New Book Offers "Sight-Size" Approach to Art

(October 25, 2007) –Accomplished artist, Darren Rousar of Excelsior, believes in studying and practicing an artistic approach to hone your skills.  His new book, Cast Drawing Using the Sight-Size Approach, is founded on the premise that “True artists, like musicians, do not just spring from the earth fully formed.  They must learn a system and practice what they have learned.”

Basic to the sight-size approach is the placement of a drawing or canvas relative to the subject and the viewing position of the artist relative to both.  Rousar promotes an arrangement that allows artists to accurately compare their work with nature in one glance, without refocusing the eye or having to transpose sizes in the mind.  All seeing and drawing takes place from a set distance and is consistent.  The artist repeatedly walks forward to place a mark and walks back to compare during the sight-size process.

Rousar filmed himself using the sight-size approach as he created a drawing as a demonstration for his art students at Providence Academy.  He wanted his students’ eyes to see exactly what he was seeing and he accomplished this through the lens of a video camera.  It occurred to Rousar that the topic would also make a great book.  Rousar’s DVD, currently in process, is called Sight-Size and the Art of Seeing and he is anxious to try a visual and verbal teaching combination in the classroom.

 Historically, the sight-size approach was a portrait painting technique.  Rousar’s book references memoirs and descriptions of great artists who explain constructs of the technique.  From Leonardo da Vinci to John Singer Sargent, one of America’s greatest portrait painters, Rousar finds mentions of recommended viewing distances and easel placement.  Although, Rousar concentrates on drawing and painting, he says that the same techniques can be applied to sculpture as well.

Alexandra Steadman of Medina, is a tenth grade student at Providence Academy.  She learned the sight-size approach from Rousar in a summer class.  One of her charcoal drawings was recently selected for an October art show at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School.  “The sight-size approach is a good technique to know as it helped train my eye to see things as they are rather than how they are in my mind” she affirmed.

 When asked, Rousar says that the paintings of Velazquez were most inspirational to him.  Rousar himself is best known for his Christian themed paintings, of which, a work entitled “Doubting Thomas” is his favorite.  He started painting at about 16 years of age and developed a notable precision in his work.  His book Cast Drawing Using the Sight-Size Approach is now available in paperback at online bookstores linked to www.Sight-Size.com.

Photo Caption 1:  Artist and teacher, Darren Rousar frequently uses Christian themes in his paintings.

 Photo Caption 2:  Darren Rousar’s newly published book offers a detailed approach enabling art students of all ages to draw or paint exactly what they see.

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