The Correct Way to Sharpen a Pencil v3: Introduction to My Classical Art Program

Описание: For courses and more information, visit:
https://sadieartschool.com

Welcome to my classical atelier program! In this video you’ll watch me demonstrate how to sharpen a pencil to atelier standards, and I’ll also be giving you a short introduction to my program while you watch.

The reason I call this course Introduction to Classical Drawing is to differentiate it from the way most drawing classes have been taught over the last century. Before 1900 or so, drawing was taught very differently than it is taught in most art schools today. From the Renaissance up through the 19th century, artists studied the way a doctor studies today, with about 10 years of extremely rigorous training. As a result artists of the past developed very refined control of their materials, and more importantly they were trained to see shapes and light and color to a very high degree of sensitivity.

Today's art schools have different goals so they teach a faster, more expressive way of drawing, more suited to 20th and 21st century expressionistic painting styles.

But for artists who want to emulate the skill level of the old masters, studying at an atelier may be more suitable.

Just like those who wish to perform classical ballet study with a classical ballet teacher, and those who wish to play a classical instrument study with a classical music teacher, those who wish to paint and draw at the level of the Old Masters study with a classical art teacher.

The goal of classical training is to teach artists how to see, and from there their style can evolve in any direction, guided only by the artist’s interests.

Learning to understand what you see starts with learning to control your materials, which is why we start by sharpening our pencil. The very sharp point we create for classical drawing allows us to feel the tiniest grain of the paper and apply the exact amount of pigment we need to describe a specific instance of shape and light.

Classical atelier art training is about developing your sensitivity. And while my program requires hard work and discipline, developing sensitivity does not happen by forcing yourself to be disciplined and pushing yourself to do something you don’t like. The only way to benefit from my program is to enjoy the process.

So even now, as you sharpen your pencil, tune in to the physical sensation of how the pencil feels in your hand. Listen to the sound of sharpening, and focus on the feeling of sanding the graphite. If you get frustrated, try to ease up on the intensity. Just breathe and focus on the most minute details of the process. And try to enjoy it!

Sharpen 3 or 4 pencils, and then read the instructions below for next steps.