Tracing to learn - fast

[Lon Haverly]

My name is Lon Haverly and I am a tracer. It started when I was a child. As I got older I became ashamed of tracing. I would only do it when I was alone and no one was watching. I worried about what people would think. Now, thanks to Karin, I can come out!!! I AM NOT A CROOK!!! I trace, I erase, and I'm in your face!

I trace, or use transfer methods. But the end result is my style which makes it unique.

When we learned the alphabet, we traced each letter, then drew it without tracing. Eventually, after learning cursive, and years of practice, we developed a signature all our own. So it is with drawing. You copy the shapes, or trace them. Then you develop line techniques. After much practice, you develope a style all your own.

Tracing is fine for the layout, or for painting. But for drawing, it is the quality of lines and the line technique that makes the drawing. You can have perfect shape and form, but if your lines are skimpy and your technique is weak, your drawing will be weak, no matter how "accurate" it is. I would rather see beautiful lines drawn in an expressive style than a perfect drawing with no line quality. The line is the thing. Form is good, but the art of it comes when your line is beautiful. Each line. That is why it behooves the serious art student to study the line qualities of the masters, copy them and discover why they are good. If each line is good, your drawing will be good.