Module 3: Mark-Making
Objectives
1) Develop proficiency in mark-making techniques by experimenting with various approaches, focusing on creating expressive and impactful marks to convey lighting, form, and texture.
2) Analyze the mark-making styles of artists such as William De Kooning and Rembrandt Van Rijn, and apply their techniques to replicate their artworks, emphasizing the use of minimal marks to capture the essence of the subject.
3) Explore the factors influencing mark-making, including pressure, length, speed, and direction of strokes, through hands-on exercises and observation of artworks.
Mark-Making
Mark-making describes the different marks, dots, patterns, or lines that we create in order to contribute lighting, form, or texture to an artwork. Mark-making can be done with pencil, pen and ink, or even paint. We practiced gesture drawing in the first module. Mark-making is very significant when it comes to gesture drawing because there are so few marks in quick figure drawings.
Brief Activity
William De Kooning was a Dutch-American artist. He lived from 1904-1997. He is known for his mark-making. Please click on this link to view his artwork. Please try to replicate his paintings in your sketchbook using as few marks as possible! This may be a challenge. You may simply use graphite, but you may also use colored pencils, paint, chalk pastel, or a different material. Please post your drawing to the Padlet and provide feedback for two others!
Factors in Mark-Making
Weight: The amount of pressure applied to the pencil tip determines the thickness or thinness of the line produced. Variations in pressure can alter the appearance of your lines.
Length: Shapes can be formed using either numerous short strokes or a single, elongated stroke.
Speed: Altering the pace of your strokes, whether quick or slow, can significantly impact the characteristics of your lines.
Direction: The ability to change the direction of your strokes is crucial in drawing. Experiment with drawing lines that traverse various angles and orientations, such as horizontally, vertically, diagonally, and in other directions, to enhance your skills.
Mark-Making on the Figure
Rembrandt Van Rijn is an artist most famous for his paintings. However, he has many drawings and prints as well. His mark-making is very prominent in his drawings and prints. Using this link from the National Gallery of Art, notice how his mark-making follows the FORM of the figure. The direction of the pencil strokes follows the folds in the hat or goes along the bridge of the nose. This is essential for making a convincing-looking figure.