Drawing Lessons

Willy Pogány

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9780486140414
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art Techniques

In this essential guide to the basic principles of drawing the human figure, Pogany—one of the leaders of the Golden Age of Illustration—shows readers the path to artistic mastery. With a warm and supportive tone, he seamlessly blends instruction and insight with 375 masterful illustrations. The aim: to build a foundation for those who wish to draw skillfully and easily.
Beginning with the humble dot and moving forward to perspective, anatomy, shading, portraiture, balance, motion, and more, this step-by-step resource is a genuine inspiration. Details of the human head, eyes, ears, and feet add depth to the instruction, followed by simple demonstrations that clearly illustrate how fundamental techniques are put into practice. Easy to follow and concise, this guide has long been considered an important resource for artists of all abilities.

PERSPECTIVE

We know that a cube has six sides.

We know also that each side is a perfect square, but if we draw a cube as we know it to be, it does not look like a cube.

For example, here are six perfect squares but this drawing does not look like a cube.

We know that a man has a front and a back, but we have never seen both front and back at the same time.

We know that a tin can has a circular top and a circular bottom of equal size, but we must admit that we never have seen a tin can like this.

We know that the house in the distance is considerably larger than the man in the foreground.

We know also that the mountain in the far distance is much larger than the house, but we see the man larger than the house and we see the house larger than the mountain.

Objects near us seem larger and those in the distance seem smaller.

We know that the tracks are parallel.

We know too that they are the same distance apart all along the line.

We know that the telegraph poles are all about equal in height.

Still we see the tracks getting nearer and nearer to one another, and we see the poles getting smaller and smaller the farther they recede until finally the tracks and the poles seem to disappear into a point.

The point into which parallel lines converge is called a VANISHING POINT.

Here is a simple way to find the center of a square or an oblong. Draw the diagonals and they will intersect in the center.

These diagrams show to repeat squares or oblongs in perspective.

These diagrams show how an oblong is divided into equal spaces.

Draw a line parallel to Eye level through A.

Mark equally the desired number of measurements on this line.

Draw a line from the last measurement through corner B to the Eye level.

Draw all your dividing lines to this point C.

Where these converging lines cross A-B will be your points of division.

Use the same system of repeating squares or oblongs in drawing these arches, windows and checker board.

If you look up at a group of high buildings you will find the center vanishing point far above your eye level.

When looking down, your main vanishing point is below eye level.

PERSPECTIVE DRAWING OF A CYLINDER.

Note that the circles seem flatter as they come nearer to eye level.

At eye level we see only the edge of the circle as a horizontal line.

Above eye level we see the bottom of the circle.

TRY THIS EXPERIMENT:

Raise a glass vertically and observe how the circular rim changes shape until it becomes a straight line at eye level.

...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Copyright Page
• INTRODUCTION
• THE DOT
• PERSPECTIVE
• SHADING
• THE HEAD
• PORTRAITURE
• THE EYES
• THE MOUTH
• THE EARS
• THE NOSE
• THE HANDS
• THE FEET
• THE FIGURE
• BALANCE AND MOTION
• FIGURE SKETCHING
• Sketches and studies