Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
Level: Intermediate Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.3 Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease: 63.7 Drawspace Curriculum 3.3.A5 - 6 Pages and 9 Illustrations
Combine
Negative Space with Negative Drawing Draw a tree branch by identifying negative spaces and add depth by creating random background shapes.
Supplies: drawing paper, 2B and HB pencils, pencil sharpener, vinyl art eraser, kneaded eraser (or Blu-Tack)
This activity has four sections: • Get to Know Negative Drawing Techniques • Outline the Shapes of Branches • Shade Negative Spaces and Shapes • Shade Midground and Foreground Branches
Get to Know Negative Drawing Techniques In Figure 1, a tree branch was created by using erasers to remove black shading. This branch was intended to be a supporting, shadowy, background element in a drawing and therefore has very little clarity or details.
Figure 1
But, imagine this as an important foreground element that required detail, form, and texture, and had to be perfectly balanced in relation to everything around it. You have two distinct elements – the dark background and the branch itself. How would you tackle this?
ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (http://www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (http://www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, photocopying, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ license from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
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3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
Would you: • Draw the branch first, because it’s the main element? • Draw the background first because you aren’t sure how to draw the branch? The temptation is to draw the branch first. Because it is the main element – the focus of the drawing – we have a natural inclination to give that priority. But consider the following: • How light or dark should the branch be? • Where is the light source positioned? • What sources of reflected light are present? • Should this main element emerge from or disappear into the shade? When you think about it, you realize that none of these questions can be fully answered without knowing something about the environment the branch will be a part of. It is most often logical to draw the background first. This presents two benefits: you have an established setting in which your main subject can exist so it will possess a unity; and you have full control over the dominance of the subject (the way it stands out from, or blends into, the background). Consider drawing the background first and then the secondary elements (midground). Keep a mental picture in your mind of how you want the main subject to look when it’s finished. Then, you have a logical starting point for the background. With the background completed, you then have a setting in which the white silhouette of your subject can exist. It is now possible to have a feel for its environment. You can see if the prevailing lighting is harsh or diffused. You are able to discern what might overlap your subject, such as stems of grass or weeds, and how they fit naturally into the overall setting. You now have full control over the separation of the subject from the background. How do you engineer that advantageous way of working? It involves the creation of an element within your drawing by simply drawing around it. Just for now, assume your darkest tones are in the background and not required for the foreground subject – so have a go at creating a tree as you incorporate this way of working.
Outline the Shapes of Branches 1. Create a line drawing of a tree with its branches as the midground and foreground objects. For now, identify the background as the white of the paper behind the branches. You can copy the line drawing in Figure 2 or create your own, but, keep it relatively small – perhaps 2 by 2 in (5 by 5 cm), which will minimize the detail and time required to complete it.
ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
Figure 2
Tip! As you draw, examine the negative space – all that is not tree – and aim to produce a pleasing balance between positive and negative content. The object here is to preserve the virgin white of this tree until you understand what tones are required to draw it. You do that by shading the background first.
You are drawing around this tree to isolate it, so take care to watch the white you are leaving and not the line you are drawing. If your lines are too close, your twigs will be unnaturally thin.
Also remember, these are knobbly, old trees that don’t possess a single straight branch or twig! Begin with a mental picture of the setting itself. Imagine this old tree is in a dark wood with other trees behind it.
Figure 3
You could just fill the background with dense 4B graphite, but to make it more interesting, follow the next steps to create a background and midground. 2. Design a second or even a third tree behind the existing tree (Figure 3). Outline these secondary elements lightly so you can tell them apart from the main tree. If you wish, give the foreground tree a branch (or two) that extends behind the trunk. You can then split this drawing into three separate elements – background, midground and foreground – and begin with the one you know most about: the background.
Shade Negative Spaces and Shapes 3. Begin to fill in the background (Figure 4). Use a 2B and/or a 4B pencil as you wish – whichever suits your paper better. In the top half, leave some sharp edged, random organic shapes and patches to represent clumps of foliage – this will make more sense later. Heavily outline each branch as you reach it – a safety margin that you can shade up to. As you shade, invent more twigs or leaves, too, if you wish. There are no rules – but you must avoid drawing into any of the outlined foreground or midground elements. ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
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4
3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
Now, think about what you are doing. Imagine the features of old trees – trunks, branches and twigs narrow with length. Also, suggest random white patches in uninteresting areas. In short – you are thinking tree! Figure 4
One of the benefits of this method of working is that it allows you to concentrate purely on one element at a time. 4. Add additional light and dark tones to create foliage in the background (Figure 5). See! The drawing is already looking complex! Take note that not once did you have to consider how you might draw the midground or foreground trees, or what texture you should use to represent bark. In fact, the only aspect of the trees you had to think about so far was their external outline.
