DRAWING FROM PHOTOS

Most architectural educators continue to tell students that you should not draw from photographs. The general line of thinking is that since a photo is a 2D image, it is too far removed from reality. Textures are not communicated. The light and shadows are diluted.  The information on the photo is flat.

All of this is true. Plus, when you draw from a photograph, there is always the question, did you trace this?  So even if you did not trace the photograph (and you should never trace photographs), there is always the slight suspicion that you did.

Transparent Drawing, on the other hand, advises that, yes,  you should draw from photographs. TD also advises that you invent your own projection of the object on your paper, rather than using a projection that is found on one of your photo images. That is to say, don’t simply use one of the photographic projections for your drawing. Instead, synthesize the photographic information so as to put the form together in a fresh manner.

For example, if you have two perspective views of what you want to transparently draw, consider making an isometric drawing. Draw Like A Byzantine.  Or consider a Choisey One Point.  In this manner you are minimizing your representational tendencies and maximizing the synthetic construction in your head. This resultant process of synthesis from multiple images expands your imagination. It also will give you a unique understanding of the object in question.

Photos flatten an image. Representational drawings flatten an object. Transparent Drawing un-flattens the image. And as we will see, Transparent Drawing from images will give you a far greater understanding of the form and volume than if you sit on site and draw in the traditional manner.

Our digital devices have an amazingly high resolution. The images available on the web are mind blowing. The quantity and quality of information available is better than any library. And our devices are ubiquitous. Quite possibly the future of analogue drawing will depend on integration with the digital universe. Embrace the digital universe. It is foolish not to use it in as many creative ways that we can.