INTRUCTIONAL EBOOK BY CUONG NGUYEN

Introduction

iDtherawing is a core foundation of representational art, but, for many students, drawing
human figure — especially the human face — is particularly challenging to master.
Since at least the nineteenth century, sculptural models, also known as drawing casts,
have been an essential tool for mastering this challenge.

One of the reasons drawing casts is so useful is that they eliminate potential distrac-
tions such as color and movement and allow students to focus solely on how light and
shadow reveal form. Time spent with drawing casts improves your ability to see and
understand subjects in three dimensions. It trains you to accurately reproduce values
and proportions while learning effective measurement techniques.

As you become more skilled in producing cast drawings, you’ll find that it soon be-
comes easier for you to tackle the challenge of a live model. Even those who are com-
fortable with live models will find that returning to cast drawing periodically will keep
their skills sharp and allow them to recognize more subtle forms that they previously
would have missed.

Indeed, learning is a never-ending process, and I hope that this book will be a helpful
companion for that process.
Measurement Techniques
 Comparative Measurement Method

iT here are a variety of measurement techniques for drawing, but the two most popular
techniques are known as the Comparative Method and the Sight-Size Method. Personal-
ly, I most rely on the comparative method. It’s what I learned when I first trained at the Acad-
emy of Art in Saigon, and I find that it offers greater flexibility than the sight-size method.

The distinguishing feature of the comparative method is that it involves making accurate
measurements of proportion while relying primarily on the naked eye. You may use a pencil,
a brush, a plumb line, or some other object as a reference to aid your measurements, but
you never take exact 1:1 measurements directly from the subject to the paper. Instead of
measuring the surfaces of your subject according to an absolute standard, you simply as-
sess their sizes relative to each other.

What makes this approach so flexible is that it allows you to vary the size of the image you’re
creating while maintaining the proper proportions of the subject. Unlike the sight-size
method, the comparative method doesn’t require that your drawing appear from your van-
tage point to be the same size as the subject. You can scale your measurements up or down
to suit your artistic vision.

4 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Tips for Comparative Measurement

When using the comparative method, the most important thing is

consistency. Because even subtle shifts in your perspective can alter
proportions, you need to make sure that you’re always measuring
from the same location with the same technique. The use of a straight
object such as a pencil, brush, or knitting needle is an important aid
to ensure this consistency. I generally use a pencil, as it’s usually in my
hand already. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

When taking a measurement, always hold your hand out with

your arm fully extended and your elbow locked. This will help
to keep the distance between your eye and your pencil or other
straight edge consistent.

Similarly, you should close one eye and keep the other eye a con-
sistent distance from the shoulder from which your arm is ex-
tended. I find it best to bend my head a bit to bring my eye closer
to my shoulder.

Hold your pencil or other straight edge so that your thumbnail

rests on the shaft and you can slide it up or down to mark one
end of your measurement.

You need to identify one portion of your subject to use as a ref-

erence measurement against which other portions will be com-
pared. For example, you might compare the height of the head
against the height of the full figure. Make sure that you pick a ref-
erence measurement for which the end points (such as the top
of the head and the bottom of the chin) are easily remembered
and located.

To take a reference measurement, look at the area you want to

measure and then, while keeping your elbow locked, move your
arm and rotate your hand into position so that the pencil aligns
like a ruler against the distance you want to measure. Orient the
tip of the pencil at one end of the distance, and then slide your
thumbnail up or down to mark the other end. Then, make sure
to maintain the position of your thumb as you make subsequent
measurements.

Let’s apply these tips to a step-by-step process in the photos below.

5 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Measurement with Your Pencil and Thumb
1
to Estimate Proportions When Drawing

We’re going to take some comparative measurements of the sculp-

ture pictured to the left. In this case, we’ll use the head as our refer-
ence measurement.

1 With your elbow locked, move your arm until the tip of the pen-
cil aligns with the topmost point on the head. Now, slide your
thumb down the shaft of the pencil until your thumbnail aligns
with the bottom of the beard. (Note that we can’t see where the
chin would be on this subject, so we pick a more easily identifi-
able point.)

2 Now that you have the reference unit, you can compare it to an-
other part of the subject. For example, it’s very common to count
2 how many head lengths fit in the height of a figurative sculpture.
Starting with your arm pointed where it was when you made
your head measurement, slowly move your arm down so that
the tip of the pencil is now at the bottom of the beard. Make a
visual note of the new location of your thumb in relation to the
sculpture.

