Content

Now is a good time to look at drawing for other purposes: drawing as a preliminary for painting, sculpture, planning, documentation, and problem solving. The artist named "Christo" uses drawing to document his 'installations', as a means to raise money to finance the installation, and to act as a record of an impermanent or transient art form.

Some artists use drawing as a substitute for money. Picasso used his signature to pay for bills. He knew that the restaurant or grocer could make more selling the signature than he could get from the check or charge receipt. The artist "J.S.G.Boggs" draws individual dollar bills in various denominations to pay for his bills, in the hope that the restaurant of store will accept his work in exchange for merchandise or services. He has been arrested many times and released each time, because the government may not limit what you choose to make art about, including the misguided idea that only the government may make images that look like money. His defense had been that it is art, not money and there is never an attempt to defraud, and it is not a copy of money, just similar in appearance.

Seeing

We may begin by looking at expressive drawing, and placing it in combinations to produce a finished form. In this consideration, the end is the drawing. It is not a preliminary to another format. Drawing for Sculpture, Drawing for Painting and Drawing for other purposes makes the drawing subordinate to other forms. If Drawing is the end, and the purpose is simply to make a good drawing, there are no limitations.

"Venus of Willendorf" oldest known sculpture

Spatial Drawing

Drawing can also provide interest that is designed to be flat, as a dollar bill or a stamp. Sometimes the need for illusory space is not necessary.

1. gesture and intermediate drawings in graphite.

2. Play with the black and white conte drawing materials for the final drawing. Use toned charcoal paper if you have it.

Footnotes:

Q - How should we make the stamp? What medium or subject?
A - Design a square format image, and medium (color if you must) but design it with the idea that it will be reduced to 2 inches square. You might consider the rule of thirds - one third white one third gray, one third black - to make a stronger graphic statement.

Q - Does it have to be square or can we make it rectangular?
A - I'd like you to use a square format, so the differences between the images are reduced to a minimum. When they are reduced to the same size and shape, "compare and contast" is easier.

Q - What is the purpose of a day spent just playing with materials? What have we learned?
A - Making art should be like this. You play with materials, learning what they can do, until you have enough confidence and skill to make expressive use of the material and can make a piece of art. Look at the drawings done in a single three hour class. You began with little more than doodles, and ended up trying to make pictrures interesting enough to look at - for you and for other people. Never underestimate the power of play, especially when the work is serious.