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The Purpose and History of Drawing
Drawing was created and is still enjoyed by people around the world today for many reasons. Drawing is a means of communication and expression of one self. Each art work is a refelction of the artist, whether it be values, culture, historical period, religion, or even their personal thoughts and personaility. Drawing allows people to express a story without language. -
Pre-historic
People have been drawing since the beginning of human history. Drawing has even connected us to some of our oldest ancestors! The earliest known drawings date back to 30,000-10,000 BCE, and were found on ancient cave walls of Altamira, Spain and Lascaux, located in nothern Spain and southern France. These early drawings were scratched, carved, or painted onto primitive tools. -
Ancient Egypt
Early Egyptians also decorated walls, but these were inside their temples and tombs. They would carve scenes of daily life, hieroglyphics, religious detities, or gods, as early as 3,000 BC. The same type of drawings have also been found on paper-like material called papyrus. Papyrus is a plant that grew along the Nile River. Egyptians drawings were flat, linear styles. -
Ancient Greece
The Ancient Geeks have several lasting artifacts of their drawings. They would draw or paint on vases and pottery. Their type of drawings are graceful and decorative. The Greeks use drawing to depict scenes of battles and myths. -
Middle Ages
Throughout the Middle Ages (400-1400 CE), drawings were made to express religious messages and stories of the Bible. Monks used drawings and paintings to make Bibles and prayer books for the wealthy and royal families. In this era art wasn't always a finished product, thats why very few are in museums today. Because animal hides and parchment were expensive, people commonly would draw their preperations for paintings on wood, slate, or wax. These drawing canvas' were often reused or thrown away. -
Renaissance
During the Renaissance the art we see today was beginning to take form. In Italy, drawing became an respectable art form because of the rise of the use of paper. Drawing became the foundation of all art work; art students were trained in drawing before their training in other forms of art. Art also became important to scientists, to record realistic desriptions of the physical world. -
Renaissance
Painting became incresinly important during the Renaissance because of intrest the culture placed on decorative art in churches, palaces, and public bulidings. Although famous artists, Bosch and Van Eych, used pen and ink, new methods of using softer materials like chalk and charcoal came about. The artists of these new methods were Michelangelo and da Vinci.The softer material allowed greater variety of textures and effects on the art. -
Renaissance
During this period, art became super popular and affordable because of the availibility of materials. At this time, Portraiture became popular household items for the wealthy. By the commercial value of artwork, artists started making even more money through their pieces sold on commission.To advertise their work, artists began to place their personal monogram on their artwork. -
Baroque Period
During the 1600's and 1700's, the Baroque Period introduced a new style of drawing that included livelier forms with flowing lines. At this time, artists began using water color and in washes. Other characterisic of this period was the Counter-Reformation. A lead artist of this formation was Peter Paul Rubens, who used a technique called open composition, a style of art in which the piece of art seems to burst out of the canvas. Artists also began to have sketchbooks. -
1800's and 1900's
In the 19th and 20th centuries art form of drawing was advancing. Pencils were first manufactured in early 19th century and quickly became the most preferred drawing tools.Ingres and Goya were the first artists spearheading this new tool. Capturing movements of everyday life became signatures of these artists. These bold moves led artists to question traditional academic training and paved the way for the new definition of drawing. Which also led to various movements of Impressionism, Cubism,etc