Repeat this process as many times as necessary, moving the pen-

cil so that the tip of the pencil is now where your thumbnail was.
Once you get to the end of the distance you’re measuring, note
how many full units fit into the distance, as well as any fraction
of the unit that completed the distance. In the example shown
here, the full bust is 2 1/2 heads tall.

3 To measure the relationship between the height and the width

of your subject, use the same unit horizontally as you used ver-
3
tically. Keeping your thumbnail in the same position along the
pencil shaft, simply turn your hand horizontally. Align the pencil
tip with the leftmost edge of the bust, and then see how many
units you can fit horizontally until you reach the rightmost edge.
In this case, the bust is just shy of 2 heads wide.

As you’ll see in the Demonstrations section of this book, it is only the

relationships between these measurements that matter, and you can
maintain these relationships at any size you prefer. This contrasts with
the sight-size method, which would require you to transfer these ex-
act measurements to your drawing.

6 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Use of Plumb Line in Drawing

A plumb line is just a piece of string with a weight attached

to the end to ensure it hangs straight down. Much like your
pencil or brush, the plumb line forms a straight edge that
you can use to measure aspects of your subject. More impor-
tantly, because the plumb line always hangs straight down,
you can use it to assess the vertical alignment of elements.
This can be a big help in making an accurate drawing.

In the photo at left, you can use the plumb line to see that
the leftmost edge of the eyebrow is just slightly to the right
of the point where the left edge of the statue comes in, due
to the large fold in the fabric.

Use Pencil to Measure Angles

I like to use my pencil to measure the subject’s angles. In this

case, you simply turn the pencil until its angle is parallel to
the angled line you want to measure. Then you must main-
tain that orientation of the pencil as you move it over to your
drawing where you can transfer the angle.

Note that this technique is subject to error, because it’s easy

for the angle at which you are holding the pencil to shift as
you move from the subject to your drawing. Thus, it’s a good
idea to double-check your results with vertical and horizon-
tal measurements when possible.

7 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Sight-Size Method

Like the Comparative Method, the Sight-

Size method of drawing has been in use
since at least the nineteenth century and
is still commonly used today. It is so named
because the technique requires drawing at
the same size that the subject appears to
your naked eye from a fixed vantage point.

When using the sight-size method, you

must arrange your easel so that you can
view the paper or canvas and the subject
simultaneously, side-by-side, from a fixed
position several feet away. Your easel is set
at a distance to the subject from which it ap-
pears to your eye to be the same visual size
you want to achieve in your final drawing.

The idea is to set up a specific, fixed relation-

shipo between the artist, the drawing, and
the subject, permitting easy comparison
and mechanical measurement.

Setting Up

To use the sight-size method, first you must decide where Now you should find and mark your fixed vantage point.
to place your easel in relation to the subject. Make sure Stand immediately in front of your easel so that your nose
that there is room to take a few steps back from the ea- is roughly at the edge of the canvas or drawing board
sel, and that from that position you can take in both the that is closest to the subject. Then take several large steps
subject and your canvas side by side. (Think of it as a split- back. From this position, looking straight ahead and with-
screen view on your TV.) The position of the subject, the out moving your head, you should be able to take in a
easel, and your fixed vantage point must remain the same full view of both the subject and your canvas side by side,
throughout the drawing process. simultaneously. This is your fixed vantage point.

The drawing board or canvas should be set up so that The visual size at which the subject appears from this van-
it as close to vertical as possible, and you should ensure tage point is the same size that it will be drawn on your
that it is mounted straight as well. Make sure that you canvas or paper. If the size doesn’t seem right, then you
have enough space on the canvas or paper to comfort- can continue to make adjustments to your easel and van-
ably fit your entire composition at the size it appears from tage point position. If you’re happy with this sizing, then
your fixed vantage point. mark this position on the floor with tape or chalk so that
you can find it consistently. You are now ready to begin
drawing. You can follow the steps in the cast drawing de-
tailed on the following pages.

8 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Establishing Reference Lines
1
To start the drawing, you first must establish
the reference lines that divide the subject and
aid the basic construction of the drawing.

1 Stand at the vantage point and hold a piece

of string taught between your hands, in front of
your eyes. Hold the string horizontally (parallel
to the floor) and position it so that it appears to
intersect the topmost point on the cast head.
Make a mental note of exactly where the string
intersects the paper.

Release the string, walk back to your easel, and

use a ruler to draw a horiontal line at the loca-
tion you noted when holding the string. (Note
that this line corresponds to the vertical posi-
tion of the top of the cast when viewed from
your fixed vantage point. Now that you’ve
stepped closer to your subject, this line may
no longer appear to be in the same alignment
with the cast.)

