Drawing Basics: 6 Art Terms to Know

There’s a romantic side to art that is what lures so many to create: the idea of expressing yourself with drawing ideas, of recreating a meaningful image or scene, or of tapping into “the zone” and peacefully drawing or painting to your heart’s content. And then there’s the academic side. It’s point A in your journey, as this is where you learn the drawing techniques that others before you have mastered.

Drawing: The Complete Course is there to help propel you from point A to your chosen destination. In this special magazine that’s laser-focused to help you learn how to draw, you’ll find articles from professional artists who want you to learn the basics, the ins, the outs, and the possibilities that lay before you. You’ll learn common drawing terms (which I’ve included below from the magazine), and more.

Photo: William Foley (Pin this!)

Drawing Basics: 6 Art Terms to Know from Drawing: The Complete Course

académie – a nude figure drawing completed as part of a process of study. Also called an academy drawing or academy figure.

contrapposto – from the Italian term “counterpose,” this is a pose in which a figure stands with most of its weight on one foot so that hips and shoulders rest at different angles.

écorché – a drawing or sculpture depicting a body without skin, revealing the underlying muscles.

gesture drawing – a line drawing made with relatively loose arm movement; often used in art education or in preparation for a more finished work.

negative space – the empty space surrounding a form or an artwork’s focal point. Skilled use of negative space is an important aspect of composition.

trompe-l’oeil – from the French term “trick the eye,” this type of painting gives a sense of three- dimensional realism that can inspire a viewer to question his or her perception.

Drawing: The Complete Course is divided into four sections to guide you every step of the way through your journey: The Fundamentals, Approaches to Drawing, Advanced Instruction and Putting It Into Practice. It’s a magazine that you’ll want to keep on hand for inspiration and reference, always. And for a limited time, save when you get the combination of Drawing: The Complete Course and a hardwood artist mannequin from Blick Art Materials.

Yours in art,
Cherie

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