Cast Drawing has been a very important and effective method used for centuries to teach hordes of art students how to draw with precision and improve observational skills. I this course the students will learn how to properly measure a subject and to create a precise line drawing of the same, how to properly develop a drawing tonally, and to refine the quality of the marks.

Cast Drawing is, still today together with anatomy, the essential foundation for the figurative artist, improving speed, accuracy, and the aesthetics of the artwork.

Working with graphite, charcoal, and chalk on white and toned paper, we will practice drawing from photos of casts and from the famous Bargue plates, using traditional materials and techniques that will give the students a solid base from which to access a variety of other techniques and media.

Materials:

• Graphite pencils in H, HB, B, 2B, 4B gradations
• Charcoal sticks in medium, soft and extra soft gradations. My favorite brand is Nitram, but you can use any charcoal brand you are used to. Do not use willow charcoal because it is too weak for our purposes.
• Compressed charcoal pencils in medium, soft and extra soft gradation, General’s is a very good and cheap brand
• White chalk in pencils and or sticks.
• Paper: a pad of Strathmore Drawing series 400 in Vellum finish, at least 11”by 14”, a pad of Strathmore Charcoal paper ln white
• We will discuss other types of paper in class.
• Kneaded eraser, pencil sharpener, sand paper, other tools and materials will be discussed in class.