2 Repeat this line-drawing process with sev-

eral other key dividing lines for the cast. In this
case, I’ve drawn a line under the nose, at the
base of the chin, and at the base of the sculp-
ture. I’ve also included lines that mark the left-
most and rightmost points on the cast, at the
base of each arm. These will be important in
the next step.

For each line, you need to step back to the fixed

vantage point, make a mental note of where on
the paper to draw the line, and then step back
to the easel to draw it.

9 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 3 Once you’ve created the horizontal divisions,
3
it’s time to draw the vertical lines. To start, you’ll
want to draw the left and right borders of the
subject, as well as the center line. You can place
the first of these three lines based on your desired
composition, but then the other two lines must
be positioned based on measurements from the
first. Here, we’ll place the center line first, because
we want the drawing to be centered on the page.
Before drawing the line, it can be helpful to hold
a plumb line in front of the subject to visualize
where the center lies.

Next add the left and right border lines. You make
horizontal measurements in a similar manner to
that used by the Comparative Method, so you’ll
rely on your pencil, a brush, or your piece of string
as a straight edge. Some artists prefer to use a
compass, because it can easily hold a fixed mea-
surement. In the images here, I’ve used my pencil.

4 Hold your pencil level with the point at the left

where the cast’s arm is cut off. You should already
4
have a horizontal line in your drawing that aligns
with this point. Hold the tip of your pencil so it
aligns with that point in your vision, and then slide
your thumb along the shaft of the pencil so that it
aligns with the center line of the cast.

Now verify that you’ve correctly measured one half

of the full width of the subject. Keeping the pencil
level and your arm extended, move the pencil so
that the tip of the pencil is now where your thumb
was. If your thumb does not fall exactly at the right
most edge of the sculpture, then that means your
original measurement wasn’t exactly aligned with
the center. Adjust and double check your measure-
ment until both halves are equal.

Once you’re satisfied with your measurement, you can transfer it to your paper. Move your extended arm so that your thumb
now aligns with the vertical center line of your drawing. The pencil itself should be aligned with the line in your drawing that
intersects the left arm of the sculpture. Make a mental note of where the tip of the pencil falls on this line. Then, walk back
to your easel, and make a mark on your drawing at this location. Now, you can use your ruler to draw a vertical line that
intersects the point you just marked. This is the left border of your drawing.

Finally, draw the right border. This is a good opportunity to step back and double check your measurements again. Then
return to the drawing and draw the border an equal distance from the center.

10 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Tip: As you move from the fixed vantage point to
your easel in order to make a mark, it can be diffi-
cult to get the precise location correct. Rather than
draw each of the horizontal and vertical lines imme-
diately after locating them, you may want instead
to make a more subtle mark on the paper. Then,
when you step back to the fixed vantage point to
locate the next line, you can also double-check your
last mark. If the mark seems out of alignment, make
a mental note of how much it needs to move, and
then fix it when you return to the easel. You can
then choose to draw the line only after it has been
double-checked, or even choose to draw all the
lines together at the end.

Beginning the Drawing

Once you have your reference lines, you can begin

the drawing. You can start by drawing the outer
boundary of your subject. Make a small mark along
some of the key points on this boundary. Many of
these marks, of course, will be along the reference
lines you’ve drawn, but you’ll want to add some
marks in between the lines to indicate, for example,
where a curve changes direction.

If you’ve placed you’re reference lines carefully,

you’ll find that it is relatively easy to choose where
to place your marks, but you can use your pencil or
another tool to assist you in measuring, just as we
did when measuring the locations for the left and
right border lines. In some cases, you may also find
it useful at this stage to incorporate more of a Com-
parative Measurement technique. For example, if
you determine that a particular detail in your sub-
ject falls two-thirds of the distance between two
reference details, then you can simply place the
mark two-thirds of the way between the two cor-
responding reference lines in your drawing.

After you’ve indicated the key points along the

subject outline, you can sketch the contour of your
subject passing through these points. You’ve now
established the basic proportions of your drawing.

11 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

Refining the Drawing

As you continue to add detail to your

drawing, you should periodically check
your measurements to ensure that you
are maintaining proportions correctly.
For example, in the illustration here I’d
like to ensure that I’ve drawn the chin
correctly. From the fixed vantage point,
I use the pencil to measure the distance
from the end of her chin to the right
side of her neck. Then I shift my pencil
over to the drawing to verify that this
distance remains consistent.

