Drawing Sight Size

8/11/2019 Drawing Sight Size

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Comparing Processes

The processes behind the traditional flexible foundation and the

modern academic sight-size method are very different. When using

the traditional flexible foundation, the artist takes advantage of the

human eyes natural, and incredibly remarkable, ability to recognize

seemingly negligible differences between images. Given three

pictures of a vase below, for example, even an individual with no

artistic training will be able to quickly and easily identify the one

that is slightly tipped. The same can be said of the artist who is

comparing his own sketch to an actual vase. If the artist finds the

tipped vase he has sketched is unacceptable he simply makes a quickcorrection.

Leonardo Da Vinci is one such artist who took advantage of the

human ability to swiftly assess and then correct his drawing. In the

Study for the Sforza Monument (right), for example, numerous

corrective marks can be seen around the placement of nearly every

object in the drawing. Because the foundation remains flexible, the

artist has the ability to continually correct his work, make his

assessment again, correct his work, assess, correct, assess, correct,

and so forth . . . until he is at last satisfied with the drawing. Toaccomplish this, however, the artists first marks must be extremely

sketchy and brief. This type of mark is specifically designed for easy

reworking or refinement.

The adeptness of the human eye at assessing and correcting a

flexible foundation cannot be underestimated. This skill can be used

not only for creating an accurate account of what the artist sees, but

also designing an image from his imagination. As Leonardo knew

well, our natural ability to assess and correct an image is far better

than our ability to get it right on the first try. Consequently, old

marks need to remain visible for comparison. They are essential for

subsequent alterations. Erasing all of these marks forces the artist to

start completely over from the beginning.

The process used in the modern academic sight-size method is

entirely different. As is well-documented (see, for example,

Drawing with the Sight-Size Method by Ben Rathbone), the sight-

size method taught in modern academies and ateliers today focuses

on drawing perfect outlines at the beginning of the process. These

outlines are then carefully colored in. Minor corrections, if any, are

considered mistakes and immediately erased.

The modern academic sight-size method can easily be used to create

an exact copy with near photographic accuracy. This is done by

following a set of strict rules and is aided by such devices as rulers,

calipers, levels, mirrors and plumbs (see right). Artists carefully

measure, then transfer to their paper, an image that is an exact 1:1

ratio to their subject - as seen from the exact point where they stand.

(Indeed, the size of the drawing is dictated by the distance the artist

stands from the subject - its sight-size). Of course while working,

the artists only option is to arrange his easel and his subject so they

appear to him as equal and side by side.

The goal of a sight-size artist is often to become so proficient that he

is able to follow the process without the aid of any measuring tools -

a task that takes many years to learn. (Surprisingly, the assessing

and altering a flexible foundation by eye is truly a natural ability of

mankind, requiring only a few hours of training.)

As seen above, modern academic sight-sizeartists use a variety of measuring devices suchplumbs, calipers, rulers and levels to achievean exact copy with near photographic accuracyMinor corrections, if any, are consideredmistakes and erased.This process takes many years to learn.

Images from Drawing with the Sight-SizeMethod by Ben Rathbone.

Old marks are an essential part of the process of assessing and

correcting a flexible foundation. Therefore, as seen in Leonardo'drawing above, a great number of alterations often remain visiblewhile the artist is working. (The horse has far too many legs.

Assessing and correcting a flexible foundation by eye is a naturaability of man, requiring only a few hours of instruction.Study for the Sforza Monumentby Leonardo Da Vinci.


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Far left: Moses by Michelangelo, part of the tomb ofPope Julius ll .

Left: Lithograph by Charles Bargue drawn of a cast(three dimensional copy) of the right arm ofMichelangelos sculpture.

Below are four excellent, nearly identical, contemporaryacademic copies of this Bargue print, made at a varietyof different academic schools in practice today.

Atelier Stockholm Vitruvian Fine Art StudioColorado Academy of Art Academy of Realist Art

Comparing Purposes

The purpose of the modern academic sight-size method is also quite

different from the purpose of the traditional flexible foundation. The

purpose of the modern academic sight-size method is to duplicate

exactly what the artist sees. It is an academic copy process. Although

all academies today do not teach the modern sight-size method, nearly

all teach a version of the academic copy process. Typically, the

training progresses in three stages. Most often the student will beginby copying prints or photographs. It has become particularly popular

today for students to copy prints made from lithographs that Charles

Bargue made for students in the 19th century. Some of these contain

step-by-step instructions for copying a specific drawing (right).

