Chapter 05: Drawing: Essay

Question:
Write a short essay to answer one of the following questions:
1. Explain and compare the three major categories of drawing.
2. Explain and compare the two major divisions of drawing materials or media.
3. Explain and compare the roles and functions of two older forms
of drawing: cartoons (watch the meaning of this word), and caricature.

Answer:

Morgan Turner

Linnea Gustafson

Exploring Art Art 1010

Ch. 5 Essay: Comparison of the two major divisions of drawing media

The two types of medium in art are dry medium and wet medium. Both can be applied
to a variety of surfaces to add color, shade, tone, or illusions of texture or shading. The
material that they are being applied on will always determine which medium would be
more useful or which medium will create the desired effects that the artist in looking for.
Historically, both mediums have been used since the dawn of time and both have some
aspects that have modernized with technology to enhance color, tone, shade, and even
mass production of certain art.

Dry medium of art utilizes pencils, charcoal, chalk, pastel, wax crayon, and silverpoint
as means of drawing. Each of them has unique characteristics that define them from the
other types of dry medium. Pencils are very common in drawing and have graphite or
wax like colored cores that vary in hardness to allow the artist to shade, darken, or apply
detail depending on their preference. Charcoal is similar to graphite pencils in that it can
be sharpened to alter the effect and has been used throughout human history. Chalk
and pastel have similar attributes to charcoal but instead of being black they are colored
and shaded due to the utilization of pigment and a binder. Wax Crayons also use a
pigment and binder combination to utilize different shades and colors. Silverpoint can be
very technical and requires an incredible attention to detail because it is very difficult to
erase or correct issues with.

Wet medium of art utilizes pen and ink, brush and ink, and wash as means of drawing.
Pen and ink has also been used throughout history in forms varying from quills to reeds
and eventually a metal nib at the end of a wooden stylus. Brush and ink is extremely
versatile allowing for different colors, consistencies, quantities, qualities of ink to be
applied to a surface. Wash utilizes brushes and diluted ink to add subtle tones and can
be combined with a variety of other forms of drawing.

Though both mediums are inherently different, one being wet and the other dry, they
both achieve what the artist desires. They even can be used in a combination such as a
charcoal drawing on a wash background. Historically both have been used since
humanity started drawing and both have modernized and continue to be used today.