The Bottom Line
In Classical Drawing Atelier Juliette Aristides explains how the contemporary atelier model works, sets out the standard you'd be expected to reach before you were allowed anywhere near paint (or a live model).
If you're a painter who aspires to realistic painting yet never systematically learned to draw realistically, this book will help you assess and fill the gaps in your knowledge and skills.
Pros
- Explains what the atelier art training involves, and what to expect.
- If you can't attend an atelier school/workshop because of time/ money, this is the next best thing.
- Explains and studies the principles underlying realistic artistic masterpieces.
- Focus is on technical skills; self-expression only comes once these have been acquired.
- Illustrated by drawings from both old masters and contemporary realists.
Cons
- Not for anyone wanting a "quick fix"; this book requires devoted study.
- Don't expect simple, step-by-step instructions, atelier is about intense observation and practise.
- Don't let the high level of drawing skill depress you; the author believes anyone can learn to draw.
Description
- 160 page book with 200 color and 50 black-and-white illustrations.
- Published by Watson-Guptill, November 2006, ISBN 9780823006571.
- Author Juliette Aristides runs an atelier at the Gage Academy in Seattle, USA. Many drawings in the book are her own.
- Part 1 provides a historical and contemporary perspective of artistic atelier training.
- Part 2 looks at Design, Line, Value, and Form.
- Part 3 deals with Copying master drawing, cast drawing, figure drawing, and portrait drawing.
- Part 4 is on putting theory into practice, the atelier disciplines, and five lessons to tackle.
Guide Review - Classical Drawing Atelier by Juliette Aristides
The question whether you need to be able to draw before you can paint is one that comes up regularly. I believe you shouldn't let a dislike for drawing stop you from painting (see Art Myths) but at the same time you should realize your drawing skills do have an influence on your painting. There's a reason why artists traditionally first learned to draw and then paint. A drawing is not simply an initial step in making a painting, nor is a painting a colored-in drawing. Each requires its own set of skills, which complement one another.
The acquisition of fundamental art skills was sadly neglected in much of 20th-century art school education, with the emphasis instead being on ideas and personal expression. Recent times have seen private ateliers emerge to fill the demand. But there's also a mystery about it, what exactly it's about and what it entails.
Classical Drawing Atelier dispels this, explaining the "principles upon which atelier training is founded" and the development of today's atelier movement. It shows exactly what level of drawing skill can be attained by following the principles of the old masters, explains the principles and techniques, and gives a few exercises to start on the journey of mastering these principles. It's illustrated throughout by realistic drawings by old masters and modern realists.
If you're a self-taught painter wanting to improve your realism painting, it'll help you by leading you to the drawing skills you may be missing (and into Aristides' companion book on atelier painting due out later this year). If you're a painter happy with what you're doing, it's an enjoyable and inspiring read. It's a book that shows the old art skills aren't lost forever, that great art can still being made today; that realism needn't be sentimental and romantic, but can be powerful and relevant for today's audiences.
