7d (edited) • General discussion
Shapes
Years ago an artist friend and I gleefully declared ourselves “shapists” and I swear it’s a thing. I can feel my heart swell a bit when I consider shapes and how to explain their value to me. You can think of them simply as the silhouette or outline of something. I began to understand the power of accurately observing them in several layers over time.
Perhaps the very first occasion was during a head drawing class. I was a beginner and very enthusiastic. Our supplies consisted of a large pad of smooth newsprint paper clipped to a drawing board, a charcoal pencil sharpened with a razor blade into a fine tapered point like a Chinese lettering brush, and a grey kneaded eraser. The class sat in a semicircle on wooden drawing horses around a raised model stage. Our model posed, lit with a single strong light source for three hours as we attempted to draw her likeness. During a break I walked around the room and observed what the other students had accomplished so far. One student had drawn the model's eyebrow as a shape constructed of many straight lines and not yet filled in with value, an outline. I on the other hand had used the side of my pencil to quickly swipe an arch above her eye. It was such an epiphany to see how much more accurate the likeness was with the their method than with my own. I realize now that I was doing what most beginners do, creating a symbol of what I understood an eyebrow to be, instead of observing what an eyebrow actually consisted of visually. This is when I began to appreciate the benefits of slowing down and observing objectively. It would take many more years of calibrating my observational skills and hand/eye dexterity to be able to get the degree of likeness I found satisfying.
Years later while while out plein air painting I observed a tree. I realized that if I could slow down and hone in on each shape of sunlight peeking through the leaves and paint it faithfully.. without thinking “tree” or “light” or “leaves” that I would have a satisfyingly accurate and beautiful representation of what was in front of me. Prior to that I was estimating, abbreviating, rushing the shapes into sameness. The effect was cheap, plastic, and formulaic. That tree with many similar quick dabs of light wasn’t a tree… it was a clumsy cartoon of a tree… a symbol of a tree that was not purposefully designed. Now I will say that when knowledge is gained about the natural forms of the world through years of thoughtful observation and recording, one can create intentional symbols that are very beautiful. But you must learn the truth that is out there to be able to edit and craft your own visual language.
Next, I read an article by a Jacob Colins’ student who named the shadow shapes on a torso of a male model other things- a snooty waiter and a sleeping dog if I recall. This was brilliant! It circumvented the student’s tendency for nervousness and fear of not being able to render something seemingly "difficult" like a figure.. by talking control of the objective observation more deeply. I also think it adds the element of playfulness which is a wonderful energy from which to learn something new.
Finally, I began to assign myself the task of completing the construction of every shape to the highest degree of likeness I could manage BEFORE I was allowed to fill in any value. This took a lot of patience and many failed attempts where I rushed ahead to fill in the sexy darks just to realize an eye was too far to the left or I’d drawn the head too big for the page. This "mapping" out of shapes became the cornerstone of my technical success in painting and the beginning of the method by which I teach painting.
-
I’d highly recommend portrait as the fastest way to get good at accurately observing and recording shape. When you get a portrait wrong it is far more obvious to you than if you draw a tree or say.. a vase inaccurately. I imagine this is because for survival humans are more highly attuned to recognize faces in detail than other things. A tree can still look convincing if you draw it with only 70% accuracy. A face will not. By sensitizing yourself to this accuracy of shape you will be able to draw any subject you wish without having to study anatomy, or perspective.
Beginning with flat, accurate shapes is the foundation of my work. I did not have an interest in anatomy because it did not seem necessary to get the job done. I like economy of process in my practice. That being said I highly recommend you study any and everything that you feel intuitively drawn to. Each of our minds are unique. Always trust your desire and intuition when choosing what to study and who to study with.
-Felicia Forte 8/4/26
6
4 comments
Shapes
powered by
skool.com/creative-coaching-5506
A supportive community in which to practice painting technique, explore your voice, & master your inner world to build a creative practice you love.
Suggested communities
Powered by