The Drawing Process
The essence is a simple spatial statement which is gestural, at once, in all dimensions – this is to say that spatial considerations must be made when drawing the essence.

When we are drawing it is critical that we express the essence of the form which is being drawn – if the essence is not inherent in our drawing, we have not understood our subject.

The rhythm of the essence is the progression of movement from one form to the next, & the total relationship of all the connected forms.
These spatial relationships between & of the forms need to be observed – otherwise we are dealing with a pictorial ‘illusion’, conceived of only from the silhouette forward in space.
Our task is to draw the form right through.

Proportional relationships should not be solved by making measurements, but rather, assessments.
It is crucial that we develop a sense for seeing the whole thing that is before us, & how the proportions & arrangement of its component parts define the character of the whole entity.

When the essence has been discerned, the proportional relationships can likewise be simplified & expressed, allowing us then to locate & establish the cardinal points –
i.e. the chin, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles, & hips – clarifying the shape & boundaries of the forms.
When drawing forms aside from the figure it is important to look for its particular cardinal points, that is, its underlying geometry which may appear at the surface as a type of corner or main turning point in the form.

MAKING THE DRAWING

First, contemplate what is before you.
Meditate.
Identify the most simple elements of the form, & how they are arranged. The essence that you now draw is the rhythmical thread about which this spatial arrangement of forms is centred – much as an armature provides this function for clay modeling in sculpture. Beginning in this way allows us to draw to our conclusion gradually, sensitively & essentially.

With the essence carefully observed & discerned, we have a structure which informs our proportional decisions & our spatial understanding. Changes of direction in the essential rhythm indicate the space in which forms can be developed or assembled along the essential thread.

Before beginning the drawing consider its placement on the page. If you have had a clear vision of the form you are about to draw, you should have a good sense of its limits – a bigger piece of paper does not overcome a lack of this!

Mark the extremities of the figure initially, then continue to work the observed rhythms between these points, thinking all the while about proportion – in this way the whole figure will fit upon the page.

Using a stick of willow charcoal on its side, follow the movement of the essence lightly, varying both the width & intensity of the mark by twisting the charcoal & varying the pressure upon it correspondingly to the nature & arrangement of the forms that you are observing.

It is important to draw through the forms in order to clarify the complete shape of each component, & to determine its relationship to, & therefore junction with, the next component. This approach also clarifies thinking & understanding, giving us some simple steps to approach an otherwise overly complex task.

Contour lines can be used to further define & refine the character of the form. The placement of these should not go without consideration – one, or part of, a contour in the right place will do the work of many misplaced or meaningless lines.
The line which defines the silhouette, or the outline, is in itself a contour line. It too, through variation, can describe form & clarify the boundary between form & space.

Above all, when drawing, it is important to achieve a translation of the form & the way it works, not to aim for a representation of appearance.