Blog #7

A line is a mark created to suggest shapes or edges, and to create symbols. When I think of lines I think about drawing: the act of taking a marker or pencil for example and drawing it across a page to create an image in two dimensions. It can be a challenging task to take something we see in three dimensions in our lives and create a shadow of that object on a flat paper. Line is especially important when sketching without colour, because the use of line must then also be used to create the contours and shapes that colour might otherwise highlight. In this way, line really only exists as the creation of an artist. It is there to represent qualities that it doesn’t have, like colour, texture, and shape. When I first learned to draw I always used to try and draw my IDEA of an object. That is I would represent everything I knew to be true about a chair for example. I knew there were four equally sized legs and a square seat, and so I would try to draw all the legs and the squareness of the seat the way I knew they existed in reality. However, when we look at a chair from one angle, the seat shape may not LOOK square. The legs may not all seem the same length, or even all be visible. Not until I had mastered the concept of drawing only literally the lines before me did my images start to look realistic. Even now, sketching is something I find difficult, which is why I was apprehensive about doing some sketching for my art activity this week. I looked at all foods that might fall under the category of grains or grain products, and came up with this list:

Wheat

Barley

Oats

Porridge

Rice

Rye

Quinoa

Pasta

Corn

Crackers

Popcorn

Buckwheat

Bread

Beer

Cheerios

I chose to sketch wheat, bread, and beer. I chose wheat because to me the image of a sheaf of wheat is the first that comes to mind when I think of grains. I love the way each grain interlocks with the others, and the fine “hairs” that reach out from the tip of each stalk made for a great chance to showcase simple lines. Like many lines, the curved lines of the wheat sheaves seem to suggest movement. When I look at them I imagine a breeze swaying the wheat in its field.

Next I drew a loaf of bread. When I think of eating grains, I immediately think of bread and cereal, so I chose a loaf of bread for my next image. I had to use thicker and darker lines to outline the essential shape of the loaf, and then softer lines and shading to fill out its form. Here line is all about delineating the shape of the object more than the movement of the object.

Finally I drew a pint of beer. I had to include beer when thinking of grains, both because I personally enjoy it and because it always makes me think of my uncle, who is a brewmaster. My Uncle Jonny opened the first brewpub in Ontario 25 years ago, and has been setting up breweries all over the world ever since. Most recently, he opened a Brewmastery and Brewing Operations course at Niagara College. His artistry with grains is amazing and delicious, so this sketch was in his honour! I love the clean, graceful lines of beer glasses. This was the easiest and most enjoyable sketch of them all!