Difficulties with the proportional divider.

Andy_Harris32

Hi,
Firstly I'd like to say how great it is to see such a methodical way of learning how to organise a pallette and composition. Unfortunately, when I use a proportional divider I don't get the same result twice and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I have my string hung up and my shoulders square. I am always sat in the same spot, I always have my arm straight and lined up with the string. The only difference is that I am working a little less than life sized, for a number of reasons.
When the length of the object (bottles) is smaller than life sized, the width is life sized which is a proportional impossibility. I have found that when going from vertical to horizontal and vice versa, it is impossible for me to keep my hand in the same place because the objects are tall and thin, but that is what seems to create this distortion.
I understand that without seeing me drawing it may be difficult to understand what I am talking about and what I am doing wrong, but I guess I'd just throw it out there in case anyone can shed some light, before I have to hire a private drawing tutor  
Thank you for reading this
Andy

dencal

Andy

Welcome to the Forum.

Could be just teething problems that will work themselves out, or not be as visible as you imagine.

If all the parameters are under control as you describe I can only think that your glasses or contacts, if you wear any, are creating the distortion. Do you keep your head in the same position and orientation when measuring verticals and horizontals? 

Denis

Andy_Harris32

It might be that I'm moving my head slightly and looking down when measuring the horizontal. The widest part of the bottle is just beneath the eyeline. I am also due for an eye test! Thanks Denis.

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Andy_Harris32

Thank you Tim that's a good idea.

ArtistMartin1

Andy_Harris32 said:

It might be that I'm moving my head slightly and looking down when measuring the horizontal. The widest part of the bottle is just beneath the eyeline. I am also due for an eye test! Thanks Denis.

In November I took one-on-one lessons with Mark in Austin. One thing he showed me that I hadn't seen on the videos was that in addition to the string you use to make sure your proportional divider is always at the same distance from you and the shadowbox set up, is that the other string that hangs from the box's cover that you can use, for example, as a golden line to mark, say, the edge of the canvas and from where you can measure, has a little piece of masking tape behind it stuck to the background.

Then, when you're measuring from the golden line, if you make sure that your head is always positioned so that you see the little piece of tape lined up directly behind the string, then you will always be looking at the set up from exactly the same position with never a variation when you measure.

I think this is a great help in using the proportional divider correctly.

Janell

@ArtistMartin1 that is an excellent suggestion.  I've had my share of issues the pd also. Thanks!