Bargue Discussion

Intothevoid

After years of drawing I've come to the conclusion that I'm average for an artist and would love to up my abilities so I have purchased this book as a guide, it's actually a beautiful book in it's own right.
I know many artists in the past have used this method to (re) learn their skills and Van Gogh and Picasso practiced using the plates all their life.
Has anyone else tried this method and what are their thoughts on the method, materials and how many plates they got through.
Thanks 

ArtGal

@Intothevoid I got the book from library few years ago, it's a very good book. i went as far as arm drawing. 


 so it was just few plates. Pretty sure it will make all the good for one  to go thru all of them if one got time.

Intothevoid

@ArtGal All is a daunting task! There are 70 plates in the first part alone and that is the 'basic' bit.
I think if you actually completed all three parts you'd be able to draw a masterpiece blindfolded 

BOB73

Save yourself $7.35 in late fees at the library:
https://ia801200.us.archive.org/14/items/C.BargueDrawingCourse/C. Bargue - Drawing Course.pdf

Intothevoid

BOB73 said:

Save yourself $7.35 in late fees at the library:
https://ia801200.us.archive.org/14/items/C.BargueDrawingCourse/C. Bargue - Drawing Course.pdf

I actually bought it for a lot more than that.

Summer

@Intothevoid

We live in an age of multimedia--text, graphics, audio, video, etc..  No harm done having more than one type of resource of the same thing.  I personally like several ways of accessing information depending on what fits my requirements at the time.  Sometimes I purchase two of the same at the same time.  One for marking and cutting up, scrapbooks, and the other for good.  Sometimes I purchase two of the same because I can't find the first one.  Multiples are good!  Just saying. 

Summer    

MichaelD

@Intothevoid, I have read a lot of reviews in praise of the book but many stating that they needed to make bigger copies of some of the plates to be able to work from. (though I think you can also look online for them).

I would be disappointed if I had to do so for such a costly book,

What are your thoughts on that ?

Intothevoid

@MichaelD yes the suggestion is to do the plates at roughly A2 size standing up so it really is necessary to copy and print them and at a high quality if you are going to do the course correctly using charcoal, there is even a permission in the book to cover copying it. I've read some have paid $18+ for one single printout on quality paper. I have a good quality A3 printer and paper so I can scan, split the image and print 2 A3s and join them so the only cost would be ink and 2 sheets of 120gsm.
You obviously can simply work on a smaller scale with pencil and just copy directly from the book or a 1:1 A4 if that is what you want to achieve.

Intothevoid

@Summer
I have to say that even though the book is costly it is well worth the cost, it's fantastic to browse through and is such high quality.

MichaelD

Well I've just treated myself having found an -as good as new-of the book on ebay, put in an offer and got it.
  

Intothevoid

MichaelD said:

Well I've just treated myself having found an -as good as new-of the book on ebay, put in an offer and got it.
  

That's excellent news 
You may find this link helpful, it's a comprehensive walkthrough of one Bargue plate and what is involved in the process,
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3aPoNPQSJnSJVw2_GUVR7jC0nbnksq6F

MichaelD

Thanks @Intothevoid for the great link.

I found this one interesting 

http://www.painters-online.co.uk/forum/Topic77709.aspx

But the one you sent me will be even more useful with the videos
  

MichaelD

@Intothevoid
Im expecting the book any day now.

Heres a link to reportedly high quality copies of the drawings to work from.
Im not sure what size you are meant to blow them up to (maybe A3) I guess the book will say.

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/104620822473004383244/album/AF1QipNPt9r0Hvk0zLYGfndEt_B57MXUT2YxyPZtYFdV?feat=directlink

Intothevoid

@MichaelD
That's excellent thanks!
They seem to be 8mp and a good resolution so they should work well.
It does mention it in the book that the more detailed plates should be enlarged to 24x18 inches which is just over A2 but I don't think it's necessary for all of them like the initial simple line plates of facial features for example.
I guess it depends on the scale you want to learn to which ultimately depends on the scale of paintings your eventually want to produce but I think it should be a goal to at least learn to accurately draw on a 1:1 ratio so if you want to draw a head you can draw it to real life scale (or larger)
Watch this amazing charcoal drawing by Cesar Santos who learned by Bargue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1aOFZtqIh8

MichaelD

@Intothevoid
Thanks for the info and that video was great, his work is fantastic.