Master Guidance: Sketching Still Life for the Gao Kao

Author: Li Changguo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The improvement of sketching skills in the realistic stage relies entirely on regular practice. The stricter and more comprehensive the training, the better the exam results will be. However, exams have their own, limited by time, usually requiring completion within 3 hours. Additionally, are constrained by factors such as angles, lighting, and tools. Therefore, targeted training for exam requirements is necessary to be prepared.
First, it is essential to clarify the exam requirements. In still-life sketching exams, deformation is generally not allowed. Accuracy in form is a must, and the expression method usually requires strict structure, overall, and must not mistake carelessness for roughness or boldness. One should not obsess over minor details as a way to achieve depth. The fundamental requirement for sketching exams is accuracy. Without this, discussions about style, personality, or expression are meaningless.
Second, conduct scientific training according to the exam time. Starting one month before the exam, strengthen 3-hour practice sessions to ensure timely completion of sketches during the exam. For pre-exam training in still-life blind drawing, practice conscious memory-based blind drawing. This can be done on small sheets of paper, practicing sketching still-life using structural or chiaroscuro methods to gain confidence for the blind drawing exam.
Third, it is necessary to adapt to multiple perspectives. During exams, you cannot freely choose your preferred angle as in regular practice; instead, angles are random. Therefore, during training, practice drawing the same set of still-life from various angles.
Fourth, adapt to multiple lighting conditions. In exams, you may encounter various lighting scenarios. Sometimes exams are held in ordinary classrooms, auditoriums, or cafeterias, lacking the ideal lighting of a dedicated sketching studio. Therefore, in addition to consciously practicing with the same set of still-life under different lighting conditions, it is particularly important to emphasize the understanding and expression of structure. Since lighting is variable, while structure remains constant, this is the fundamental strategy of adapting to all situations.
Finally, during training, explore the most suitable tools and expression methods for yourself. Pencils are the most commonly used tools, suitable for detailed rendering. However, due to their lower contrast with white paper compared to charcoal pencils and charcoal sticks, and smaller contact area compared to charcoal sticks, charcoal pencils, and pastels, they are less ideal for large-scale rendering or creating strong effects. In exams, where competition is silent through exam papers, to gain an advantage, it is advisable to practice with various tools to gradually discover what works best for you. For this reason, the still-life sketches collected in this book include examples not only in pencil but also in charcoal sticks and charcoal pencils for reference.