Activity 1: Exploring Actual and Simulated Textures
Purpose:
To explore some of the possibilities of actual and simulated textures in compositions.
Materials:
Drawing materials: pencil, ink, crayon, colored construction paper, illustration board, and rubber cement.
Painting materials: tempera, diluted ink, spray paint, sponges, etc.
Combinations of these materials, plus cut and tom paper, will be used–add others as needed (string, thread, or stretched canvas).
Method:
The textures used by the artist might be actual, simulated, invented, or abstract. Actual textures are those with a real, tactile sense; something you can feel with your fingers. Simulated textures imitate the appearance of an actual texture so closely that they may look real. ("Tromp L'oeil" is a French term meaning "fool the eye".) Invented and abstract textures use other elements of art to simulate textures.
Select a number of contrasting actual textures, which have varied surface quality and values. Scraps of material such as lace, burlap, corduroy, linen (avoid flower patterns–keep it simple), ropes, yarns, sandpaper, and steel wool are good candidates. On a surface, such as illustration board, mark two rectangles placed side by side, each approximately 5" x 6". In the left rectangle, create an asymmetrically balanced composition featuring abstract actual textures with materials. Cover the entire surface and try to establish a wide range of values. (Fig. 6.1A)
In the right rectangle, imitate exactly the composition and appearance of the actual texture created, using different grades of graphite (hard to soft pencils). Match the values as closely as you can. Look at color and translate it into lightness and darkness. You can test accuracy by squinting or placing the drawing in a semi-darkened room, both methods result in diminished color values. Use a clean piece of paper under your hand to keep the graphite from smearing. Use tissues to rub the graphite when you need a fine value or a modeled surface. Erase to bring out highlights if necessary. If there is a frayed edge in the actual texture, draw a frayed edge in the simulated one. (Fig 6.1B)
Submitted by Debra Babylon, Toledo Museum of Art School, Toledo, Ohio.
