily resulted in blotting.

Because of the bleeding, I had to be very careful not to overdraw. Some of the blots you see are unintentional but simply part of the process, reflecting the interaction between medium and surface. I think they actually add character to the drawings.

This was just another reminder that while the medium we choose may not affect the viewpoint we choose, it certainly affects the way we execute a drawing and the resulting graphic image.

Curtis Steiner

Posted on February 22, 2013 by FC_admin

A group of Seattle UrbanSketchers enjoyed a crisp, sunny morning meet-up in Ballard last Friday with Sharon Bryant, who was visiting from Vermont. Here is a view of the building at the corner of Ballard Avenue NW and 22nd Avenue NW, which used to house the Guitar Emporium and is now the shop of Curtis Steiner. I find it difficult to describe Steiner’s work and so I will quote the headline and lead-in to an article from 2008 written by Tyrone Beason in the Seattle Times Pacific NW magazine:

“Artist and entrepreneur, Curtis Steiner shows us the value of objects ordinary or odd. Ballard gift-store owner Curtis Steiner applies his exquisite taste to both creating and finding things people will value as beautiful.”

If you are ever in Ballard, it is well worth a visit.

Composing the Page

Posted on February 17, 2013 by FC_admin

The page proportions of our sketchbook influence the composition of our drawings. Tall or narrow pages suggest the drawing of vertical compositions or horizontal panoramas, while rectangular or square formatted pages provide more flexibility in layout. Even so, we should not allow the proportions of a page to cripple our imagined views in unintended ways. The page should not constrain the limits of a drawing nor restrict its composition.

Where do we start a drawing…? Personally, I try to locate a vertical edge—or preferably a vertical plane—in the scene or view and use its size to mentally anchor the composition on the page. This vertical element can be a building facade, an interior wall, or even a row of trees or lamp posts…

Or it can be the imagined space between two building elements, as in a street scene or the nave of a church.

Using a vertical element in this manner requires projecting the imagined view onto the page and locating and sizing the vertical element relative to the overall composition to ensure that the entire scene will fit on the page. Providing breathing space around the intended image is a good strategy. Starting too large or misplacing the vertical element can force us to either cut off part of our intended view or alter the proportions of the scene.

Once we have placed the selected vertical element, we can use it to gauge the relative sizes of all of the other elements in the composition.

Mt. Vernon Workshop Update

Posted on February 14, 2013 by FC_admin

For more information on the one-day workshop Gail Wong and I will be offering in Mt. http://glwsketchworks.blogspot.com/p/workshops-and-events.htmlVernon, Washington, please see: <http://glwsketchworks.blogspot.com/p/workshops-and-events.html>.

I should note that Gail and I will also be offering a workshop here in Seattle May 17–19, beginning with a pizza dinner and presentation on Friday evening, followed by two sessions on Saturday and a closing session on Sunday with the Seattle Urban Sketchers group. More details to follow.

Composing the Image II

Posted on February 10, 2013 by FC_admin

Once we have decided on the subject matter for a sketch and established a particular point of view, we should pay attention to the proportions of the conceived image. Some images may lend themselves to a square or nearly square format, others a vertical composition, and still others a horizontal layout.

At times, the nature of the image we are trying to capture can be odds with the proportions of the pages in our sketchbook. We shouldn’t allow this conflict to alter our intentions. In my next post, I will try to address the question of how to compose the image on the page.

Composing the Image

Posted on February 5, 2013 by FC_admin

A question that is often asked is: How do I start a drawing? Where do I start? The very first step, before even touching pen to paper, is selecting the subject matter and mentally composing the image—deciding what will be included and what excluded from the scene before us. Will we zoom in on a part of a building, capture one of its interior spaces, or focus on one of its details? Do we see the building merely as an object? Will we try to place a building in its context? Or will we try to capture the life of a street or square with the architecture serving as a container or backdrop?