Although copying using this method can give the student practice in

skills such as delicate shading and identifying values, the students

principle goal is to make an exact duplicate. For example, students

often copy Bargues lithograph drawn from a cast of the right arm of

MichelangelosMoses (below). Each students work is a near perfect

reproduction of Bargues lithograph. As a consequence, each students

copy is virtually identical to every other student copy, even when

compared with students from different academies around the world

(below). Lithograph by Charles Bargue


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Academic students in Italy working from in-studio casts. These three exquisitely renderedcopies of a cast (Michelangelos Giuliano de Medici.) were produced by three differentstudents at the Angel Academy

Figurative work by two different students at the Grand Central Academy

After copying Bargues prints, academic students typically move on to copy plaster casts of

famous sculptures and then advance to making an exact copy of a single standing live

model. The three copies of a cast of Michelangelos sculpture of Giuliano de Medici and

the two figure drawings from a live model below are beautifully executed examples of

these. If the artist has chosen to use the sight-size method, he may employ here the

numerous mechanical devices and rules typical of the process.

As seen in the examples on this page, the resultsof this process can be impressive. The purpose of

an academic copy process is to generate highly

accurate copies of what the artist sees. Of course,

if the artist is looking at something beautiful, then

the finished work will be equally so.

Praise for the academic copy process thus

overlooks two fundamental weaknesses of the

process. First, if a student is making a copy of a

sculpture by Michelangelo, or if a figure is

professionally illuminated by the instructor, or if

the student is guided though the steps of a strictlydetailed copy process, surely the finished piece

can not be solely credited to the student. The

works here are indeed exquisite, but in this highly

controlled environment, are they a reflection of the

students true skill level?

Second, and far more importantly, is the student

learning a useful skill that will later aid in the

making of his own art?


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Turning now to the purpose of the traditional

flexible foundation, again differences are readily

apparent. Whereas the goal of the sight-size method

is to enable the academic copy process, the goal of

the traditional flexible foundation is to facilitate

creative design. Although the traditional flexible

foundation is easily used to create a highly accurate

image if an artist so chooses, the ultimate function

of the flexible foundation is to aid in the creation of

an original work of art, particularly those with

highly complex compositions.

Looking at the works of Rubens, Carracci,

Guercino, Degas and others, this purpose of the

traditional flexible foundation is obvious. In

Rubens drawing Mercury Descending (right), for

example, there is a disconcerting number of legs

attached to the figure in a variety of very different

positions. Rubens is not, of course, looking at a

model and having trouble identifying the accurate

placement of the legs. Rather, he is experimenting

while searching for a placement that looks good to

him. He is using his flexible foundation to aid in

creative design, not trying to copy what he sees.

The traditional flexible foundation can be used in a

variety of ways. In Carraccis The Vision of St.

Francis (sketch and final painting to right), for

example, the artist made a quick preliminary sketch

of the overall composition. In this way he can

quickly assess, then accept or reject major ideas of

the whole. This type of foundation sketch enables

the artist to try out a number of very different ideas

quickly while searching for perfection.

Consequently, the sketch often differs significantly

from the finished work. At this stage no attempt is

made to correctly place (or beautifully render)details such as eyes and fingers. By contrast,

Guercinos Amnon and Tamar (below left) and

DegasDancer Seen from Behind and Three Studies

of Feet (below right) show these artists using

flexible foundations to refine or fine tune their

images. These are seen as multiple lines in and

around various parts of the figures.

The figure hereappears to have far many legs.Rubens is not, ofcourse, looking at amodel and havingtrouble identifying thaccurate placement

the legs. Rather, heexperimenting whilesearching for aplacement that looksgood to him.

