Drawing to Painting
Drawing to Painting
Roxann K. Ames
Arts/230
March 3, 2014
Angela Brasser
Drawing to Painting
Raphael was known for sketching his works before actually painting them. For the Alba Madonna he had as many as forty-eight sketches. Late in the fourteenth century paper was used more so that artists could explore ideas they had for design that they would later paint or sculpt. This exploratory drawing gave a quick look that was both vivid and intimate of the artist’s creativity to put their thoughts on paper.
Artists such as Raphael would generally use pen and ink to draw quick sketches. This allowed the artists to put together basic ideas and not focus on the details of the work. Also in this creative process the artist was known to use live models and the models were generally male even if the figure the artist was drawing was to be female. Perhaps one medium Raphael used was silverpoint on prepared pink paper that allowed the artist to portray a delicate tonal effect. The artist may have also used red chalk as a medium which was used to mimic the soft tones of flesh. Raphael then put the results of looking at the figures of the live models into a summary design of the composition and this helped him put together the lighting effects and setting for the figural arrangements. Two examples of this are Raphael’s work of Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist is a study of the figures pyramidal grouping.
Another step Raphael may have used is drawing cartoons, which were full-scale drawings. These drawings were necessary if the artist chose to paint frescoes which were done on moist plaster. Fresco is a difficult medium that forces the artist to quickly paint a small piece of plaster each day as the moist plaster and water-based colors dry quickly.
When commissioning paintings or sculptures is was common practice for the artists to include a drawing or drawings to help explain the design and its details that was expected and were agreed upon by both
Roxann K. Ames
Arts/230
March 3, 2014
Angela Brasser
Drawing to Painting
Raphael was known for sketching his works before actually painting them. For the Alba Madonna he had as many as forty-eight sketches. Late in the fourteenth century paper was used more so that artists could explore ideas they had for design that they would later paint or sculpt. This exploratory drawing gave a quick look that was both vivid and intimate of the artist’s creativity to put their thoughts on paper.
Artists such as Raphael would generally use pen and ink to draw quick sketches. This allowed the artists to put together basic ideas and not focus on the details of the work. Also in this creative process the artist was known to use live models and the models were generally male even if the figure the artist was drawing was to be female. Perhaps one medium Raphael used was silverpoint on prepared pink paper that allowed the artist to portray a delicate tonal effect. The artist may have also used red chalk as a medium which was used to mimic the soft tones of flesh. Raphael then put the results of looking at the figures of the live models into a summary design of the composition and this helped him put together the lighting effects and setting for the figural arrangements. Two examples of this are Raphael’s work of Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist is a study of the figures pyramidal grouping.
Another step Raphael may have used is drawing cartoons, which were full-scale drawings. These drawings were necessary if the artist chose to paint frescoes which were done on moist plaster. Fresco is a difficult medium that forces the artist to quickly paint a small piece of plaster each day as the moist plaster and water-based colors dry quickly.
When commissioning paintings or sculptures is was common practice for the artists to include a drawing or drawings to help explain the design and its details that was expected and were agreed upon by both
References: Renaissance Drawings: Material and Function. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/drwg/hd_drwg.htm