Harry Borgman

Being able to draw, oh my. I fall in and out of love with charcoal, and have pushed myself to love (and thus hate) pastels. India inks are just phenomenal and occupy an interesting philosophical spot: with a brush, is it painting? With my nib, is it drawing? But that's the philosopher in me; ultimately, I don't give a damn. I like the brush and the fine line, but the marks, the lines, they do speak to me. Graphite is King, Queen, and all in between, able to express the darkest darks, the faintest hue, and when coupled with a distinctly toothed paper, the graphite can truly take on a life of its own. If this is madness, bring it on, baby. I might not be able to make the argument that drawing is the epitome of "art" (or Fine Art, to be really contentious), but it is the most personal, the most expressive (IMO), and the most inclusive of style/voice. And I should note, that having earned two undergraduate degrees as well as two graduate degrees in my life thus far in 'traditional academic' areas (Computer Science and Physics) I have not only never worked so hard at my studies, but never had so much damned fun in doing it. Perhaps we should all say the hell with it and just make art. I doubt it would save our species, but at least we'd have a lot more pleasure in life as we devolve and die out. Hell, we might come to forget about all the utter nonsense that's now considered rationale for warring and violence (generally said: profit), and swing the other way and evolve. Doubt it, but it's a fun thought.

Anyone who writes legibly by hand ‘draws’ the primitives of hand strokes. You don’t understand the point of language by dismissing drawing. Language emerges finally at a time when the first cave drawings appear. It is the hand work, seeing into raw materials what you need to produce and invent words to share, and how to see what to make by stone or clay or wood. To draw that onto a cave wall is apiece with language, with writing.

The space between the hands where gesture resides is also the Mother of Language. No doubt going back before the first scripts in three thousand BC by work with someone in that hand space starting with stones, the sense that words are most clear to understand in the hands where drawings issue must have tantalized our ancestors. Nor has that conceit been finally achieved by computation engines. What the hand touches the mind knows.

I can draw a pint! Do I win a biscuit?… (más)

The book “Drawing in Pencil” by Harry Borgman would be a very good book for someone who had the basics of drawing, but still wanted to be better. For even the vaguely experienced artist, this book only offers little tricks to help make coloring a picture easier, or how to shade a drawing with more precision. But despite that, the book is a very helpful book. It offers advice the normal person – artist or not – would never think of, and that would help greatly if applied to someone’s not-so-great drawing or sketch. Outside of the good advice though, there isn’t as much good. Borgman has several biased opinions on different techniques, and how several are just the wrong way to do something. And on more than one occasion, he left out some of the most rudimentary techniques that are still needed by even the most advanced of artists. Borgman even realizes this and points it out, but still does not mention any techniques or styles that he does not agree with. So my advice to anyone looking for a good artist book, only pick this one up if you’re looking for unusual techniques to improve your style, or if you’re a new artist. Also, pick up another book as well to compliment the few down points in this one.… (más)