Mercury Descendingby Peter Paul Rube

Sketch for The Vision of St. Francis (detail)by Annibale Carracci

The Vision of St. Francis (detail)by Annibale Carracci

Dancer Seen from Behindand Three Studies of Feet

(detail) by Edgar Degas

Amnon and Tamar(detail) by Guercino (Giovanni

Francesco Barbieri)


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Raphael did countless preparatorydrawings to aid in the design of a finalpainting.

Raphael, Madonna Studies Muse desBeaux-Arts, Lille

Alba Madonna, National Gallery of ArtWashington DC

Instead of preparatory drawings, Titianfavored making his corrections oralterations directly on the canvas usingpaint .

In Titians Virgin and Child, X-radiographs reveal the paintingunderwent numerous alterations. In thexample to the left dark lines are visibas part of an early version of the hand

Titian, Virgin and Child c. 1511,Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna)

Cited From: Bellini, Giorgione, Titian,and the Renaissance of Venetian

Painting, Copyright@2006 Board ofTrustees, National Gallery of Art,Washington, and the KunsthistorischeMuseum, Vienna. Technical studies oPainting Methods by Elke Oberthalerand Elizabeth Walmsley.www.nga.gov/press/exh/191/methods

pdf

Concerning the authenticity of

Michelangelos The Torment ofSaint Anthony at Kimbell ArtMuseum, Claire Barry, Kimbelchief conservator, notes Theimportant technical information

has come to light includesrevelations of numerous pentimor artists changes, that showMichelangelo working through

ideas in paint.

(https://www.kimbellart.org/NNews-Article.aspx?nid=119)

Concerning the authenticity of Raphaels

Madonna of the Pinks at the National Gallery,London, it was remarked that there weremany slight but significant refinements tothe outlines of forms characteristic ofRaphaels paintings.

Close Examination: Fakes, mistakes anddiscoveries at the National Gallery,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-reviews/7859296/Close-Examination-Fakes-

mistakes-and-discoveries-at-the-National-Gallery-review.html

Although the purpose of a flexible foundation remains the

same (to aid the artist during the creative design stage of

his work) the look or type of marks will differ greatly from

artist to artist. In fact, examining how a particular artist

manipulates a flexible foundation gives an insight into the

thinking process of that artist. For example, Raphael often

worked a concept over and over on paper, as is seen in his

sketch for the Alba Madonna (right), until completely

satisfied. He left us with many preparatory drawings

recording his process. These give us a great deal ofunderstanding, not only of what his flexible foundations

looked like, but how he manipulated them during his

creative process as well. Because he spent so much time

working out his compositions on paper, comparatively

small changes were necessary during the subsequent

painting process.

In contrast to Raphael, Titian was fond of experimenting in

paint directly on the canvas, often altering the actual

painting many times before deciding upon a final version.

Although he left behind few independent sketches, beneath

the top visible layer of his paintings exists evidence of the

many alterations he made. An example of the quick, loose,

fluid brush strokes Titian used for his initial marks can be

seen in an X-radiograph of Marys right hand in his Virgin

and Child(right). These early marks found underneath are

often significantly different from the final visible paint

layer - revealing the alterations Titian made while working.

Variations in flexible foundations not only aid the artist in

realizing individual creative goals, they give us, as students

of these masters, priceless visual snapshots of how they

actually did it. Artists that study the different corrections or

creative manipulations made by an individual master can

gain concrete knowledge of how to achieve specific goals.

As seen in the examples below, art historians also can gainvaluable information by studying the characteristics of

individual artists flexible foundations. The creative

manipulations made to an artists flexible foundation are so

distinctive that experts can even use this information to

assist in determining whether a painting is a forgery. As

with handwriting, how each artist creates and manipulates a

flexible foundation is difficult to counterfeit.


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Although the light and shadoware illogical, all three balls tothe left appear equally round.This enables the artist todesign any number of value

patterns, confident the illusionwill be sufficient to make theobject appear real.

The illusion realist is able tocreate a wide variety of creativdesigns from his imagination,never in doubt that his illusionwill give a high degree ofrealism to his art. The accuratrealist has but one choice - thaccurate placement of allvalues.

