Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Rendering with Arthur Guptill

Exercise in Color from Guptill's Rendering in Pencil

One of my goals for 2010 to was to work my through Rendering in Pencil by Arthur Guptill. Many years ago I worked my way through Rendering in Pen and Ink - and honestly, I think it is the most influential art book I have ever read.
Exercise from Rendering in Pencil
 The pencil book is equally gripping for me. When I was reading a section about graded tones it suddenly dawned on me that I could try the examples in colored pencil. This is what you see here.

Exercise from Rendering in Pencil
For the curious, I think there are two reasons that Arthur Guptill's books resonate so strongly with me. For one thing, he shows you with (usually) 3 different examples what he is talking about (you can just look through the images in the book and learn something). Secondly, in the text, he is constantly urging you to try the concept, practice it, and continue practicing it. His urging of constantly practicing mark making (which I have done for scores of hours over the years) has shaped my art and my style like no other single influence.

3 comments:

Teresa said...

Good for you, Rose. I, too, find that doing the exercises from art books are extremely beneficial. The act of putting into practice what you've just read gives a greater depth of understanding of the subject and cements it more firmly in memory.

Rose Welty said...

It is true - doing something helps you remember it. Thanks for shopping by!

Rose Welty said...

(Jeremy) How did you remember that time? I Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!