Note that you can use the Sight-Size Method to judge all types of lengths,
widths, and spatial relationships in your drawing, including both positive
and negative spaces.
By continually checking inter-related measurements such as these, you can
catch mistakes before they become too hard to correct, and ultimately cre-
ate a more lifelike drawing.

The Limitations of the Sight-Size Method

The sight-size method is inherently limiting, because your setup predetermines the size at which your
drawing must appear. Producing a drawing that is much larger than life size would require setting up your
easel well behind your subject instead of in front of it. Similarly, producing a drawing much smaller than
life size would require setting up your easel a significant distance from the subject. Neither option is very
practical. In a small studio space, in fact, it would not even be possible.

In contrast, the comparative method allows the artist to draw at whatever size is desired regardless of how
the drawing board is positioned. It is not even necessary to position the board vertically, so you are free to
work with it positioned on your lap or on a desk if you prefer. Unlike the sight-size method, the compara-
tive method doesn’t require that the subject be near eye level, so you can draw something that sits high
above or below you if necessary.

If you learn only the sight-size method and not the comparative method, you may find that it imposes
creative limitations on your artwork, because you will only be able to draw and paint things that you can
directly measure next to your easel. There is value in understanding the sight-size method, and there may
be times that you find it useful, but a reliance solely on this method will restrict your creative options.

12 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Block-in Technique
The envelope
The block-in technique is a technique that can be used after the
comparive method establishes the measurements. It can also be
used before either method to establish general composition.

The Envelope
The first phase of the block-in requires creating a simple outline
known as the envelope. The envelope is the simplest shape, con-
structed of straight lines, that can contain the entire subject.

Your envelope generally should consist of no more than seven or

eight lines. The goal is simply to define the general boundaries of
your drawing.
Breaking down
the envelope
The Break down
In the second phase, you gradually break the simple enveolope
shape into more specific shapes that begin to delineate the de-
tails of the object. This is the part of the process from which the
term “block-in” is derived, because you break your drawing into
progressively smaller building blocks.

As you perform the block-in, you should be thinking about anat-

omy and how your progressively smaller blocks will eventually
build a realistic representation of your subject.

The block-in Why Block in?

The block-in technique is useful because it helps you to simplify
your three-dimensional subject into a two-dimensional form.
The envelope, of course, is about as simple a two-dimensional
drawing as you could create. As you begin to block in, you begin
to think more about the proportions of the object and the effects
of light and shadow, but you translate these aspects into simple
shapes that only gradually become more detailed. The process
also enables you to be thoughful and selective about what de-
tails to include in your drawing.

The block-in technique is useful for all forms of drawing includ-

ing landscape, figurative, and still-life, and it also is invaluable for
drawing quick thumbnail sketches.

13 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

Understanding The Values Scale
 Values and Contrast

The Immeasurable Value of Values

The form of an object is revealed to our brains based on When more light strikes an object, the contrast between
the light that bounces off the object and is directed to- light and dark values increases. The texture of an object
wards our eyes. In a two-dimensional artwork such as a will also affect the contrast. A very smooth surface such
drawing or a painting, we of course cannot reproduce as a marble will appear more shiny, with a more pro-
these three-dimensional forms, but we can create the il- nounced contrast and a focused highlight, because adja-
lusion of three dimensions by properly respresenting the cent points in the object will all bounce the light back in
light that is returned to the viewer’s eyes. We refer to the a similar direction. An object with a soft texture, such as
varying amounts of lightness as values. a rubber ball, will tend to scatter the light in less predict-
able directions, creating softer highlights. And an object
Two key factors that determine the amount of light re- with a larger, recognizable texture — such as an orange
turned to the viewer are the inherent brightness of the — will create a subtle pattern of highlights and shadows
object and the amount of light that is striking it. A light across the entire surface.
gray ball is going to return to the viewer a greater per-
centage of the light that hits it than will a dark gray ball. An eye for recognizing values is one of the most impor-
But, regardless of whether the color of the ball is light or tant skills you can develop as an artist, because it is the
dark, portions of the ball that are in shadow will receive key to accurately representing so many aspects of your
less light, and thus will have less light to return to the subject — from the color, shape, and texture of the ob-
viewer. Thus, there may be a portion of the shadow region ject, to the nature and direction of the light sources in the
of the light gray ball that displays the same value of light scene.
as a more well-lit portion of the dark gray ball.

