Drawing, an art as old as time

For many, drawing is similar to simple coloring, to the activities that children do at school. But for others, drawing is a true art, a reason for living, even. Drawing is not just taking a pencil and making a few lines without any real purpose. a profession, a hobby, a way of expressing oneself whose origins are particularly distant and even rather vague.(...)

Drawing and its more than distant origins

Even before man knew how to write, he already knew how to write. draw, as evidenced by paintings dating from prehistory. Every man is a designer at heart; its way and this, since the dawn of time. However, even if the origins of the drawings remain a little obscure, it would seem that the first real sketches, close to the techniques we know today, were made by the artist. made by the Romans. Subsequently, it was during the Renaissance that this art truly began to flourish. to take shape. In the 17th century, drawings evolved greatly, particularly in terms of the techniques used. It’s also at home. This period that the contemporary artist Rembrandt or the contemporary artist Poussin really revolutionized. this art. If, in the past, a person who drew was considered a contemporary artist, today we would rather call that a designer. Now, drawing is everywhere:comics, manga, illustrations… It is an integral part of our society, whether it is practiced or not. professionally or for pleasure.

What exactly is drawing?

Defining the drawing is complicated. Everyone has their own definition, but everyone agrees on it. say that it is a visual art, a graphic representation of the imagination. Over the years, the techniques and tools used for drawing have evolved. During Prehistory, men drew by making incisions in the rock and using colored pigments. Many years later, other supports and tools were used to make drawings: papyrus, paper, feather, metal point, chalk, charcoal, pencil and, later, the watercolor pen. ball or even felt. Since the end of the 20th century, it has even been possible to draw on a computer.

A designer is a person who draws. Today, many professions stem from this art: painter, mangaka, architect, stylist, designer… Being a designer means a lot. It’s such a vast area, hence; the difficulty to define what a drawing really is. That said, to give, despite everything, a definition, one could say that it is an achievement made at the same time. basis of lines on a sheet of paper or on a computer in order to delimit the contours of an object which will subsequently be represented. The drawings are generally made on flat supports at a glance. using pencils, felt-tip pens or paint.

For a long time, the drawings were mainly aimed at children as was the case with the first comics. By freeing oneself from this « next to it "childish", the drawings have integrated more serious fields such as the press, cinema, literature…

The different types of drawings

There are a lot of types of drawings and above all, ways of drawing. There are, of course, children's drawings, but also art sketches, architectural drawings, technical drawings, fashion drawings, caricatures, press cartoons, comics and mangas. In this category, we could also cite cartoons.

Apart from these different ways of drawing, there are also tools that can be used and they are numerous:

• Ink drawing

The ink drawing is created with a pen and ink. This process has existed since the Renaissance and since 1970 for comic books. The pen and ink allow you to create fine lines, but by pressing more on the pen, the lines can be thicker. The ink drawing was used for many, many years.

• Pencil drawing

Pencil drawing is certainly the most used technique. With a pencil, it is possible to erase mistakes and start again. Pencil drawing is used a lot. to draw portraits. There are many different pencils with more or less thick leads.

• Pastel drawing

Pastel drawing is used a lot. by the children. Pastels are small colored pigment pencils that allow you to draw on sheets of paper. The most common pastels are colored pastels. water and oily pastels. Children really like pastel drawing for its simplicity.

• Charcoal drawing

Charcoal drawing is quite complex; master. Charcoal is a charcoal rod that has been used for many years. Numerous study sketches are produced in person. from the charcoal drawing.

• Mixed media drawing

Mixed media drawing is a creative process. which combines several tools like pencil and pastel or pencil and paint. Many artists use mixed media drawing because it allows them to create very beautiful works.

• Other tools

To be able to draw, you can also use felt-tip pens, brushes, the computer, the watercolor pen, etc. ball…

 

Why draw?

Humans have been drawing for over 67,000 years! However, men have been able to write for around 5,500 years. Drawing is therefore one of the first means of communication. This allows you to express your thoughts and emotions. Many children first learn how to do it. draw before even knowing how to speak. To draw is to share your ideas, your desires. It’s a way to dream, to travel, to be free. For some people, drawing is a gut-wrenching passion, for others it is just a profession. Either way, drawing is incredibly satisfying. It's an art that everyone is capable of doing with more or less work.