Teaching Selections: Sketches of Plaster Portraits

Author: Liu Xiaodong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-01-01
Features: Sketching is not only one of the forms of plastic arts but also the foundation of plastic arts. The level of mastery in sketching is a crucial guarantee for freely expressing creative ideas and smoothly demonstrating artistic techniques. Therefore, sketching is not only an essential foundational course for students in art colleges but also a mandatory subject in the entrance examinations of art colleges. Due to the of art majors, beginners, especially candidates for art college entrance exams, often exhibit a tendency to pursue form while neglecting essence during sketching practice. For example, candidates frequently exchange information about which schools emphasize line work, which emphasize surface rendering, and which stress structure in their exams. This reflects a lack of understanding of the key focus in the foundational stage of sketching. Therefore, beginners must first grasp the role of sketching in plastic arts and understand the purpose of learning it. Next, they should master learning methods, only then pursue techniques and forms, and absolutely avoid reversing the priorities. Sketching uses pure black and white and clear contrasts to depict the rich and diverse objective world. It discards factors such as local color, environmental color, and light and shadow changes, using the simplicity of plastic arts to reveal the essence of objective objects—namely, form, texture, and spatial perception. Beginners should gradually master composition, the handling of light and shadow relationships, and the expression of perspective, structure, and spatial texture during sketching training. They must also learn and master correct observation methods (holistic observation) to enhance their perceptual ability for forms. This is the core issue addressed through sketching training. The requirements and objectives for beginners in sketching, whether in art educationally advanced countries like the former Soviet Union, Germany, or France, or in domestic art colleges' painting or applied art design programs, should essentially be similar. Beginners, especially candidates aspiring to enter art academies, should focus on improving their perception and expression of form and structure in sketching training. All techniques and forms should serve this purpose.