Dear all who have responded,
Many thanks. I have gained a great deal from your reactions, ideas, and
suggestions. Some really revealing stuff...
However, has anyone actually taught a practical class/workshop using
another artist as an example? If so, what did you do? We all have ideas
about copying and understanding the works of artists in relation our own
work, but I am particularly interested in what you do at grass-roots
level when you have adults of very mixed ability sitting in front of
you. How would you go about teaching students to use Mattisse's style in
their own work? What limits would you set, and how would you facilitate
freedom of expression at the same time. How (briefly) would/did you
organise a day-long lesson?
Michael Bray's suggestions (below) were particularly useful because he
was directly relating his response to a teaching environment, as well as
his own personal experience. I happen to agree with Michael completely.
I suppose I'm looking for ideas for practical exercises etc. I'm working
in the field of art in the community, which is a different forum to that
of art-school, or practicing artists.
Thanks again for any help.
Yvonne
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK drawing research network mailing list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chhatralia, Sunil
Sent: 16 June 2008 08:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Painting/Drawing like other artists
I agree with Michael, in that many years ago at school I too used to
"copy" works that I admired to teach myself new techniques. It was
perhaps useful to develop a range of techniques. However, I don't think
I learnt much about the complexities perception. Direct drawing from
personal observation seems to offer more in the long run.
Sunil Chhatralia
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In my experience as an art student a kabillion years ago, I would
occasionally copy works that caught my attention. It wasn't to just
copy, but to slow myself down and try to understand how the artist
composed, used value and line etc...but this was only useful as I was
making my own works at the same time. I found this process instructive,
but I always realized that the artist's whose work I was copying was not
my style, but it would offer me something to help develop my style.
Copying as an exercise in observation I don't find is as useful. If
that is the point, drawing from reality is more useful I would say. In
a class room setting, the greatest danger with a copying method, is the
student will become impressed with the result, but may not realize all
the decisions that need to be taken to make their own original work.
That said, I believe a selective, individualized approach can help
students become aware of issues in drawing that they may not be able to
grasp as readily by reading or lecture.
Regarding the original question of applying a learned style to
original work, I have seen some assignments that get good results, but
usually not as a starting point. Get students drawing what's around
them, then introduce a style to explain the concept of interpretation
from what you see to what you draw. Then I would suggest you move to
the student's drawing their familiar surroundings but with an
interpretive mindset (if that makes any sense).
It
does not have to follow the style they copied, but it should follow the
process using simplification, exaggeration, pattern etc...because I feel
that you are using the Matisse example not to have students draw like
Matisse, but to start seeing/experiencing how the drawn image can be
influenced by the surroundings but not necessarily having to be a
realistic copy of reality. I think if a copy is approached more along
these lines, it can open up the student's mind to just how fluid,
playful, and expressive drawing can be.
M
On 6/16/08 10:31 AM, "Rachel Pearcey" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I went to the recent Russian exhibition at the Royal Academy in
London.
> There were some works by Matisse and Picasso I had never seen plus of
course
> the wonderful dancers, or whatever they are called, which I had only
seen in
> reproduction. I stood and copied 3 paintings and it really helped me
to
> see/understand how they had been drawn. To copy another artist you
have to
> suspend your own practice but to apply it to your own work you need a
> certain amount of technical expertise and confidence in your own
practice.
> You need to be able to 'see' what each line is doing and why it was
placed
> there, but also that some might be mistakes which have been left. I
think
> the whole process is very interesting but also a lot more complicated
than
> it might seem.
> Rachel
>
> On 15/6/08 17:16, "Maureen Kendal" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> I always dislike this method of teaching for the reasons you note.
>> If we are teaching people to look,
>> Do not our eyes , hearts and minds emerge from a fresh vision and
>> unique universe?
>> Looking at something and seeing anew and fresh as if for the first
>> time, in a state of emergence?
>> Why are we asking people to copy?
>> It is one technique to look closely at a great master etc and
>> understand the technique and appreciate it etc but what about the joy
>> of playing with and manipulating and experimenting with the
>> technique, rather than only copying.
>>
>> I am interested in looking /listening and challenging what we see/
>> hear - that is the excitement.
>> Does anyone out there get excited from copying?
>> Maybe they do, Andy Warhol and yet every image printed was different
>> again.
>> His duplicated images were been playing with repetition and
>> variation, but not mere copying.
>> A thought?
>>
>> Maureen Kendal
>>
>> On 15 Jun 2008, at 13:59, Y.A.Raw wrote:
>>
>>> I have an issue with the notion of asking students to paint like
>>> famous artists.
>>>
>>> Does anyone have any tips or advice on getting students to 'apply'
>>> the methods and techniques used by other artists, as opposed to just
>>> copying them?
>>>
>>> I'm asking because I have just taught a one-day workshop on 'Drawing
>>> like Matisse' to adult learners of varying abilities. I just
>>> wondered what other teachers' methods might be. Explaining Matisse's
>>> use of gesture, line, colour, pattern, mood etc. wasn't really the
>>> problem. Getting students to apply these to their own work was
>>> tricky. They wanted to create pictures that looked like Matisse's,
>>> as opposed to creating their own pictures and applying Matisse's
>>> techniques. There is a difference...
>>>
>>> (I appreciate that teaching/learning this in one day is a relatively
>>> tall order...) Any help would be appreciated.
>>> Thanks
>>> Yvonne
>>>
>>>
>>>
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