15 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 The Anatomy of Lighting

Almost any object under illumination will have the fol-

lowing regions which influence the value that is per-
1 3
ceived:

1. Highlight:
The highlight is the area on the object that is most
directly exposed to the light source. For objects that
have a consistent color, this region will always have
the lightest values, in some cases approximating 2
4
white. Objects with a smooth surface will have an
especially well-defined highlight.
5
2. Mid Tone:
The mid tone always refers to medium values be-
tween light and dark. When we are discussing light-
ing, this refers to the region that falls in between the
highlights and the shadows. This region is receiving
some light, but not at the full intensity. Often, the
color and value observed in the midtone area ap- 7-Step Value Scale
pears closest to the “true” color and value of the ob-
ject.

3. Core Shadow:
The core shadow is the region on the object that 7-Step Value Scale (blended)
is partially or fully hidden from the light source.
Because it receives little light, this region displays
darker values of the local color.

4. Reflection Light:
Light doesn’t just come from the original light Squinting to See Values
source. It also bounces around a scene. The reflec- and Simple Shapes
tion light refers to the portion of the shadow that
is receiving some secondary illumination from an- Shapes and values are the most basic build-
other surface, such as light reflecting off the table ing blocks of a drawing, but it can be hard
top. The intensity of this reflection will vary based
for us to accurately judge the absolute val-
on the nature of the surfaces.
ues independent of color and form. Some
5. Cast Shadow: artists find it very helpful to squint their
The cast shadow is the region on surrounding ob- eyes when determining values. Squint-
jects and surfaces that is partially or fully hidden ing your eyes tends to hide the details of a
from the light source by the subject, resulting in scene, so that you can more easily discern
darker values. The shape of a cast shadow tells the the simple shapes and values.
viewer something about the shape of the primary
subject as well as it’s surrounding environment.

16 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Shading Techniques
Shading is the process of creating values in your artwork that simulate form, brightness, and illumination. Effective shad-
ing creates the illusion of depth, communicating the three-dimensional shapes in your subject and delivering a more
convincing image.

Given the importance of shading in creating a realistic artwork, it should be no surprise to learn that artists have de-
veloped a wide variety of shading techniques. Different shading techniques may create different styles of artwork, yet
a careful attention to proper values will still produce a strong sense of realism. You’ll find it useful to experiment with
multiple methods. Here are some of the most comon:

Slinky Cross-hatching

The slinky shading technique is For this technique, you apply con-
probably among the first tech- sistent strokes in a parallel direction,
niques that most artists discover and then overlay those strokes with
naturally. It is achieved by mak- another set of parallel strokes in a
ing quick back-and-forth motions different direction. You control the
with your pencil across the paper. values by varying the spacing of the
This technique is particularly use- strokes rather than their thickness
ful for quick sketches, but you or intensity. Spacing the strokes far-
may find it is a bit harder to con- ther apart creates lighter values, and
trol for subtle detail. more tightly spaced strokes create
darker values. The cross-hatching
technique is particularly useful for
Smooth Shading
drawing with a pen or a marker that
This technique generally creates doesn’t allow for smooth shading or
the strongest sense of realism, blending.
because it creates graduated
shading without noticeable pen-
cil strokes. Achieving complete Stippling
smoothness without noticeable
strokes or edges can require sig- Stippling is another technique that
nificant practice to master. You is often used with pens, though of
want to use soft strokes and a course you can use it with other
light touch, and you can build media as well. It is also known as
up darker values by adding ad- pointillism, because it involves plac-
ditional layers or pressing a bit ing a series of points, or dots, on the
harder with your pencil. You can paper. Values are controlled just as
also hold your pencil so that the they are with cross-hatching. Plac-
side strokes the paper in order to ing the dots closer together creates
cover a larger region. In some cas- darker values, whereas greater spac-
es, you may want to use a cloth ing results in ligher values.
or a piece of tissue to blend the
shaded area and create an even
smoother effect.

17 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

Before You Start...
 How To Set Up The Lighting
1. Spot light

1 2. Plaster cast

3. Black box

I build the black box by using black

foam boards. I use super glue to glue
the edges together.

I set the lighting above and to the

left of the sculpure. In this case, I’m
just lighting with a 100W incandes-
cent bulb.

After setting the lighting, I move the

bust to different positions to find the
best one for my drawing.

19 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 How To Sharpen Your Pencil

Before you start...

is time to sharpen your pencils

Be careful! Don’t hurt yourself!

20 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

Demonstrations
 Demo 1: Bust of Antonio Barberini
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1680)

22
 Using Comparative Measurement, I start to measure
Materials:
the sculpture. The full bust is 2 1/2 heads tall.
To measure the relationship between the height and
Paper: Strathmore Artist papers - 400 series
the width of your subject, use the same unit horizontal-
(Color: Steel Gray)
ly as you used vertically. The bust is just shy of 2 heads
Pencil: General charcoal pencils: 2B, 4B and
wide.
General white chalk pencil.

