Steps To Seeing

STEPS TO SEEING
Bargue Plate Copies in Sight-Size

By Darren Rousar
STEPS TO SEEING | Bargue Plate Copies in Sight-Size
©2019 Velatura Press, LLC | All Rights Reserved
sightsize.com | atelierrousar.com
The demonstration plate.

Access Your Bargue Plates
The journey of learning to draw what you see often begins with copying
from the flat. Many present-day ateliers use Bargue plates for that process
and this book will guide you through the process.
Of course, you’ll need some plates from which to copy. Therefore, I have
digitally restored a number of Bargue’s plates and made them available
for free on the Sight-Size site.
If you’ve already signed up, download the PDFs that come to your email,
and print out the plates.
Otherwise, your first step is to sign up at: sightsize.com/free-plates.

Preliminary Considerations
The original Bargue plates were lithographic prints, created with a lithographer’s crayon
from charcoal drawings. For your copies you have a choice of two mediums: charcoal and
graphite pencil.
When copying at their original, full size, it is often best to use charcoal. When copying
smaller than their full size, choose pencil. This guide explains both ways but is primarily
focused on full-size charcoal.
Note that the original paper used for Bargue’s plates was slightly off-white and over
time has discolored. Copying a discolored plate, but not the discoloration, is somewhat
counterproductive as the value comparisons will be off. To prevent that, all Bargue plates in
the email downloads have been digitally restored so that the light areas are white.
Additionally, the lines in the block-in (the left-most images on the plates) have been
darkened more than what is seen in the originals. I have done this for clarity.
Finally, the approach to learning to see explained in this guide is Sight-Size. Most
ateliers that teach Bargue plates do so using Sight-Size as well.
What is Sight-Size?
Sight-Size is simply an arrangement of the artist, subject and artwork that allows the artist
to see their subject and artwork one-to-one.
When in Sight-Size you do not need to first scale your source to your drawing. When
comparing in Sight-Size, the comparisons are direct: one-to-one, this equals that.
=
Materials
Supply lists for both charcoal and pencil are below.
Charcoal Pencil
• White charcoal paper (smooth side): • White drawing paper: Strathmore
either Canson Ingres or Strathmore 500 Bristol Smooth is preferred
• A selection of soft, medium, and hard • Graphite pencils: 4h, 2h, hb, 2b, 4b
sticks of charcoal: Nitram or W&N • A sanding block for sharpening
brands are preferred • A rubber eraser: Pink Pearl is preferred
• A sanding block for sharpening • A kneaded eraser
• A small section of chamois (for erasing) • A plumb line
• A kneaded eraser • A t-square
• A plumb line • Drawing board
• A t-square • Artist’s tape
• Drawing board • A small hand mirror
• Artist’s tape
• A small hand mirror
The Setup
The setup described below applies to both charcoal and pencil.
1. Print out the image of the heel at 100% size. The better your printer, the better the
print. If the quality is not what you hope, don’t fret. It is more important that you learn
to accurately see shape, value and edge than learning Bargue’s litho crayon technique.
2. Carefully cut between the two images, separating the block-in (the left most image)
from the finished drawing. Try to make your cut parallel to the sides of the paper.
3. Tape the print of the finished drawing and a small sheet of your chosen paper to your
drawing board, side-by-side. If the paper has a texture, draw on the smoother side.
4. If you are right-handed, put the print on the left. If you are left-handed, put the print
on the right. Place the print and the charcoal paper directly next to each other. Be sure
to align the print and your paper to the edges of the drawing board and to only tape
the four corners of each.
5. Though you could choose to copy this plate while seated, the directions assume that
you’re standing and the drawing board is vertically oriented on an easel.
6. Using a sharpened stick of soft charcoal (or a 2h pencil) and the t-square, very lightly
draw vertical line down the center of the charcoal paper. Make sure to draw it exactly
vertical.
7. Next, still using the soft charcoal or 2h pencil and the t-square, draw light lines from
the top and bottom of the heel image all the way across to your paper (see the image
on the following page). This determines the upper and lower extremes of the image.
Normally you would determine these initially by eye and use a plumb line to check.
8. Notice that there is a light, vertical center line on the block-in drawing. Lightly draw a
center line in the same place on the print of the finished drawing.
9. Lightly draw a similar vertical line on your drawing paper.
Your setup should look similar to what is shown on the following page. Note that what
is shown is for a left-handed artist. Right-handers would switch the setup around so the
image is on the left and their drawing is on the right.
Notice that the horizontal guidelines extend from the source image
across the drawing paper.
The demonstration plate.

Finding the Arabesque
You see what you expect to see based upon the context of the scene and
your experience. Learning to see accurately means teaching your mind to
ignore what it knows, at least for a time.
The Bargue plate we’re working with is a perfect source for learning
to see. It is a drawing of a sculpture of the back of someone’s foot.
However, this is not a view we usually see - and that’s the point. Your
mind will need to work harder to make experiential sense out of what this
image represents. It can therefore more quickly rely on literal sight.
All of the preceding was simply setup.

