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Drawing with Reduction Technique!

The reduction technique, also called subtractive technique, focuses on the light effects on the form: with this technique, the forms of our subject are not defined with outlines, but with areas of value. To do so, we start with a sheet of drawing paper toned with a dry pigment, such as charcoal or Cretacolor powder pigment. The pigment is then gradually removed with various erasing tools, to obtain tonal effects. With this technique, we can obtain very volumetric effects, and it is perfect to study the effects of the light on a subject. This technique, along with the Trois Crayon method I recently offered, is fundamental for any representational artist.

 

Materials:

  • Drawing paper: Strathmore Drawing in Vellum finish, series 400, or Strathmore Bristol series 400 in Vellum finish, or Stonehenge white, size about 11 by 14, not smaller.
  • Charcoal sticks in medium and soft gradations, Nitram is an excellent brand. Charcoal pencils also in medium and soft gradations, General’s makes excellent compressed charcoal pencils for a very reasonable price. White chalk in pencils or sticks. Do not use willow charcoal sticks because this type of charcoal is too weak for what we have to do.
  • Kneaded eraser, and chamois if you have it. Tombow Mono Zero eraser or similar, is also very useful: this is an eraser that comes in a mechanical pencil and permits you to lift minute details.
  • Sandpaper to sharpen the charcoal and chalk


Availability of Courses' Recordings

As part of the services offered by the New Renaissance Atelier, you will have access to the recordings of the video sessions of all the courses you purchased for one year.
You will find the links to the videos in your Personal Video Library that has been set up specifically for you. Please keep this Video library link on your desktop or in your browser for easy access.

In case You missed a course You are interested in, You can purchase the recording of the video sessions, by clicking on the menu above

roberto osti
roberto osti
Roberto Osti teaches figure drawing and human anatomy for artists at the New York Academy of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Formally trained as a medical illustrator before becoming a fine artist, Osti has contributed his work to many science and art publications. His paintings have been exhibited in galleries in Europe and the United States. He is the author of Basic Human Anatomy (2016), an art instruction best seller and classic reference book. His latest book , Dynamic Human Anatomy has been released in March 2021.
Drawing with… Reduction technique
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