4.2 ART MAKING EXERCISE: MARK MAKING

I believe that everyone can draw. Drawings are made up of lines and marks. Simple mark making exercises can be a very useful and easy way to get you started. A way to free you up.

I invite you to get to know the types of mark which appeal to you, the types of mark which are personal to you. We all have a lexicon of expressive marks, and it can be a rewarding experience to unearth yours. The lines and marks which come naturally to you are the hand writing of your art. Our natural way of making marks on the page is the essential essence of our art.

Try this exercise with a simple pencil – how many different marks can you make with the pencil on one or two pages of your sketchbook?

Think about the speed of your mark making, the pressure you exert, consider scale, size and the range of tones. You may want to experiment with using your non-dominant hand.

The way we utilise our materials to make certain marks can be the foundation of our art, so pay attention to the quality of your lines and marks and reflect on the ones you enjoy making and incorporate them into your art and sketchbook pages as you go. Again we are paying attention to what we like, what we find pleasing and what we enjoy and we are doing more of it. Once we have don’t this we then try and incorporate the marks we relish into our art creating.