Basic Drawing
If I had to choose the most important class I took in college I’d say it was Basic Drawing. Anything that I’ve learned since then (both undergrad and graduate work) are just appendages of what I learned in that class.
My professor was Leon Parson, brother of famed LDS artist Del Parson (but much, much more brilliant than Del). In that class I learned all the basic art principles (which apply to any design medium) that are fundamental to what I do all day, every day. I came upon my notebook from that class and found that I had written them all down. The following are the principles with my own commentary:
Talent is the ability to persist until you get it right.
This is completely true. However, you also need to have an eye to be able to know what is right. Many designers over-design a project without knowing that they reached the best solution but kept going.
If it doesn’t communicate, it ain’t art [design]; any fool can make a mark.
Maybe the truest statement here. The purpose of design/art is to communicate whatever it is you’re supposed to communicate. If you don’t do that, it doesn’t matter how beautiful, hip, edgy, smart it is. It HAS to communicate.
Decide what you want to say and say it.
I love this one. So many designers start something without knowing exactly what they are doing and end up somewhere they never intended. It’s so important to always keep in mind the purpose of what you are doing.
Draw what you knw, not what you think you see, until the day you know what you are seeing and then draw it.
This is more of a drawing principle, but very important. We so often draw what’s in our mind rather than what’s right in front of us. The relationships of negative/positive space, colors, contrasts, dark/light shading, lines, and textures in actuality are much different than what we perceive them to be.
To do a good drawing sooner or later you are going to have to look at it.
When drawing or designing it’s so easy to be so focussed on the details that you don’t take the time to stand back and see the big picture, see the context.
If it looks dumb, don’t draw it.
Too often someone will draw something because it’s there. We are under no obligation to draw everything we see. This isn’t photography. See next.
When something looks out of place, remove it or add more of it.
One of my favorites. I’ve seen a lot of designs that would have sucked if this principle hadn’t been applied.
If you live by the sword, you die by the sword (if you are going to do something, do it all the way).
It’s almost always apparent when someone does a half-ass job. Even a bad idea can work if pushed to an extreme (unless it’s an extremity in badness).
My favorite thing about these principles is that most of them can be applied to all sorts of creative mediums: music, architecture, film, acting, fine art, interior design, writing, etc. Are any of these principles utilized in law, programming, sports, motherhood, education, etc?
“Draw what you know, not what you think you see, until the day you know what you are seeing and then draw it.”
Rusty, believe it or not, I see this as more of a general artistic/creative principle than one strictly related to drawing. When I write or pur various projects together, the quality of my writing is greatly improved by experience and bona fide sensation rather than just raw imagination. Good thought.
Comment by Steve Evans — June 22, 2005 @ 11:54 am
I should probably add that this teacher, Leon Parson, was the guy who took me aside and told me I wasn’t an artist, that I was a graphic designer. At the time I was both offended and surprised. I had always considered myself an “artist” and wouldn’t lower myself to the status of a designer. After taking his advice of taking a design class I realized how much more interesting design is than art (for me) and that it’s something you can actually make money doing as well. The man was brilliant I tell you, BRILLIANT!
Steve,
That’s what I love about these principles, that they apply to so much more than just drawing. Thanks for your example.
Comment by Rusty — June 22, 2005 @ 12:14 pm
It would be great to see some of your drawing here … or am I missing them somehow?
Comment by danithew — June 22, 2005 @ 2:07 pm
Dan,
No, you’re not missing anything. I don’t even know where my drawings from that class would be. Somewhere in storage back home. Sorry. Just picutre in your mind some beatiful drawings and those are mine
Comment by Rusty — June 22, 2005 @ 2:10 pm
Great post Rusty. And you’re right that it applies to music! I think much of what you say has to do with getting a feel for the nuts and bolts of the “language” of art. We’ve been so into “expression” for the last few decades that somehow we’ve talked ourselves into believing that learning the “foundational” principles of art will hamper our creativity.
“How dare you tell me how music *should* be written!” is a typical response to being required to study Bach’s counterpoint in some music programs. (I say *some* because it is no longer a requirement in many institutions that teach composition. Sad!)
It’s madness. It’s like believing that a child surviving a on a desert island without any influence from the outside world can some how bring forth great works of art merely because he/she inately posseses all that is required to be a great artist.
PS, did you get my Email?
Comment by Jack — June 22, 2005 @ 2:22 pm
Rusty, I’m simply speaking of a regular feature where some kind of original Rusty artwork gets posted … it wouldn’t have to be from that class. This blog (like many others …) could use some color.
Comment by danithew — June 22, 2005 @ 2:25 pm
I think this is a great post. I like the idea of “If it doesn’t communicate it ain’t art.” It seems like communicating clearly is such a secondary consideration today.
What I like best about this post though is that it got me thinking about the most important classes I took in college. What’s cool about that time in an education is that you really do learn basic principles that can be applied throughout a career and that people surprisingly lose sight of with time.
In the spirit of Rusty’s post these are the three most important classes I took in college and a basic principle from each:
Basic Playwrighting, Tim Slover: Every good story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Fundamentals of Literary Criticism, Penny Bird: Writing is rewriting.
Theatre Design, Rory Scanlon: I can’t even remember a basic principle off the top of my head, but this class blew my mind. We covered costume design, set design, and lighting design. All I know is I never looked at theater or film the same way after this class–for an introductory class it was fairly all-encompassing, texture, color, shape. By the end of the semester our team had to design everything for a hypothetical production of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. At the risk of sounding like a geek, let me just say it was really cool.
Comment by Brian G — June 23, 2005 @ 2:46 pm
Brian G,
That’s awesome! I’m glad to know that some instructors/institutions are still brave enough to approach storytelling that way. Any informed writer knows that they need not be hampered by a structuralist approach, but (imo) without a thorough study of well-worn forms the writer is even more likely to be hampered in his/her creativity.
Comment by Jack — June 23, 2005 @ 8:04 pm
[...] So I get to Ricks and the first art class I take is a lecture class called Intro to Visual Arts. This class was beneath me. Except that I learned more about art thinking and art history in that one class than I had in my entire life leading up to that point. It was there that the seed was planted in my head that art may not be entirely about rendering skill. My second class was Basic Drawing (by Leon Parson, brother of less talented but more famous Del Parson). This class was beneath me. Except that I learned more about art and drawing in that one class than I had in my entire life leading up to that point. Toward the end of the semester Leon asked me to bring my portfolio to his office and we’d have a chat. He proceeded to tell me that I wasn’t an artist. Me, Rusty Clifton, CV High School artist, winner of the Spokane Scholar Award, best artist in his class and he was telling me that I wasn’t an artist! Who the hell does he think he is? He says that I am a graphic designer. No way am I a graphic designer (btw, what’s a graphic designer?). He told me to take Intro to Graphic Design and form an opinion when it’s over. [...]
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