Venus at her Toilet by TitianNational Gallery of Art Washington DC

Peter Paul Rubens (after Titian)Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza,Madrid 1608 Venus at her Toilet

Impact on Creativity

If a student masters the use of flexible foundations, clearly this will aid him later when

progressing into designing his own individual artwork. However, strict adherence to an

academic copy process can eventually impede the students progress. This is true for both

creative growth and technical advancement.

Certainly, art students attending all types of schools might find that their early training

includes making accurate copies, but there is a great advantage in making these copies by

manipulating a flexible foundation by eye, without the use of any mechanical aid. In this

way, the student begins his training by practicing the exact same skills he will later use for

creative design. The passage from making accurate copies to creating professional works of

art therefore becomes an effortless passage, as the student has been practicing key basic

skills right from the beginning.

For many artists, the distinction between copying and creating personal works can be

difficult to define. For example, when Rubens copied a painting by Titian, the resulting

work of art looks more like a Rubens painting than a Titian (right).

On the other hand, if the students early training is restricted to an academic copy process,

their training will include only the meticulous following of a preprogrammed sequence of

steps. After years of adhering to this formula, they become increasingly less inclined (or

unable) to deviate from the formula. Over time, the academic copy process becomes theironly option. Making a perfect accurate image, with no mistakes eventually becomes all

they can do. (Notice how many mistakes Rubens made when copying the Titian.)

Unfortunately, if a student finds himself unable to deviate from perfect accuracy, it then

becomes impossible to learn a number of advanced skills, many of which are at the heart of

creative design. One example of such a technical skill, unavailable to the artist whose single

option is accuracy, is the creative use of illusions. The control of illusions can be a powerful

tool for the realist artist. Different illusions can enhance volume, light, movement and

drama. They can make a flat two-dimensional surface appear three-dimensional, make

figures appear to breathe and objects appear to glow. And, they require a deviation from

accuracy to succeed.

One simple example of how an artist can gain creative control over an illusion is seen in thebelow right diagram. The three balls are, of course, all flat two-dimensional shapesjust as

this page is two-dimensional. The shading simply gives the illusion that they are round three

-dimensional objects.

However, looking closely at these diagrams, it becomes apparent that the

lighting and the shadows in each are neither accurate nor logical. The light

falling on the top two balls appears to come from the same direction, and yet

the shadows are different. In the bottom two, the light appears to come from

two different directions, but the shadows are now the same. Astonishingly,

an artist can create the illusion of a three-dimensional object without relying

on an accurate copy of what he sees. The design of light and shadows here is

completely invented and quite illogical, yet the illusion of volume still exists.

The implications of this are fantastic. The artist is free to arrange shadows in

any number of designs pleasing to his eye and still be confident that his skill

in creating illusions will be sufficient to make the object appear real. The

realist artist is thus able to incorporate into his art the most complex and

creative compositions of light and dark his imagination has to offer.

An artist who is compelled to accurately copy what he sees has lost all of

these creative options. The light and shadows must be right. Of course, an

accurate copy will produce illusions of reality; a perfect copy of a plaster

cast will indeed look round. However, the artist limited to only one choice,

the accurate one, is at a frustrating disadvantage compared to the artist that

can create an equally real looking work but also choose from an unlimited

number of creative designs.


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Illusion Realism: DiegoVelazquez was free to designany number of value patternspleasing to his eye, knowing hisillusions would be sufficient tomake the work appear real.

The Needlewomanby Diego Velazquez(detail below right)

Accurate Realism: Paxtonrelies on the detailedaccurate depiction ofeverything (objects, light,shadows etc.) to create hisillusion of reality.

The String of Pearlsby Paxton(detail below left)

The inability to take advantage of the creative flexibility of

illusions dramatically affects the finished look of an artists work.

This can be seen by comparing Paxtons The String of Pearls

(right) and Velazquez The Needlewoman (far right). Paxton, a

noted modern academic accurate realist, renders every detail with

precision. Looking at a detail of the left hand in Paxtons painting

(below left), each wrinkle, each fingernail, each shadow on each

pearl and so forth are visible. The illusions of reality are not

created and placed by the artist to support his creative design,reality exists simply because everything is included, much the

same way a camera records a scene.