(View more about the Measurement Technique on

page 6. )

23 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

Use 2B pencil, I begin to block in the general shape of the Once I decide which angles were important to establish, I sim-
pose using straight lines. This is often called an “envelope”. ply turn the pencil until its angle is parallel to the angled line
When you draw the envelope, you essentially set boundaries you want to measure. Keep the orientation of the pencil as you
for the drawing. move it over to your drawing where you can transfer the angle.

Working from general to specific (i.e. large to small), I start Continue working on small shapes and forms.
drawing in the major forms of the body (the shape of the
head, the shoulders).
24 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
Use 4B to fill in the shadows areas. To soften the shadows, I Next I use white chalk to fill in the highlights and mid-tone ar-
blend them with the paper towel. eas.

Time to focus on details of the folds and values of cloth and Finished drawing.
face.
25 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 Demo 2: Nubian Man Mask
by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

26 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 750
750

I start with the envelope technique using a black

pencil (750). At this point, I focus on the shape of the
Materials: whole head. It’s a large, simple shape constructed
of no more than seven or eight lines. By connecting
these points with lines, a shape is created that serves
Paper:
to envelop the pose.
Sennelier La Carte
I also pay attention to the tilt of the head, measure
Color: Dark Gray
the distance from the forehead to the eyebrows, from
the eyebrows to the bottom of the nose, and from the
CarbOthello Pastel Pencil:
bottom of the nose to the bottom of the beard.
750 - Neutral Black
Remember, you want to work “from general to spe-
708 - Gray 5
cific”.
706 - Gray 4
This means that you start with the largest, most gener-
720 - Cold Gray 1
al measurements (such as the height and width), and
110 - Gray White then move to incrementally smaller measurements
100 - White until you get to the smallest, most specific ones.

27 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 750 750
750 750

After the envelope is done, I start to break it down by add- The next step is to move to incrementally smaller mea-
ing more lines within the envelope that I’ve established. At surements until I get to the smallest, most specific ones.
this stage, I start breaking down big shapes first.

750 750
750 750

I start filling in the shadow areas with black color (750). I continue filling in the shadow areas with 750.
28 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 750
750 100

I fill in the cast shadow with 750 as well. To control the values, I start adding white (100) to the
mid-tone and highlight areas. Very light presure.

750 750
706 110

I also add Gray 4 (706) to the soft shadow areas, such as The next step is adding light gray (110) to the highlight
around the nose, forehead, and cheek bones. and mid-tone areas. I start with the forehead.
29 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 750
706
750 750
750
708
By adding black (750) to the shadow area, I establish a dark
I continue filling in the shadow areas with 706 and 708.
region against which I can more accurately measure and
control the surrounding values.

100
750
110
In the final stage, I add light gray (110) over the mid-tones Finished drawing.
and white (100) over the highlights.
30 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 Demo 3: Mask of St. Andrew
by Francois Duquesnoy (1597)

31 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Materials:

Paper:
Ampersand Pastelbord
Color: Green

CarbOthello Pastel Pencil:

100 - White
625 - Burnt Umber
635 - Bister
700 - Gray 1
704 - Gray 3
706 - Gray 4
708 - Gray 5
726 - Cold Gray 4
750 - Neutral Black

Accessories:
X-Acto Snap-Off Blade Utility Knife
for sharpening your pencils

32 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 1/3

1/3

1/3

625

Mask of St. Andrew To start this drawing, I use the comparative measurement
by method. First, I measure the distance from the hairline to
the middle of the eyebrows, from the middle of the eye-
François Duquesnoy brows to the bottom of the nose, and from the bottom of
the nose to the bottom of the chin. (Note that the chin is
somewhere under his beard.) Using Burnt Umber (625), I
mark these measurements on my drawing. I can now use
these markings to find important landmarks on the head.

Next I start blocking in the general shape of the head us-

ing straight lines, employing the envelope technique.

33 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 625 625

Next, I start to break out the envelope. Working from gen- Continuing to use Burnt Umber (625), I start filling in the
eral to specific I start drawing in the major forms of the head, shadow areas, such as the eye sockets and the shadows un-
and then focus on the smaller forms. der the nose and cheek bones.

635 704

To control the forms and shapes of the head, I pay attention Using very light presure, I start adding the highlights on the
to the bone structure of the head, such as the cheek bones head with light gray 704 (Gray 3).
and forehead. I also define the flow of the beard.
34 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 704 708

I continue to fill in the highlight areas of the entire head. Next I add a darker and cooler shade of gray 708 (Gray 5) on
the shadow areas.