Now is when the seeing begins.
Try to analyze the finished drawing. Do not think about a person’s heel. Rather, look
at the image as an abstract set of connected shapes. This is key, for a sure way to fail from
the start is to try to draw a heel.
Nature, the usual source of things which we want to draw, is composed of
innumerably varied shapes. While it is true that many common objects (like a person or
animal) can be constructed through a memorized formula, doing that is not seeing. It is
repeating what your mind has learned. While there is a time for that, you want to learn
to see so that you can eventually draw everything you see, not merely the things for which
you know the formula.
The second step for drawing a Bargue plate is

accurately drawing its arabesque. Arabesque is another
word for contour and outline.
Oftentimes the initial stage of drawing the
arabesque is what is known as blocking-in. You can see
what that looks like in the portion of the print you cut
away and set aside. It’s shown on the left as well.
Although you are going to copy the finished
drawing, the initial stage of your drawing should look
like the block-in. Notice the following:
• The outline is faceted, meaning that it is drawn
with straight lines, not curves.
• Only the basic shapes of the image are drawn,
small details are left out.
The block-in portion of the • The main shadow line is drawn in the same way
demonstration plate. as the outline.
Farthest right
Farthest left
Farthest left and right.

The Guess and Check

Learning how to see accurately requires that you always guess at a placement before you
mechanically measure. Only after a naked eye guess should you resort to using tools.
Understand as well that the dimension of the measuring instrument will also affect
the measurement. Therefore, begin with your eye, check by measuring, and finally,
confirm by eye and comparing relationships.
The Extremes
Your first task when blocking-in is to determine the extremes. If you followed the previous
steps you will already have the top and bottom of the source marked with horizontal lines.
Next, look at the source with one eye closed. Try to determine the farthest right part
of the shape (see the diagram on the preceding page). Find this by visually guessing at the
distance from the vertical line to the point in question. Once you are confident, shift your
gaze over to your drawing and lightly place a mark at the same spot on your drawing.
Double-check that placement, by eye only. Then, using a plumb line, take a
measurement on the source, from the vertical line to the point. Move that measurement
over to your drawing to compare that width to your guess.
HOW TO USE A PLUMB LINE

Before I get to the plumb line, let me reiterate something. Your
eye will learn nothing if all you do is mechanically measure.
ALWAYS GUESS FIRST!
There are three ways to use a plumb line. All involve viewing
from your vantage point and, if standing, holding your arm(s)
out straight. Some call this locking your elbow(s).
To determine how one part of the object is vertically
related to another, hold the line as shown on the left. Visually
align it with your intended target and then pay attention to
how far away other parts of the object are from that line.
Move the plumb line over to your drawing, align it with
the target point you’ve already drawn and compare to the
relationships you’ve just observed on the source.
To check your eye’s accuracy for

widths:
1. Hold the line between both
hands.
2. Measure the source with your
thumbs.
3. Bring that measurement over
to your drawing..
4. If you’ve erred with your guess,
try to place the correct mark.
To check your eye’s accuracy for horizontals, hold the

plumb line between both hands and stretch them apart. Also
hold your drawing instrument (not shown in the photo). Be
sure to lock both elbows.
In order to be certain that you have the line level, visually

place it on the top or the bottom of your drawing board. Once
level, carefully lower both arms to the area you wish to measure.

Horizontally align the plumb line with an area on the
source image whose placement you wish to determine.
Scan across the line to the mark you previously placed
on your drawing. If your mark is in the wrong place, step
forward and correct. As you advance, never take your eye
off of the place where you intend to make the correction.
This process: eyeball a measurement > place your mark >