Velazquez on the other hand, took full advantage of his ability to

manipulate illusions. A close look at the hands in The

Needlewoman (below right) shows a loose paint application.

Here, by altering the way the paint was applied to the canvas, by

manipulating the values (in a fashion similar to that shown on the

previous page), and by other artistic sleights of hand, Velazquez

was able to create an illusion of reality without the need for the

precise detailing evident in Paxtons work. Velazquez could

therefore design all aspects of his painting (from the arrangement

of light, shadows and volume to the placement of red accents) inany manner he chose, confident he could also incorporate and

control whatever illusions of reality he desired as well.

While the accurate realist is restricted to accuracy regardless of

its appeal, the illusion realist is free to create his own design

making creative patterns that are beautiful, or frightening, or

dramatic as he pleases.


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Here the figures, values, colors and many other elements can be seentogether as a unit. All can then be assessed and altered as needed tobalance the whole.

Sketch of Hercules and Minerva Fighting Mars 1632-40by Rubens, Louvre Paris France

In this Veronese, the flexiblefoundation consists of both liand values in their sketchiesform. Both are altered togethWhile designing a complexcomposition it is easy for theartist to constantly asses howthe two look together.

Studies for Judith andHolofernes David and Goliatand Other Compositions(detail)by Veronese

Although the inability to utilize illusions is one of the most serious

limitations of a dependency on accuracy, there are other ways the

academic copy process limits the artists creativity. For example, the

necessity of securing an accurate outline at the beginning of the

working process also has severe drawbacks.

These can be seen by comparing the Veronese sketch to the right with

the academic copy process depicted below. In the Veronese, both the

figure and the values (light and dark areas) are visible together in a

single flexible foundation. The artist can then assess and alter the two

simultaneously as a unit while designing his work. He is able toconstantly view how the two will look together while designing his

composition, thus assuring the final composition as a whole will be to

his liking.

By contrast, during the academic copy process below the outline is

secured first, and the values are colored in later. At no time is there

an opportunity for the artist to observe and adjust how both the figure

and the values will look together. It is a surprise at the end, for good

or ill. When using this process the quality of the copy is completely

dependent on the quality of the original artwork, not the skill of the

copyist.

In a copy process the outlines are secured first then colored in. The figure,values and colors are not designed together as a unit. When using thisprocess the quality of the copy is dependant on the quality of the original

artwork, not the skill of the copyist.

above illustration from: http://www.angelartschool.com/methods.html

Now, consider a more complex situation. If the artist sets out

to create a composition where the figures, the values and the

colors all need to be working together harmoniously, there is

an even greater advantage to being able to assess and correct

everything together. The more elements the artist tries to

coordinate, the more difficult it is to find a successful

arrangement without some trial and error. Rubens, a colorist,

takes great advantage of this. In the oil sketch to the right, he

is able to easily design a complex composition thatincorporates color because he can in fact see it while he is

working.

Now, to make it even more complex, if the artist desires to

organize not only the figures, values and colors but other

elements as well, such as highlights or points of interest, it

becomes unbelievably difficult to coordinate this multitude of

elements without actually seeing how everything is working

together at the same time. An artist confined to an academic

copy process, forced to secure the outlines first, then add the

values, then add the color in a linear fashion, literally has no

way of seeing if his composition will work as a whole until

the painting is done - a bit too late to be of practical use.


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The inability to easily coordinate the design of a complex composition has a

profound effect on the appearance of an artists work of art. When an artist does not

have the tools to easily organize large numbers of complex elements into a single

cohesive design, his work takes on a characteristic stiff, static, random, or even

photographic appearance. This can be seen by comparing the two paintings on this

page.

The painting on the right was done by Nelson Shanks, a very popular modern

academic accurate realist. The composition is essentially a collection of very well

painted individual objects. The rendering of each separate object far outshines anyunifying compositional design. For example, the red color in the Shanks painting is

scattered randomly about. There is red material, red on the paint can, red on the

woman lips, fingers, toes, ears and so forth. Shanks took a tremendous amount of

care painting the red material behind the womans ankle. However, if the red shape

was a bit higher, a bit wider or a bit darker it would have little effect on the

composition as a whole. Likewise, there is no intentional design of dark shapes in

the Shanks painting. Dark shadows are sprinkled randomly about.

