This text emphasizes the importance of drawing from nature as opposed to relying solely on existing illustrations, arguing that true understanding and techniques in drawing develop from this practice. It outlines a method that begins with drawing simple shapes found in nature and progresses to complex forms like human figures, underscoring the value of understanding perspective and proportions. The text also mentions the usefulness of drawing from models once a certain level of proficiency is reached, while highlighting the role of self-directed learning and the eventual guidance of teachers or skilled amateurs.
Page 107
One can hardly derive any real service in life from mere drawing exercises: to the point that, once they leave schools or boarding houses, most students who have only learned to draw from existing illustrations give up and lose the benefit of so many lessons and efforts!
True drawing is thus drawing from nature. Instead of beginning by drawing existing illustrations and only then progressing to natural subjects, we have established the opposite approach: one must first practice drawing from nature, then later practice using illustrations, only after acquiring enough habit in natural drawing to always maintain true ideas of drawing. This means perceiving, when copying a drawing, that one is in front of an object, as if working directly from nature itself.
To follow this approach, one must rely on some general principles, which are very simple and easy to retain, themselves based on some fundamental notions of perspective that are quite accessible to beginners. We have explained this in pages 17 and 23, after taking care to show that the primary principle of drawing is to reason about what one sees and to clearly distinguish what one really sees from what one thinks one sees.
The method we have followed in the progression of exercises, as we have described, differs as much from the ordinary approach as does the goal we have set compared to the usual one.
The student who wants to train following our method must begin by drawing all objects from nature. We have recommended starting with simpler shapes, which are found in almost all objects, such as rectangular and spherical forms. By copying boxes and circles from nature in different positions, the student will be prepared, without much difficulty, to copy a large number of objects, interior spaces, and finally landscapes, before moving on to studying heads and figures.
In the study of the head and figure, always go from simple to complex, consider all proportions, execute the whole, which involves the simplest forms, and then move on to the more difficult details. For instance, do not draw the details of the eye until after placing the eye; do not draw the details of the hand and foot until after learning to adequately render the overall figure. This is the method we have outlined for this second stage of drawing studies, initially focusing on contour works, which students should practice.
That the fine shadows, though not truly constituting the drawing, have enough interest and importance to require a long work from students who are already somewhat trained, is something we do not contest. Some fundamental notions about shadows and shading methods are, as we have explained on pages 65 and 99, precisely useful general indications. To assert, however, that it would be very difficult to foresee all the cases, especially in this part of drawing, long practice is indispensable, and this we find uncontestable. It is then, and only then, that it becomes useful to practice from drawn or engraved models, especially for pencil drawing.
By giving our book the title under which it appears, we certainly had no intention of denying the utility and even the necessity of teachers. Stimulating as many students as possible, even those without teachers, to acquire by themselves the very basic principles of a true kind of drawing applicable to all life conditions, to then benefit from the guidance and examples of skilled teachers and knowledgeable amateurs, is our aim in this work.
END.