635

I then control the values of the shadow areas further by adding dark brown (Bister, 635).

35 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 625 635

I also add Burnt Umber (625) in the smaller shadow details. The cast shadow should be darker, so I add more Bister (635).

706

A warm gray (Gray 4, 706) works well to build the dominant color of the plaster. I add this color on top of the highlights and mid-tone
areas with medium presure.
36 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 706 700

I continue to add warm gray (Gray 4, 706) to the highlights I use a lighter gray (Gray1, 700) to brighten the highlights.
and mid-tone areas.

726

726 635

I add Cold Gray 4 (726) to the transition areas where the I continue to use Cold Gray (726) and Bister (635) where re-
shadows meet the mid-tones. quired in the shadow areas.
37 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 750

635 635

I continue to add Bister (635) on some of the shadow areas. The cast shadow still needs to be darker, so I add black (750),
using my finger to blend it a little bit.

100

In the final stage, I use White (100) to bring back the high- Finished drawing.
lights.
38 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 Demo 4: Lady Bebe

39 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Materials:

Paper:
Ampersand Pastelbord
Color: Green

CarbOthello Pastel Pencil:

100 - White
625 - Burnt Umber
635 - Bister
670 - Burnt Sienna
700 - Gray 1
704 - Gray 3
706 - Gray 4
708 - Gray 5
726 - Cold Gray 4
750 - Neutral Black

Accessories:
X-Acto Snap-Off Blade Utility Knife
for sharpening your pencils

40 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 At the begining, I need to focus
on 3 important points:

1) The general proportions of

the cast.

2) The gesture of the pose.

3) The accuracy of the angles.

Let’s start!

About this sculpture...

This beautiful bust was a gift from Theresa Fasano. She first acquired
this reproduction for her home in New York in 1960. Unfortunately, I’ve
been unable to determine the original artist.

This demo is a tribute to Mrs. Fasano.

41 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 1/2

1/2

670

I move the bust to a few positions and I pick the best one Using Burnt Sienna (670), I start sketching the bust. Fist I
for my drawing. measure the distances from the head to the base of the
neck, and from the base of the neck to the base of the
statue, and I note that they are equal.

1/3
1/3
1/3

670 625

Next I start blocking in the general shape of the bust After finishing the block in, I use Burnt Umber (625) to fill
by using straight lines. This means that I begin by find- in the shadow areas.
ing the larger, more evident information such as gesture
lines, largest proportions and major angles first.
42 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 635 704

I double-check the drawing to ensure I’m happy with it, and Next I apply warm gray (Gray 3, 704) on the highlights and
then I re-draw the drawing a bit darker by using Bister color mid-tone areas.
(635).

708

The warm lighting makes the shadows look cooler. To achieve this effect in my drawing, I add cold gray (708) to the main shadow
areas.

43 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 706

Gray 4 (706) is a warm light gray, perfect for the plaster color. I apply it with a medium presure on the highlight and mid-tone areas.

635

Next I add darker values to the drawing. At this stage, I use Bister (635) for the cast shadow on the right of the head first.

44 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 700 635

My original subject is a bright gray color, so I add light gray The cast shadow needs to be a bit darker, so I add more
(700) on top of the warm gray (706). Bister (635) with heavier presure on the shadow next to her
face.

700 100

I continue to add more light gray (700) to the rest of the Next I add white (100) to the highlights.
sculpture.
45 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 700

100

I use the combination of light gray (700) and white (100) as I continue to work on the highlights. It is quite hard to recog-
nize the values in plaster, so I spend more time working on it.

635

I use Bister (635) to add more darkness to the shadow be- To soften the shadow, I use my finger to blend it.
hind the sculpture.
46 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 At this point, I take a few steps back from my cast drawing to evaluate the general proportions of the cast, the gesture of
the pose, and the accuracy of the values.

625

At this very final stage, I apply Burnt Umber (625) to add Finished drawing.
warmth to the shadows.
47 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 Demo 5: Bust of Belisarius
by Jean-Baptiste Stouf (1752-1826)

48 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 2B
Sarting with charcoal pencil 2B, I plot the general angles of the
cast, using light, easily erasable lines.

Materials:

Paper: Strathmore Artist papers

400 series - Color: Steel Gray

Pencils:
- General charcoal pencils: 2B, 4B, 6B
- General white chalk pencil

Others:
- Sofft Knife
- Blending stumps
- Soft brush

2B
Working from general to specific, I start breaking out the envelope.
This means that I begin by finding the larger, more evident information
such as gesture lines, largest proportions and major angles first.
49 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 2B

At this point, I continue to break out to small forms. We

tend to think of the inside information and outside con-
tour as being separate from one another, but in fact, they
cannot be separate!

