Learning to See

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

A question : I am getting ready to go home to Italy for the summer, where I was planning to start working on Bargue's plates.
Will I have to work standing with messy charcoal or can I just work in pencil at a table?
I understood that instructions on copying are very precise, and the course is only worth doing if done properly.
I wasn't planning on travelling with the easel but I can anyway.
Ilaria

[Mischa Milosevic]

Ilaria, it has been my personal experience, after attending the academy in Florence, the Bargue plates are best utilized when working in graphite. We were instructed to use only 2B for all of the drawing and values and the 2H was used for work in the lights. The charcoal work was done with the casts and not with the Bargue plates.

Mite be a silly question but did you know that the Bargue plates are designed and should be approached by the range of complexity? Plates 1,5 - 1,12 are the ones to star with. Then you have the next range of complexness etc. No mater what ones experience, when they arrive at ether academy in Florence, all start at the same place and that is these Bargue plates. Other exercises are introduced to prepare one for live figure drawings and these too are started in graphite first and than charcoal.

All the best

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Thanks Mischa, that is very clear. I am very motivated to do it seriously.
More questions: which paper? Simple Fabriano liscia ? Is there anything else I need?
The book is arriving just two days before I leave and I am an early packer and won't be able to run around in art shops at the last minute anyway.
I used to do graphite work when I started my illustration course, using points as sharp as needles and a very light hand. I hope I will be able to do it again, haven't been working like that for twenty years...
Ilaria

[Mischa Milosevic]

Ciao Ilaria, I wish I was going to Italy. I hope to stop in to get some Umbria the end of August. You can get all the supply's you need in Italy except the kneaded rubber I prefer. Sharp point and a light hand is what you will use here as well. So, you of to a good start. ;-)

we used a light toned of white Canson. Not to much tooth but enough to hold the graphite. Think about a smooth finish rather than the grainy look.
Sand paper pad,
Knife to sharpen your pencils.
2B 7mm led and led holder work fine.
A board to tape your paper on side by side,
string for measuring, make sure the string does not stretch and red is good
ruler to draw the plumb line with but all measuring is done with the string and by eye
kneaded rubber I prefer Design 1225 brand, it if soft but it is firm when you need a sharp edge. others are to soft. do not get a white kneaded rubber
a pencil type eraser that you can sharpen
a #2 da Vinci synthetic brush which you fill trim to a length of half a cm
a soft stomp

I think this is all you will need.

Think about copying a simple figure line drawing as well, good one to start with is Plll, 1&3. You can tape these on the other side of your board.

If you have any questions in regard to the proper setup, how to get started just let me know.

All the best

[Chris Saper]

Dear Ilaria,

I don't know how you would overcome the perspective distortion by working at other that a vertical easel.

[Ilaria Rosselli Del Turco]

Well, I was just trying to be lazy and get away with it, my easel is spoiled, it loves to come on holiday in Tuscany every year...
I.

[Allan Rahbek]

Ilaria,
You could use the cabinet door and tape the ref and drawing side by side.
Have a nice holiday.
Allan