The Way of Sketching: Walking Through the Central Academy of Fine Arts Classroom

Author: Gao Zongying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: Sketching, as the foundation of plastic arts, influences the development of painting, sculpture, and other artistic forms. Over two thousand years ago, China produced painting that primarily used black and white as its medium, with white-line drawing and ink wash becoming the basic techniques of sketching in traditional Chinese painting. With the introduction of Western anatomy and perspective into the field of art, the European Renaissance in the 15th century gave rise to a generation of masters who elevated the art of sketching to new heights. Rigor and precision must be emphasized in students' study of sketching, especially in the early stages. Without long-term, rigorous training and a strong foundation in realistic representation, as well as a spirit of diligent research, learning will not be successful. Due to insufficient understanding of the (regularity) in sketching, students often encounter blind spots and a lack of direction, causing their progress to stagnate. Because of a lack of recognition of the profound nature of sketching as a discipline and insufficient mental preparation for hardship, students may easily become impatient or discouraged, losing confidence in their studies. Based on these issues, the author has compiled some of the important problems encountered in over three decades of teaching sketching, based on their teaching notes, hoping to inspire and assist young readers.