recheck > correct > check with a plumb line > correct, is something you will
repeat hundreds of times during the course of a drawing.
As your eye’s accuracy improves, you will need to measure less frequently.
HOW TO TRIANGULATE
Accuracy demands more than just measuring horizontals and verticals. It requires relating
all of the parts to the whole because when we see, we see in context. For shapes, the best
way to do this is to triangulate.
Triangulation not only gives you the angles of the shape in question, it also
automatically gives you accurate vertical and horizontal relationships. Fully understanding
this concept can result is dispensing with other measurements altogether. In fact, for a
trained artist, triangulation is perhaps the most common way to assure accurate shape
relationships.
The three images beginning after the next page attempt to explain the concept. For
clarity I have added green lines to each image. They represent the angles on the source
upon which I am visually aligning the stick of charcoal. Where they intersect is a salient
point. Once ascertained, I will draw those lines on the drawing.
HOW TO TRIANGULATE
After a guess with your eye alone, to triangulate with your pencil or charcoal:
1. Stand in your vantage point.
2. Hold your charcoal stick in your hand.
3. Hold your arm straight out and lock your elbow.
4. Visually place the straight side of the charcoal stick on the angle to be determined.
5. Once the charcoal is aligned on the source, carefully move your arm over to your
drawing, trying not to lose the angle of the stick.
6. After aligning the charcoal stick to your drawing, do your best to memorize the angle
and walk up to the paper.
7. Draw the angle.
8. Back up and check, by eye first, and then by comparing the angle with your charcoal.
9. Repeat with all angles.
HOW TO TRIANGULATE
HOW TO TRIANGULATE
HOW TO TRIANGULATE
Salient Points
Salient points are places on a shape
where the direction of the outline
changes. Your task is to plot these out
on your drawing. Don’t get carried
away with it. Just try to place points
at the areas of the line which change
direction the most.
However, simply measuring
points is not enough because likeness
resides in relationships. While you are
determining the correct placements,
pay attention to how their positions
relate to each other by triangulating
between the points. In other words, be
aware of the angles as much as you
are of the points. Connecting salient points (in green).
Once all of the salient points are plotted, lightly connect the points with straight
lines. When finished your block-in should look just like the image below, but a bit lighter.
The blocked-in arabesque.

Dividing Light from Shadow
Remember that there is no literal depth to the source image. It’s a flat
piece of paper! While real-world objects do have depth, the process of
closing one eye mitigates your depth perception which helps you draw.
Again, this is important because when drawing or painting the
means by which you represent depth is through value and edge, not
actual dimension.
Another help is squinting. When you squint your eye down, your
eyelids and lashes reduce the amount of light entering your eye. This
act effectively simplifies your perception of value.
Your next task is to close one eye and

squint at the source image. Try to deduce
where the shadow and light shapes meet.
Squinting helps you do this because the
lighter halftones appear to blend in with the
lights and the shadows appear more evenly
toned.
In our source image there is a strong
division between light and shade. The edge
where those shapes meet is called either
the bedbug line, the terminator, or the shadow
line. Whatever you prefer to call it, plot this
line just like you plotted the arabesque:
eyeball first, then check by measuring and
triangulating.
After you do that, your drawing should
look like the one on the following page.
The blocked-in arabesque and bedbug line.

Massing-In
When drawing we have a tendency to finish each area piece-by-

piece. This is called piecemeal seeing and it’s often a problem. Imagine a
brilliantly drawn nose in the wrong place on the face of the drawing. To
correct, you’ll have to redraw that brilliant nose. This time in the proper
place!
Furthermore, achieving accurate sight requires relating all of the
parts to the whole because when we see, we see in context. This concept
is equally true for value, edge, and color as it is for shape.
Now comes your initial foray into value.
Dark values are built up when using pencil, charcoal or paint. In other words, you
should not expect (nor even try) to achieve the exact value you see right off.
The reason is, just like shape, value accuracy is relative. It is more important that the
relationships between values are accurate than that each particular value is true. Yes, at
times you can have both, but not always. Remember, your eye adjusts its value perception
based upon visual context.
Shading begins with two values:

• A light (your paper)
• A dark (an evenly laid tone, made with your charcoal or pencil)
Let’s leave the white of the paper to represent the lights. Squint down and try to
ascertain a simplified value on the dark side of the source. For now, ignore the halftones.
From here on I am focusing on charcoal. Massing-in and modeling is similar in
pencil, though some of the specifics differ.
Begin massing-in (shading) with a soft stick of charcoal and keep it sharpened. This
approach to charcoal drawing is done with a point, not a blunt instrument.
Exactly how you shade is important.

Although it may not appear that way in the
image on the right, I was taught to shade by
drawing parallel lines at a 45° angle. This is
not scribbling, it is controlled shading.
Try to shade gently and evenly. Again,
sneak up on your values. I know that it’s
tempting, but do not blend your shading
with a stump or your finger. You need to
preserve your ability to erase and stumping
tends to mar the paper enough that
completely erasing can become impossible.
Keep the edges between the value
shapes defined, the way the stones in a
mosaic look.
The massed-in drawing - beginning.
If you look at the images on the previous page, you’ll notice that my drawing is still a
simplified version of the source. Careful looking will also reveal that my shading is mostly
lighter than the outlines and that my outline is thicker than what is seen on the source.
Using a kneaded eraser, correct the shadow shapes. Pinch it to a point and draw with
it like you would with charcoal, except that you’re erasing rather than leaving a mark.
Slowly darken the shadows. Keep squinting now and then to make sure that you are
not shading too dark.
Also, frequently flick your eye back and forth between your drawing and the source.
Doing that tends to show errors in an obvious way. You’ll see what I mean if you try it
with the images on the previous page.
Between the eraser and the charcoal you should be able to come up with something
like the drawing on the following page. Notice that at this stage I have also erased the
guidelines.
The massed-in drawing.

