Natural Measuring Tools & Stereotypes

An artist with his arm stuck out in front of him, holding a pencil, or a thumb, up to his subject and closing one eye (and probably wearing a smock and a beret), is a long-established, and traditional, image – nothing says ‘artist’ more, except, perhaps a glass of wine and a long, thin, twisty moustache (and a bandaged ear). Sterotypical, it may be, but I often like to point out to students that the arm-sticking-out-thing is far from just being a bit of a poser (with the odd exception, of course). It actually serves a very important function…

Unless you’re endowed with rare skeletal properties that force your arms to vary in length from one day to the next, the arm, being of constant length, provides an excellent companion to the perfect measuring tool; the pencil.

A pencil held at arm’s length can be tilted to identify the angle of a roof, for instance (bringing your sketch pad up to the pencil is the best way to transpose that angle accurately onto your paper). Placing your thumb on the side of the pencil is a convenient method of ascertaining the relative height and width of an object, and comparing it with adjacent objects (holding your pencil horizontally up to an object, and gliding it across to another is the perfect way of deciding which objects are taller than their neighbours, and by which amount). Remember; every element within a composition is linked in size, shape, and relative position each other.

As well as making you look more intense; closing one eye helps you to focus more clearly, and accurately, on the pencil.

A beret is a great place to carry your sandwiches.