5. Begin adding tone to some of the shapes that are far away in distant space.
Figure 5
Continue working forwards from the background. Figure 6 shows the completed lefthand half of the background. Those random, organic shapes that you drew around are there for two reasons: • They relieve the visual boredom of large expanses of flat tone. • They create a more interesting depth of space by creating a background of shady, unknown shapes and foliage that represent the deep forest.
Figure 6
Use your 2B pencil, squint at your drawing so you can see only areas of tone, and think “deep shade”. Tone down some of the background shapes so much that they almost disappear and leave some of the other shapes a little clearer. Don’t be fussy – just shade right over a whole block then shade in circles so you further darken some parts and not others. 6. Use your kneadable eraser or Blu-Tack to adjust tones if you need to (Figure 7).
ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
You can also use your kneaded eraser to lift out new shapes if the drawing looks unbalanced. Figure 7
Shade Midground and Foreground Branches With the background now completed, turn your attention to the midground trees. Are they alongside each other? Is one behind the other? You decide. You can signal your decision with the tone you apply. If they’re alongside, their tones should match. If one is further away than the other, it will be deeper in the shade of your forest, so make it darker. Make a few simple decisions before you begin. Which direction is the light shining from? Will the bark texture be visible, or will the trunks be smooth? Don’t think “drawing”, think “forest”. Go and look at a tree, or even photographs of trees.
Fill your head with tree imagery. Might the sunlight filter into the tops of these trees? If it does, will the lower parts be progressively darker? Remember, you can change your mind at any time and alter earlier decisions with your Blu-Tack or kneadable eraser. By breaking your drawing down into parts, you simplify every stage. You don’t need a crystalclear visualization of tree textures or form because these trees are in the shade and only partially seen. What you learn from drawing the midground trees, you can carry over to drawing the foreground tree. But the principle here is far more important than an ability to draw trees, so don’t be too concerned about accuracy. 7. Begin at either the base or top of one of the trees and work your way slowly up or down (Figure 8). An HB pencil should work fine. Suggest forms and surface features as you progress. If you want you can even draw detailed trees. Constantly ask yourself questions: Is this bulge where a branch once broke off? Explain things to yourself: if that side is receiving a little light, this must be the shaded side.
Figure 8
Only telephone poles are straight up and down. Living trees undulate, bend and twist. You can only convincingly draw what you fully understand in three dimensions. Graphite is a wonderful medium for such subjects. Your thoughts can travel directly from your mind onto paper – no colours to mix, no drying time between layers – just an unbroken process. ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
5
6
3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
Using this way of working from dark to light establishes the dark tones first. You can then see the full range of values available to you, from the darkest tones to the white of the paper. The black is extended and diluted as required to form the mid-tones, and is drawn around any highlights, features and problem areas. When the black or dark areas are completed, all your lighter tones will just be flat white spaces. Now, with the full understanding of the tones surrounding them, you can begin to draw within the positive spaces to give them the tonal values and shaping that they require. This is much easier to practice than explain! 8. Continue shading additional branches and details until you get to the largest tree in the foreground (Figure 9).
Figure 9
9. Add high contrast shading and intricate details to the large tree in the front. You’re on your own at this stage. Use your imagination or consider looking at actual trees to get ideas on how to finish your tree. Happy drawing! Cheers....
Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley • Foreword by renowned Artist David Shepherd • Over 280 pages of pencil drawing tips, tutorials, demonstrations and much more... • More than 625 illustrations • Tools, techniques, methods • Step-by-step instructions • For the Novice and Advanced student • From pure line drawing through to near-reality
Based on Mike’s experience of over 30 years as a professional artist and graphite pencil specialist.
www.SibleyFineArt.com/pencil-drawing-book.htm
ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
Combine
Negative Space with Negative Drawing Draw a tree branch by identifying negative spaces and add depth by creating random background shapes.
