The History and Function of Drawing and Mark-Making Lesson

Introduction

Let’s look at how drawing has been used as a method of communication and thinking. Drawing is a primary method of communication. As small children, we draw before we write and create symbols based on our environment. As you work your way through this microlesson, think about how you already use drawing to communicate and how drawing reflects your process of thinking and observation.

Explore

Please watch the presentation below to learn more about the history and function of drawing and mark-making.

Extension

Artist Research

Research two artists who use different types of mark-making in their work. For example, Julie Mehretu and Wayne Thiebaud. Write two paragraphs comparing and contrasting the two styles. The paragraphs should include biographical information about the artists as well as information on their process.

Julie Mehretu

Julie Mehretu is a contemporary visual artist, well known for her multi-layered paintings of abstracted landscapes on a large scale. Her paintings, drawings, and prints depict the cumulative effects of urban sociopolitical changes through the landscape's alteration of architecture, topography, and iconography.

Wayne Thiebaud

Wayne Thiebaud is an American painter widely known for his colorful works depicting commonplace objects—pies, lipsticks, paint cans, ice cream cones, pastries, and hot dogs—as well as for his landscapes and figure paintings.

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