4B
Using charcoal pencil 4B, I start filling in the shadows. I use a
blending stump to soften the shadow areas.

50 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 4B
I continue using my 4B pencil to fill in the rest of the shadow Next I start using white chalk pencil to brighten the highlight
areas. and mid-tone areas.

4B

Using my 4B pencil, I begin to add a dark background against which I can more accurately evaluate the values of the bust.

51 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

To soften the background, I use the Sofft knife to blend it.

After adding the background, I notice that I need to add more I continue to add more white chalk on the rest of the head.
white chalk to the mid-tone areas.
52 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
 6B

I use a 6B charcoal pencil to add more darkness to the back- To make the background darker and softer, I use a soft brush to
ground. blend it.

6B

I continue to add 6B pencil to the background. I start working on the details of the bust’s features, such as the
eyes, nose, beard and hair.
53 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen
At this final stage, I use a Sofft Knife to blend the background.

Finished drawing.

54 The Art of Cast Drawing - Cuong Nguyen

 Picture References

I recommend drawing from a real cast if you have access to

one, because it provides you with better training for drawing
live subjects. However, I realize that casts can be expensive,
and not everyone has access to one. Don’t let that stop you!

On the following pages, I’ve provided several photos of busts

that you can use as reference for your own practice. You may
be able to find other photos online as well.

You should also visit museums to see original sculptures for

yourself. Many museums may allow you to sketch on the
premises, or to capture a photo which you can use for your
own reference in your studio.

If you’d like to purchase your own cast, one site that offers
many beautiful busts for sale is www.giustgallery.com.
 Lady BeBe
Unknown Artist
 Christ as Saviour
by Giovanni Battista Caccini (1556-1613)
 Mask of St. Andrew
by François Duquesnoy (1597)
 Bust of Jean-Léon Gérôme
by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875)
Bust of Stadholder William IV
by Jan Baptist Xavery (1711-1751)
Bust of Andries de Graeff
by Artus Quellinus (1609-1668)
 About Cuong Nguyen

Cuong Nguyen’s ability to highlight the beauty in the

world around him is something that informs his art as
well as his perspective. One might say that he repre-
sents the opposite of the tortured artist cliché: despite
the fact that his formative years in Vietnam were charac-
terized by significant hardship, his sometimes romantic
and sometimes mysterious portraits and still life paint-
ings reflect his positive outlook and determination to
persevere.

Growing up in poverty after the fall of Saigon, Cuong’s

greatest pleasure was finding time to draw. At a young
age, he earned extra money for his family by doing
street portraits, and he was accepted to Saigon’s Acad-
emy of Art while in high school. Even as a child, Cuong
was fascinated by the human face, and his single-mind-
ed practice of drawing eyes and other features rewards
us today with portraits that have a spark of life to them.

His study at the Academy of Art in Saigon was interrupted when he had the opportunity to emigrate to the
U.S. in 1991, and the challenge of establishing himself within a new country and culture temporarily dis-
tracted him from his love of fine art. He earned a degree in illustration from San Jose State University and
established a successful career as an icon designer with Yahoo.

Ultimately, though, his passion for fine art resurfaced. It began first as a new hobby—participating as an artist
at public street painting festivals, creating ephemeral artworks as large as 16’ x 24’. Cuong soon established
a reputation for painting amazingly lifelike portaits on asphalt, and he was invited to participate in festivals
around the world. More importantly, though, this activity brought him back to painting, and he was soon
back in his studio endlessly refining his technique with more traditional media.

Cuong earned status as a Master Pastellist with Pastel Society of America, Distinguished Pastellist with the
Pastel Society of the West Coast, and Masters Circle with IAPS. He has had one-man shows at the Triton Mu-
seum and the Los Gatos Museum, both in California, and his work has been featured in both national and
international competitions exhibiting worldwide.

Cuong shares his techniques through workshops taught at his own studio in California as well as those hosted
by art institutes and ateliers elsewhere in the U.S. and throughout the world. For more information on Cuong’s
teaching schedule, visit his website at icuong.com.
 My tutorial ebooks
and videos are available on my website:
www.icuong.com

You can also follow me on:

Facebook: icuong
Instagram: icuong
Youtube: cuongnguyenart

© 2017 Cuong Nguyen.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or
portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

All product names are trademarks of their

respective owners.