Supplies: drawing paper, 2B and HB pencils, pencil sharpener, vinyl art eraser, kneaded eraser (or Blu-Tack)
This activity has four sections: • Get to Know Negative Drawing Techniques • Outline the Shapes of Branches • Shade Negative Spaces and Shapes • Shade Midground and Foreground Branches
Get to Know Negative Drawing Techniques In Figure 1, a tree branch was created by using erasers to remove black shading. This branch was intended to be a supporting, shadowy, background element in a drawing and therefore has very little clarity or details.
Figure 1
But, imagine this as an important foreground element that required detail, form, and texture, and had to be perfectly balanced in relation to everything around it. You have two distinct elements – the dark background and the branch itself. How would you tackle this?
ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (http://www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (http://www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, photocopying, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ license from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
2
3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
Would you: • Draw the branch first, because it’s the main element? • Draw the background first because you aren’t sure how to draw the branch? The temptation is to draw the branch first. Because it is the main element – the focus of the drawing – we have a natural inclination to give that priority. But consider the following: • How light or dark should the branch be? • Where is the light source positioned? • What sources of reflected light are present? • Should this main element emerge from or disappear into the shade? When you think about it, you realize that none of these questions can be fully answered without knowing something about the environment the branch will be a part of. It is most often logical to draw the background first. This presents two benefits: you have an established setting in which your main subject can exist so it will possess a unity; and you have full control over the dominance of the subject (the way it stands out from, or blends into, the background). Consider drawing the background first and then the secondary elements (midground). Keep a mental picture in your mind of how you want the main subject to look when it’s finished. Then, you have a logical starting point for the background. With the background completed, you then have a setting in which the white silhouette of your subject can exist. It is now possible to have a feel for its environment. You can see if the prevailing lighting is harsh or diffused. You are able to discern what might overlap your subject, such as stems of grass or weeds, and how they fit naturally into the overall setting. You now have full control over the separation of the subject from the background. How do you engineer that advantageous way of working? It involves the creation of an element within your drawing by simply drawing around it. Just for now, assume your darkest tones are in the background and not required for the foreground subject – so have a go at creating a tree as you incorporate this way of working.
Outline the Shapes of Branches 1. Create a line drawing of a tree with its branches as the midground and foreground objects. For now, identify the background as the white of the paper behind the branches. You can copy the line drawing in Figure 2 or create your own, but, keep it relatively small – perhaps 2 by 2 in (5 by 5 cm), which will minimize the detail and time required to complete it.
ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
Figure 2
Tip! As you draw, examine the negative space – all that is not tree – and aim to produce a pleasing balance between positive and negative content. The object here is to preserve the virgin white of this tree until you understand what tones are required to draw it. You do that by shading the background first.
You are drawing around this tree to isolate it, so take care to watch the white you are leaving and not the line you are drawing. If your lines are too close, your twigs will be unnaturally thin.
Also remember, these are knobbly, old trees that don’t possess a single straight branch or twig! Begin with a mental picture of the setting itself. Imagine this old tree is in a dark wood with other trees behind it.
Figure 3
You could just fill the background with dense 4B graphite, but to make it more interesting, follow the next steps to create a background and midground. 2. Design a second or even a third tree behind the existing tree (Figure 3). Outline these secondary elements lightly so you can tell them apart from the main tree. If you wish, give the foreground tree a branch (or two) that extends behind the trunk. You can then split this drawing into three separate elements – background, midground and foreground – and begin with the one you know most about: the background.
Shade Negative Spaces and Shapes 3. Begin to fill in the background (Figure 4). Use a 2B and/or a 4B pencil as you wish – whichever suits your paper better. In the top half, leave some sharp edged, random organic shapes and patches to represent clumps of foliage – this will make more sense later. Heavily outline each branch as you reach it – a safety margin that you can shade up to. As you shade, invent more twigs or leaves, too, if you wish. There are no rules – but you must avoid drawing into any of the outlined foreground or midground elements. ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
3
4
3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
Now, think about what you are doing. Imagine the features of old trees – trunks, branches and twigs narrow with length. Also, suggest random white patches in uninteresting areas. In short – you are thinking tree! Figure 4
One of the benefits of this method of working is that it allows you to concentrate purely on one element at a time. 4. Add additional light and dark tones to create foliage in the background (Figure 5). See! The drawing is already looking complex! Take note that not once did you have to consider how you might draw the midground or foreground trees, or what texture you should use to represent bark. In fact, the only aspect of the trees you had to think about so far was their external outline.
