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
Comments
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
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.
I can't remember now who the artist was, but one of the artists who used a grid, positioned between himself and the model, also had a brace to help position his head repeatably.
Of course it is also important to hold the dividers at arms length the same way each time.