Making and Drawing

Book excerpt: An essential examination of drawing as a tool used in the process of making, as well as a form of making or decoration in itself. It is common knowledge that artists often make preparatory sketches before they create a work, but in fact this is only one of the ways in which artists are required to draw. Makers across all disciplines draw in some form or another, but often for diverse reasons, and using very different methods. Informed by interviews with artists across a broad range of disciplines, and often with special access to their sketchbooks and studios, Kyra Cane explores the many ways in which artists use drawing to inform, inspire and create their work. She describes how makers draw to record source material, as a form of planning, to develop surface decoration and three-dimensional forms, as a way of thinking about and reflecting on their work, and shows you how they use new technology in their practice. Lavishly illustrated and thoughtfully constructed, Making and Drawing sheds new light on contemporary artists' practice. It is an essential read for visual arts students, artists who want to use drawing differently or explore its potential in their practice, and anyone who wants to know more about the secret stories behind the creation of these works.