5. Begin adding tone to some of the shapes that are far away in distant space.
Figure 5
Continue working forwards from the background. Figure 6 shows the completed lefthand half of the background. Those random, organic shapes that you drew around are there for two reasons: • They relieve the visual boredom of large expanses of flat tone. • They create a more interesting depth of space by creating a background of shady, unknown shapes and foliage that represent the deep forest.
Figure 6
Use your 2B pencil, squint at your drawing so you can see only areas of tone, and think “deep shade”. Tone down some of the background shapes so much that they almost disappear and leave some of the other shapes a little clearer. Don’t be fussy – just shade right over a whole block then shade in circles so you further darken some parts and not others. 6. Use your kneadable eraser or Blu-Tack to adjust tones if you need to (Figure 7).
ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
You can also use your kneaded eraser to lift out new shapes if the drawing looks unbalanced. Figure 7
Shade Midground and Foreground Branches With the background now completed, turn your attention to the midground trees. Are they alongside each other? Is one behind the other? You decide. You can signal your decision with the tone you apply. If they’re alongside, their tones should match. If one is further away than the other, it will be deeper in the shade of your forest, so make it darker. Make a few simple decisions before you begin. Which direction is the light shining from? Will the bark texture be visible, or will the trunks be smooth? Don’t think “drawing”, think “forest”. Go and look at a tree, or even photographs of trees.
Fill your head with tree imagery. Might the sunlight filter into the tops of these trees? If it does, will the lower parts be progressively darker? Remember, you can change your mind at any time and alter earlier decisions with your Blu-Tack or kneadable eraser. By breaking your drawing down into parts, you simplify every stage. You don’t need a crystalclear visualization of tree textures or form because these trees are in the shade and only partially seen. What you learn from drawing the midground trees, you can carry over to drawing the foreground tree. But the principle here is far more important than an ability to draw trees, so don’t be too concerned about accuracy. 7. Begin at either the base or top of one of the trees and work your way slowly up or down (Figure 8). An HB pencil should work fine. Suggest forms and surface features as you progress. If you want you can even draw detailed trees. Constantly ask yourself questions: Is this bulge where a branch once broke off? Explain things to yourself: if that side is receiving a little light, this must be the shaded side.
Figure 8
Only telephone poles are straight up and down. Living trees undulate, bend and twist. You can only convincingly draw what you fully understand in three dimensions. Graphite is a wonderful medium for such subjects. Your thoughts can travel directly from your mind onto paper – no colours to mix, no drying time between layers – just an unbroken process. ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
5
6
3.3.A5: Combine Negative Space and Negative Drawing
Using this way of working from dark to light establishes the dark tones first. You can then see the full range of values available to you, from the darkest tones to the white of the paper. The black is extended and diluted as required to form the mid-tones, and is drawn around any highlights, features and problem areas. When the black or dark areas are completed, all your lighter tones will just be flat white spaces. Now, with the full understanding of the tones surrounding them, you can begin to draw within the positive spaces to give them the tonal values and shaping that they require. This is much easier to practice than explain! 8. Continue shading additional branches and details until you get to the largest tree in the foreground (Figure 9).
Figure 9
9. Add high contrast shading and intricate details to the large tree in the front. You’re on your own at this stage. Use your imagination or consider looking at actual trees to get ideas on how to finish your tree. Happy drawing! Cheers....
Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley • Foreword by renowned Artist David Shepherd • Over 280 pages of pencil drawing tips, tutorials, demonstrations and much more... • More than 625 illustrations • Tools, techniques, methods • Step-by-step instructions • For the Novice and Advanced student • From pure line drawing through to near-reality
Based on Mike’s experience of over 30 years as a professional artist and graphite pencil specialist.
www.SibleyFineArt.com/pencil-drawing-book.htm
ISBN: 978-1-77193-260-8
Copyright © 2016 Mike Sibley (www.sibleyfineart.com) and Drawspace Publishing (www.drawspace.com). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transferred, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, recording, photographing, or otherwise, without the purchase of an educators’ licence from drawspace.com or the prior written consent of Mike Sibley and Drawspace Publishing.
