Sketch portrait

Author: Yan Yinan Studio
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: All those who undergo realistic training may know a concept in heaven – the whole. Whether you are a beginner or not, this is a mindset that needs to be firmly remembered. However, in the confusion of most painters, the relationship between the whole and the part has always been a sensitive yet easily overlooked and misunderstood focal point. Many are trapped because they conceptually understand the whole, making the artwork as dull as a still pond and leaving their foundation in a dilemma of advancement or retreat. Others, on the other hand, are overly obsessed with the part, putting the artwork in an awkward state of fragmentation. Here, it mostly refers to an angle of observation and thinking. Because the whole is not an unbreakable norm, but rather a relationship that needs to be grasped. This relationship is boundless in its vastness and infinitely small in its intricacy, embodying the coordination between the macro and the micro. When painting, every stroke is a point of entry for the part into the whole. Observing the whole always starts from the part, so the measure, priority, strength, and clarity of each part will all affect the rhythm of the whole. The part is not only a crucial role in coordinating the whole but also influences its own relative completeness. A vivid part can make the whole more captivating, while a poor part can bring fatal regrets to the whole. Therefore, during the process of sketching, we should always focus on the overall relationship while also valuing our perception of the part. Strengthening our understanding of the part itself is, in essence, defending the whole, and their directions are aligned. This book introduces several ways of sketching and painting steps, which are experiences of grasping the part and the whole. However, they are not "patterns" or "formulas" for painting. Everyone, starting from different perspectives of personality, using different materials and techniques, will naturally form different painting habits. This is as natural as it gets.