I was fortunate, in my undergraduate training over twenty years ago to have two thoroughly inspiring drawing teachers. By this I mean their approaches, each quite different to the other, gave access to discussions that went both beyond, and yet to the heart of life drawing. One teacher would point to the powerful beauty of any human form articulated, and questioned the sanity of anyone who would want to do harm to this flesh. He advocated life drawing for everyone, as a way of learning good cause for non-violence. A limited argument, perhaps, but it gave access to a way of thinking beyond drawing to humanity. The other teacher saw, and strove, without force, to have us see, the intimate relationships between parts and whole in the life drawing class, but also in landscape, still life; in all drawing there was this approach that made the imperative to find the relationships that activated the subject. It was bewitching, and gave reason not only to the recording of a visual array in line but also to the kinds of marks and gestures that helped to manifest the experience of bearing witness.
Yes, their approach, on the surface was traditional, but I think the point is that inspired teaching always gives more than subject or curriculum content. Despite having had the benefit of these teachers, when I hear "traditional drawing skills" I squirm because it sounds like a set of givens, that can be ticked off as you go into the world secure in the knowledge that you will know how to grasp it. Hmmm.
I don't think sophisticated computer programmes, whatever they might be, do anything like what drawing can do. Not saying they are without value but they lead in a different direction. It is so exciting to see the drawing research that is coming to light through this and other current drawing research websites and practices.
Sharon,
(Russell Island, Australia)
________________________________________
From: The UK drawing research network mailing list [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of T JONES [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, 19 November 2011 5:36 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [DRAWING-RESEARCH] DRAWING-RESEARCH Digest - 13 Nov 2011 to 18 Nov 2011 (#2011-169)
What are 'Traditional Drawing Skills' ?
I think Tracy's request opens a whole range of questions, one of which must the above. Having benefited from a throughly academic ( academy-style) training programme as a student in the sixties, having taught drawing to Foundation and undergraduate students for some forty years and now having time to reflect on my experience and apply it in wider social contexts, I am worried about what we mean by 'traditional drawing skills'.
For example. I am convinced that drawing people sitting still with no clothes on develops a a parochial range of skills. They may be traditional to a limited sector of the art school system, but there are many other drawing skills with roots that are as strong and with applications that are much wider. I have often been amused by the student who is capable of producing excellent results within the 'life drawing' tradition of looking and making but gets lost when asked to draw a different subject, in another way and with other cultural references. So, do we too readily assume that such 'traditional drawing skills' are somehow universally basic or essential ?
Tom Jones
formerly a Head of Department at Birmingham Institute of art & Design
now an Associate of The Campaign for Drawing
--- On Sat, 19/11/11, DRAWING-RESEARCH automatic digest system <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: DRAWING-RESEARCH automatic digest system <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: DRAWING-RESEARCH Digest - 13 Nov 2011 to 18 Nov 2011 (#2011-169)
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Saturday, 19 November, 2011, 0:04
There is 1 message totaling 60 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. perceptions and values of drawing in Higher Education
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Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:12:03 -0500
From: Tracy Lilley <[log in to unmask]<[log in to unmask]>>
Subject: perceptions and values of drawing in Higher Education
Dear Members,
I am currently studying for an MA in Design with Learning and Teaching at Kingston University and have been following the threads and debates posted on the list with interest. My thesis is about drawing and how and if it is valued/perceived differently in Higher Education in the present digital age compared to when I studied my first degree in the 1980’s. Something that has surprised me since being back in education is that on some undergraduate courses, students can gain entry without, in my opinion, sufficient traditional drawing skills. Is this a problem when there are sophisticated computer software programmes to combat this?
I would be very interested to hear your responses to this
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End of DRAWING-RESEARCH Digest - 13 Nov 2011 to 18 Nov 2011 (#2011-169)
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