Field Sketching and Sketch Mapping a lost art

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Field Sketching and Sketch Mapping a lost art

• Learning to SEE
• Sketching offers several advantages
• No batteries required
• Records the essential information some
  information can be highlighted and other details
  omitted
• Allows the geographer to show the relationships
  between features
• Sketching disciplines the observer

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Pre-Photography

• A sketch was the only way to record a scene
• In order to create an accurate and representative
  sketch, the observer had to truly observe the
  scene in front of him....
• The great landform geographers all did their most
  influential work pre-photography

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The brain the place to start sketching??

• In most people, the left hemisphere is dominant
  over the right
• the left hemisphere manages the right side of the
  body, controls language and general cognitive
  functions.
• The right hemisphere, controlling the left half
  of the body, manages nonverbal processes, such as
  attention, pattern recognition, line orientation
  and the detection of complex auditory tones.
• Two hemispheres are in continual communication
  with each other, however, each acts as an
  independent parallel processor

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The Right side of the brain...

• Western educational tradition de-emphasizes the
  use of the creative part of the brain
• Speech, logic, calculations are all Left brain
  functions
• Pattern recognition/ music etc. are part of the
  Right brain process
• The act of sketching forces the right side of the
  brain to function at a higher level....
• Sometimes this is an uncomfortable process.

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Useful sites note that for the most part they
are British sitesUK, AU or NZ. This is a skill
sadly neglected by Americans.

• http//www.tki.org.nz/r/socialscience/curriculum/S
  SOL/some_place/field_sketching_e.php
• http//www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/education/resource_k
  it/resources/PVERKsection18081.pdf
• http//gnsi.science-art.com/2000PT/posters/Janes/l
  ndfrmskcth.pdf

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Samples

• I was encouraged (required) to make sketches
  during several courses the samples that follow
  are a couple of examples.
• While not exactly instinctive for me, the
  sketches are very instructive and useful and I
  should use this tool more often!

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Field Sketching How To.

• Define the view you plan to sketch by delimiting
  a frame (the edges of your paper and the limits
  of your field of view)
• At a minimum, divide your drawing space into 3
  equal sections with two horizontal lines.
• Use a grid to divide your canvas

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A cardboard cutout or old 35mm slide mount makes
a very useful tool to define the drawing frame
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Another way to define the drawing frame (and you
cant forget to bring your hands!)
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SIMPLIFY!!!
Cathy Johnson, Sketching in Nature pg.35
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The Process (contd.)

• Sketch in the horizon line and main structural
  features
• Begin with objects in the foreground these get
  the most detail. But only include the
  significant features.
• Shade and Label as appropriate

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Angles and sizes

• Use your pencil to estimate sizes, angles and
  relationships.

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• Use your grid reference and drawing frame to
  adjust the angles and sizes of the objects in
  your sketch

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Extending the drawing frame and simple
divisions of the drawing space into a grid
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The view using a grid ref
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In a sketch objects do not retain their true
proportions
Uncle Sams fist and finger tip are out of
proportion to his head
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Proportion contd
Again, the hand is larger than the head
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Review of the process

• Identify the significant features you wish to
  record
• Establish a drawing frame the boundaries of what
  you will sketch
• At a minimum, divide your sketch into 3 sections
  (foreground, mid ground and background)
• Sketch the horizon followed by the scenes major
  features (SIMPLIFY)
• Use your pencil at arms length to help judge
  proper proportions and angles.
• Add shading and details as required by the
  subject
• Label/annotate and title as required to make the
  sketch more useful

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Other Useful References....
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Sketch Mapping
Like Sketching, a sketch map gives a geographer
the opportunity to selectively present
information. A sketch map can easily be seen as
a perceptual map how does one perceive the
world? this is embodied in a sketch map.
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• Sketch mapping is graphic communication in its
  purest form.
• Although very rarely considered, the basic rules
  of cartography should be remembered.
• Scale, direction, angular fidelity, symbolism,
  simplicity are all useful to remember.
• These are the maps you sketch on the back of a
  napkin to give someone directions.

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Auto-biographical map by LKM (from her web site)
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Auto-biographical Map by GGG
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• A sketch map and sketches of objects follow the
  same basic procedures
• establish the limits of the area to be mapped
• Layout a basic referencing system and make sure
  the map follows these references
• Focus on the vital elements and make these the
  primary focus of the map
• Label features

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The Hundred Acre Wood