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Tracing.
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Message
Posted
I was watching a program this week, I can't remember which one. It could have been, portrait artist, that's on before landscape artist but I'm not sure because I watch a few. Anyway, the artist traced the face of the sitter onto the canvas. Well, I must say, I was a bit taken aback by this. My thought's were, if you trace things, doesn't that stop your ability to enhance and gain experience in your drawing and sketching skills. I've not had a lesson, so I wouldn't know if it's normal practice and if that's what you get taught when you have lessons or go to collage. To me, it just seems to defeat the object of growing as an artist. Why I've posted this, is because I wondered if, indeed, it is a normal practice. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with it, I was just surprised seeing it and I think it must hamper someones ability to continue to move forward. Then, I could be wrong because, I don't know if this is something that is actually taught. I just wondered what opinions people had about it.
Posted
I have known art teachers who use carbon paper during lessons. Portrait artist on sky, lots use ipad apps which are a modern camera obscure which were used by some of the old masters, Canaletto used a pinhole camera so take your pick. Griding up a photo is wrong in my book,, but everyone to their own.
Posted
My advice is to take note of Tim Benson’s excellent article in last month’s edition of TA, were he discusses his approach to portrait painting.
He works without any grids or other aids, but simply paints what he sees in front of him… Okay, he’s been doing it for years and he’s one of the top portrait painters in the U.K. - but it has to be the best approach in my book.
To go back to Denise’s question… no, it’s not the norm at college to trace anything, for the very reasons you’ve mentioned - and to trace from a photographed image in a life class, when you have the live model in residence would be considered highly unusual!
Edited
by Alan Bickley
Posted
I'm with Anthony.
As (mostly) amateur* artists, I don't think we should be too 'precious' about the tools and aids we use. We do it for fun. Of course we should push ourselves into unfamiliar styles and techniques, but why make it harder for ourselves by being too strict or 'purist'?
I use primarily watercolour. I know that some artists frown at the use of wax resist. Others say that we should limit the use of pencil and go straight in with colour! What does this say for pen and wash?
What about viewfinders, scaling tools etc?
I something works for you, use it. It's the outcome that matters.
* I use 'amateur' to mean someone who does not do it for a living; NOT someone who is untalented.
Posted
I personally don’t use tracing paper as I want to sketch draw or what ever from scratch. The choice is down to the individual , if they want to use wax resist , masking out areas etc . We all paint and draw in different ways , we use the same tools but each person has a preference as to what is used for what and how. . I don’t think anyone is saying you can’t use stuff the archive your art , some people are more purest in what and how they paint and draw. If you want to produce a painting and use whatever you want to achieve it that up to you , the main thing is enjoying what you achieve and the process.
Posted
Thanks for your views everyone and I agree, artist should use what they want. The program I watch, the person traced only a few lines of the face and I thought, what was the point of it when it could have been so easily sketched in. I think in portrait painting, getting the basic shape of a face it is important to practice, continually by sketching and drawing the face. I was just surprised to see someone tracing the face in. Anthony, your work is fantastic, I don't think I'll be coming around with a pitchfork.
Posted
Going back to Colin’s point regarding drawing with pencil first on a watercolour - of course it’s acceptable, and pencil lines should be left visible, they’re all part of the painting…
if you look closely at some of the work of Rowland Hilder, you will see that he’s purposely left his initial pencil lines visible - and he also used white gouache for highlights, in the same way that Turner did on his watercolour sketches.
Posted
Anthony your work is fabulous, so no burning torches from me. Portraits for me, puts me out of my comfort zone, because I have this block about trying to follow the rules….like start with an egg shape, eyes half way down etc.. I’ve even been to a portrait class, and tried that way and it doesn’t work at all for me, it just stresses me out. So I think what I’m trying to say in a roundabout way, use anything that makes you feel comfortable. Me, personally I don’t trace, however I do look at YouTube and photo references…..but I always put my own stamp on it.
Posted
I don't trace, no. And in my few portraits, that shows - there are inaccuracies, lines that aren't there, no lines, or dips, crannies or furrows where there should be.
There was a portrait of one of the royal family - I forget which one, the younger set all merge into one so far as I'm concerned, but I think she'd be Mrs Prince William..... it was very accurate. And it was entirely ghastly. Pin-point accuracy is not required in a portrait - the expression, the life, the experience in the face and the work in describing all of that tell us far more than absolute accuracy.
Now - if tracing really helps people, as in working on highly detailed, technical subjects, it might, I don't have a problem with it: we're judged on the final results, not, on the whole, by the route we took to achieve them. But I am absolutely with Tim Benson, and Alan Bickley, on this - and I think with Denise too. It must depend on the needs of the day - I wouldn't think of criticizing those who might trace all or part of their work to ensure they get the technical details of a piece of machinery - car, tractor, motorbike, etc - exactly right: I don't need to do that, my few paintings of racing cars were commissions in which the customer/recipient wasn't bothered by the lack of exact detail; if he had been, there are many other artists he could have gone to.
Otherwise, though - while I won't join any baying mob with brands and pitchforks - I think tracing is a massive sign of low confidence in one's abilities, and that it will rarely if ever produce a picture with any real life in it. Remember those caveats though, as well as my conclusion! There are times in technical work where a bit of tracing could be essential.
Posted
With anything technical you have to get it right so no guesswork. But if you are going for something , let’s say, “vaguer” but trying to capture an essence of something, then exact precision , for me, is out. With portraits I don’t use grids or exact measurements but I do use my eye to measure. By that I mean I measure with my eye, or an extended arm and pencil, to compare and get proportions right. I like doing it this way but it means having to adjust. I’m alright with that too, because I use oils and can easily correct. It takes time to learn to measure by the eye but it trains you to “ look “ and this is important I feel. But you couldn’t produce art like Anthony’s or others like this, not if you’re going for precision. In the end we produce the art we enjoy, why not?
Posted
I once had a tutor who tried to teach me to do portraits by taking a photo and using a protractor to measure angles and construct a network of triangulated important points across the face(eg. Corner of the eye),which were then transferred to your painting support. Mind numbing in the extreme.
Needless to say I HAVE NEVER , AND WILL NEVER USE THAT METHOD!