A Guide to Drawing

In essence the Simultaneous Method of drawing is founded on the physiology of the eye. It encourages the eye's natural path of observation to be translated into drawing as directly as possible, and through the simultaneity of eye and hand movement it lets the artist creatively respond to impressions and revelations the moment they occur. By not committing to any outer contours within the drawing until the very final stages, the Simultaneous Method fosters an extended process of observation and a more gradual, organic development of structure and expression. Over the course of a drawing, a wealth of associations and interpretations are allowed to surface, which facilitates greater artistic freedom and individuality. Specially developed exercises help the learner to turn the conventional, objective mode of observation into a more creative and integrative view of the drawing subject.

The Simultaneous Method expands the process of drawing into an intense engagement with the structure and contents of the observed, enabling individual interpretations and artistic decisions. It also emphatically avoids any kind of direct copying or imitation, which stifle creativity and inventiveness.

Besides providing clear, easy-to-understand descriptions and instructions as well as plenty of examples and exercises to master the Simultaneous Method, the author discusses in great detail the elementary principles of spatial composition, the structural vocabulary of tension and dynamics, and the underlying roles played by elementary shapes such as the sphere, cone, cylinder and cuboid. Artistic skills such as expression and composition are aptly illustrated by numerous sketches and drawings, as are more technical skills such as visual targeting and the determining of proportions. Topics such as the human figure (nude), animals and plants, portraiture, inanimate objects and surface texturing are treated in great detail, enhancing this instructional guide with a lot of practical examples. By also explaining how drawing subjects can be placed in a wider artistic context, Ursula Vanoli-Gaul's instructions provide learners with excellent fundamentals for creating art and developing an individual artistic perspective.

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