learning to see

"We have no visual knowledge of any kind except that of form and space. The dimensions of space determine the world in which we move and live; and space, in turn, is established and defined by the objects or forms that occupy it. The artist, concerned with giving graphic expression to his perceptions and his creative imagination, cannot avoid re-creating form in space, for there can be no visual communication that is formless and spaceless - there can be just nothing at all."
- Graham Collier, Form, Space, and Vision (2nd edition)

"Drawing is learning to see. When we begin, we draw what we think we see..... As we look more closely, we begin to recognize shapes and relationships accurately; we engage with the subject and we begin to read and interpret the marks of the drawing itself, and we allow the subject and the marks of the drawing to guide us through the process. This is the beginning of drawing and learning to see."
- Margaret Krug, An Artist's Handbook: Materials & Techniques

"Form, line, texture, value, and color are the plastic means by which the artist can express graphic ideas. Although the term plastic denotes something formed or molded, as in the three dimensions of sculpture, the draftsman can, by a skillful use of line, texture, and value, create a very real sense of plasticity within the two dimensions of a flat surface."
- Bernard Chaet, The Art of Drawing


I am out and about most days with my sketchbook and nerdy mechanical pencil, finding in groups of buildings and other objects the arrangements of forms and colors that excite my imagination and lead to further study, sometimes resulting in the final layout for a new painting. Recently, I've become really intrigued by egg cartons, of all things. The logical, simplified forms and their relationships to each other in such close proximity was a lot of fun to draw. They are, in essence, architectural. I'm continuing to work on this and have some ideas to do a painting in, of course, egg tempera.

In the above quote, Graham Collier ignores color as part of our "visual knowledge". I don't know why he does. Color affects perception. The appearance of shapes and masses depends, in part, on their color - advancing or receding, standing out in sharp contrast or blending in with the overcast sky. It is an important part of visual knowledge. Sorry, Mr. Collier.