By contrast, Sargent (below) displays a cohesive design that demonstrates a great

degree of creative control over the entire composition. Of course, Sargent is skilled

at creating a number of illusions such as those used to enhance movement, light,

volume and drama. But more importantly, he fully understands that any deviation

from accuracy will not harm his illusions. He can have both his creative design and

reality.

For example, there is a large dark shape that starts on the left side of the painting and

snakes along the floor, rolls up and through the womans torso, then back to the

floor ending on the right side of the painting. This shape contributes considerably to

the feeling of movement in the picture. Similarly, the red-orange color appears as a

splash on the right edge of the picture and a small, single dramatic point of interest

on the chair to the left. The movement between these two accents of red-orange echo

the movement of the dancer- expanding to the right.

Unlike the Shanks picture, altering the placement, hue or brightness of this color by

even a small amount would be detrimental to the work as a whole. Sargent has

coordinated everything perfectly, from the overall pattern of his design to the

smallest detail. Whereas Shanks spent considerable time detailing objects, Sargentspent his time designing a perfect composition.

Sophia, An Anthologyby Nelson Shanks

El Jaleoby John Singer Sargent


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Modern academic accurate realists rarely attempt complex

multi-figure compositions. Without the ability to fully utilize

illusions, and without the ability to manipulate multiple

elements into a cohesive whole, the task of designing an entire

complex composition is extraordinarily difficult. If the artist

has only one option (to accurately copy what he sees), when he

is faced with more objects he merely keeps recording until thecollection grows to a noisy or awkward cacophony.

The work by Surdo below exemplifies the problem. Each

individual figure speaks well of the basic copy skills of the

artist. However, the work sorely lacks a creative, cohesive

design. Compare his scattered pattern of light and dark to the

picture by Rembrandt to the right. In the Rembrandt, the

dramatic teardrop of light falling in the center not only ties the

composition together, the teardrop shape reflects the poignancy

of the subject matter.

by Bruno A Surdo, Founder of The School of Representational Art in Chicago

The Descent from the Crossby Rembrandt


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Daniel Graves, Hans 2005

Academic accurate realists are often attracted to portraiture. Indeed, an accurate copy

of a single head, painted in a controlled studio environment, can be astonishingly

beautiful. The head to the right is exquisite. It clearly demonstrates the artists

remarkable copy skills as well as his superb facility with paint.

Again, however, problems quickly multiply as the artist attempts anything but

copying a single object in a controlled lighting situation. Without the compositional

skills to coordinate a multitude of elements into a cohesive whole, the artist merely

copies each and every additional object. This is evident in the portraits below,

produced in copious numbers by modern academic accurate realists. While some may

have a degree of popular appeal, the vast majority resemble little more than stiff,

faithfully painted copies of mediocre photographic snapshots - even when the artist

works from a live model.

By contrast, in the painting to the right the artist has

taken complete control of his compositional design. For

example, the blue and purple colors in the girls hair

ribbon are also found in the chair cushion, the front and

back of her dress and indeed splashed liberally in the

shadows of her skin. The chair, her ribbons and her skin

thus becomes part of a greater pattern, a graceful arch

that echoes the direction of her gaze. Likewise, the

horizontal arm of the chair and the vertical wall on the

right together form a second more intimate frame

around her. The artist was far more concerned with thebeauty of the painting as a whole than the correct

depiction any one piece such as the hand (seen in the

detail to the right).

No such attention to the overall design is evident in the

three formal portraits above. The chairs are very well-

painted chairs. And, each and every separate finger is

painted well. Unfortunately, the creative organization of

colors, values, accents, volume, textures and the vast

number of other valuable elements of design are

completely neglected by these artists who are

preoccupied with the accurate depiction of every visible

object.

Marvin Mattelson Pia Mattelson

instructor at School of Visual Arts in NY

Iris by Daniel Graves,

founder and director of The FlorenceAcademy of Art

Michael Chelich

Instructor at The School ofRepresentational Art In Chicago

A Young Girl Readingby Jean-Honor Fragonardwith detail


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Documents

Drawing Sight Size