Next, ghost out* the remaining outline

just far enough so that you can still barely see
it.
Correctly redraw the outline with a
sharpened stick of medium charcoal. Also,
add any interior lines which are present in the
source image. If you have trouble drawing a
light enough line, sharpen up a stick of hard
charcoal and use that.
Your drawing should now look like the
image on the right.
*Ghosting out means to faintly erase. This process slightly

preserves your drawing and therefore gives you the
opportunity to make more accurate corrections.
The massed-in drawing -
arabesque corrected.
The source image, with guidelines erased.

Modeling
Two things remain and both exist under the umbrella term: modeling.
They are halftones and edges. These are intimately related because any
edge which is not sharp is composed of some form of halftone. Edge is
also how two-dimensional shapes on a sheet of paper are turned* into an
illusion of three-dimensions.
The source image has roughly two values of halftones. Use a
sharpened stick of medium charcoal (and/or, if necessary, a hard) and
carefully draw these in. Feel free to lightly outline them first, just like
you did when massing-in the shadow shape.
*When you soften an edge you are visually turning the form.
The full process of accurately seeing value relationships involves progressively

opening your eyes from a squint.
Given the simplistic nature of the source, I would do the following:
1. Make sure that the overall shadow value in your drawing matches the source when you
look at both while squinting.
2. When half-squinting, try to find the darkest dark on the source image (in this case,
almost the entire shadow-side of the source is the darkest dark). Make sure that your
drawing represents that.
3. Still half-squinting, decide which halftones are the darkest. Mass them in on your
drawing.
4. Once the darker halftones are massed-in, flick your eye back and forth between the
source and your drawing. Were you accurate? If not, correct.
5. Do the same for the lighter halftones.
Edges have a hierarchy as well, just like

values. With your eyes fully open, search for
the sharpest sharp on the source image.
Then, find the softest soft. To
reproduce this on your drawing might
require erasing an edge to sharpen it.
You will likely need to use a very sharp,
hard stick of charcoal to succeed at fully
softening the softest soft.
At this point, your drawing should be

complete and look like the one shown on the
right.
Halftones and edges modeled.

Well done! You finished. What’s Next?

Assuming that you signed up at sightsize.com/free-plates, you’ll be in the sequence of
emails to receive your plates. I would recommend drawing those plates in the same way I
explain in this guide.
The next step in a traditional atelier or art school would be cast drawing. As you’ll
learn through the series of emails as well as in the articles on sightsize.com, I can help you
with that. You can even do it in your own home. The two options for you are a book and
an online course.

The Sight-Size Cast Book
Much like this guide, The Sight-Size Cast book will help you learn how to see and draw.
Step-by-step instructions take you from setting up a cast drawing arrangement in a
makeshift studio all the way to drawing and then painting casts in Sight-Size.
There is also quite a bit of history and theory packed into the book as well. This is to
help you better understand why I have you do what you’re doing so that you won’t get lost
on your own.
The Sight-Size Cast Drawing Online Course

Most who try to learn to draw on their own do better with video examples and
explanations. That is why I created the Sight-Size Cast Drawing online course.
The course uses video, images, and text to lead you through the entire process of
cast drawing in Sight-Size. It is as close to attending an atelier as is possible online.
GET THE BOOK HERE! ENROLL IN THE COURSE HERE!

sightsize.com/the-sight-size-cast/ atelierrousar.com/sight-size-cast-drawing/

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STEPS TO SEEING

Bargue Plate Copies in Sight-Size

The demonstration plate.

Otherwise, your first step is to sign up at: sightsize.com/free-plates.

The demonstration plate.

All of the preceding was simply setup.

The second step for drawing a Bargue plate is

Farthest left and right.

The Guess and Check

HOW TO USE A PLUMB LINE

ALWAYS GUESS FIRST!

HOW TO USE A PLUMB LINE

To check your eye’s accuracy for

HOW TO USE A PLUMB LINE

To check your eye’s accuracy for horizontals, hold the

In order to be certain that you have the line level, visually

HOW TO USE A PLUMB LINE

This process: eyeball a measurement > place your mark >

The blocked-in arabesque.

Your next task is to close one eye and

The blocked-in arabesque and bedbug line.

When drawing we have a tendency to finish each area piece-by-

Shading begins with two values:

Exactly how you shade is important.

The massed-in drawing.

Next, ghost out* the remaining outline

*Ghosting out means to faintly erase. This process slightly

The source image, with guidelines erased.

The full process of accurately seeing value relationships involves progressively

Edges have a hierarchy as well, just like

At this point, your drawing should be

Halftones and edges modeled.

Well done! You finished. What’s Next?

The Sight-Size Cast Drawing Online Course

GET THE BOOK HERE! ENROLL IN THE COURSE HERE!

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