Searching Lines

what does it mean to understand

what you see?
Shaun Aylward
3/4/5 Grades
One 45 minute class, or continuously as a warm-up


Objectives
Students will extend their understanding of the discipline of drawing by adding to
their repertoires the concept that marks may have many different uses.
Students will gain familiarity with the use of vine charcoal and the use of searching
lines in the description of drawing subjects.

Maine Learning results

A3, Media, Tools, Techniques, and Processes. Students describe a variety of media
and associated tools, techniques, and processes for multiple art forms and genres.

Assessments
The teacher will frequently and informally gauge understanding of the underlying
principle, that some marks are meant to be permanent, others are meant to be
supportive or inquisitive, others are meant simply to warm up the hand and eye.
Drawings will not be assessed for quality or craftsmanship in any way -- it would
violate the spirit of the activity. But the teacher will provide formative support to
students throughout the work time, ensuring that they meet the objective of
spending time creating inquisitive marks, or seaching lines.

Provoking Questions
What are some examples of warm-ups you might do in a sport? What are warm-ups
for, anyway?
What does vine charcoal look like it is made of?
Do all the marks you make while drawing have to end up in the appearance of the
finished product? Why might you deliberately make marks you dont plan to keep?
How much pressure do you need to make a mark that you will probably not end up
using?
How does your hand learn what your eye sees?
Whats the difference between looking and seeing?

Vocabulary

Vine charcoal
Searching lines, also known as gesture lines.

Materials
Vine charcoal
Sheets of newsprint paper or cheap white paper, enough to cover tables such that
students may draw directly on the tables surface.
Mirrors, if the activity uses self-portraiture. A selection of objects, if the drawings
will be observational.

Direct Instruction

If the subject is self-portraiture, the teacher reviews the concept -- why might
someone choose to make a self-portrait?
The teacher leads a demonstration on the use of vine charcoal and introduces
searching lines, possibly including the following information: Searching lines are
used to create outlines, interior details, and shading. They allow you to work on
preliminary placement, proportion, shape, and composition quickly, loosely, and
continuously. Searching lines allow you to try and retry your line, whilst focusing
attention on your subject rather than the quality of your lines.
Your first line is
never going to be your most accurate line.
Searching lines are disposable. You
draw searching lines to learn about what you are looking at. Often the line you
keep will be the average of your searching lines. Searching lines are like
research for your eyes and hands.
The teacher wraps up the discussion by reiterating the purpose of the technique:
Searching lines can be used to begin drawings you will polish into final works, or as a
warm up before beginning a longer project.
These will be warm ups, and as such,
you get to throw them out after if you wish.
How might searching lines serve as a
warm up for drawing, like stretching or push-ups are for football?
The students will undertake two quick five minute drawings -- with the aim of
drawing their entire subject -- and one ten minute drawing, in which they begin
selecting and deepening lines they will keep and smudging out lines they will not.
They will budget space on their table for three or more drawings. S
tudents use
searching lines only.

Modifications
Vine charcoal is terribly messy stuff. Students may wish to wear aprons, and will
most certainly need instruction in keeping charcoal off of their faces and clothes
(roll up your sleeves, be aware of touching your face with dirty hands, etc.) For
some, the charcoal may be overwhelming. Condensed charcoal pencils, or any
implement which makes a bold mark may be substituted.
If multiple classes in a row are to do the same lesson, tape multiple layers of
newsprint to the tables in advance.
Many students will enjoy the freedom of drawing without a mind for making
something they will keep (a few will relish in throwing the drawings away in
dramatic fashion). Others, however, will likely want to keep certain drawings. The
teacher will be prepared to cut those drawings out of the larger sheets so they may
be preserved.
Charcoal may be held like a pencil, but to make looser, lighter lines, it may be
suggested that students pinch the charcoal between thumb and forefinger in an
overhand grip.
This lesson may be modified to suit any subject matter. The examples in this lesson
are from a session focusing on self-portraiture, but any form of observational (or
imaginative, or non-objective) drawing may be undertaken using this technique.


Student Work (Third Grade)