Texture Training - Sketching - Copying Samples (21st Century Chinese Fine Arts Basic Education Teaching and Learning Guide Books)

Author: Qiu Tao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: In the representation of still-life textures, the main techniques rely on brushwork, lines, and contrasts in color. Different objects require different approaches. Below, the textures of still-life objects are broadly categorized, and some methods of representation are introduced for reference.
For relatively rough textures, such as unglazed pottery, tile utensils, coarse fabrics, and grass-woven crafts, they lack strong highlights and excessive reflections, and are less affected by the surrounding environment. When rendering, looser lines can be used, and the color should not be overly uniform. The color should include brighter and finer brushstrokes to create a rough effect. This method can be flexibly applied based on the degree of roughness of the object.
For smooth and delicate textures, such as porcelain, metal utensils, and objects like persimmons or grapes, they have strong highlights, noticeable reflections in the shadows, and are easily influenced by ambient colors. According to the characteristics of these objects, rendering should use dense lines and uniform colors, with brushstrokes that are not too prominent. Through detailed and meticulous depiction, the rigorous structure and smooth texture of the objects can be fully expressed.
For glassware, it is essential to fully consider its translucency and smoothness. Glass can be categorized into colorless metal transparent glass and colored metal translucent glass. For colorless metal transparent glass, the colors on the surface are primarily expressed through ambient light. Therefore, the rendering often involves finishing the background and ambient colors first. Once these elements are nearly complete, the glass itself is rendered, focusing on its structural features, such as the back, the illuminated areas, and its transparent reactions within the environment. The treatment of highlights must be accurate and clean, without any hesitation or ambiguity.
For translucent glass with inherent colors, both its translucency and its own color must be considered. The edges and rims of glassware are typically thin and precise, such as the openings and bases of bottles. When rendering, accuracy and swift brushwork are crucial to fully express their structural features.
Flowers and vegetables have their natural growth characteristics, with bright colors, fresh textures, and natural, lively forms. These features require attention to capturing their natural traits during rendering, such as distinguishing between flowers and leaves, and depicting the variations in the leaves and roots of vegetables. Mastering these aspects is the fundamental prerequisite for rendering the textures of such still-life objects.
Sketching is regarded as a necessary path to enter the realm of art, as this training encompasses almost all fundamental areas of art. Sketching is a formal form of artistic creation, using monochrome lines to represent objects in the visible world. It can also express thoughts, concepts, attitudes, emotions, fantasies, symbols, or even abstract forms. In the representation of still-life textures, the main techniques rely on brushwork, lines, and contrasts in color, with different objects requiring different approaches.