Category Archives: My Styles of Drawing and Colouring

Definitions and descriptions of my style of drawing and colouring.

Alternate Overdraw on Continuous Line Drawing

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After my early attempts at continuous line drawing, and then alternate shading, I tried Alternate Overdraw on top of my continuous line drawings.  This produced some fascinating results which led to developments throughout my art.

Alternative Overdraw on Continuous Line of the Horse, start A to B.

Draw from A to B to start Alternate Overdraw on Single Continuous Line Drawing of the Horse.

Lets use the Horse as an example.  Here is a lightly drawn Continuous Line (sorry if you have to tilt your lap top to see it all).  Start at point A and use a thicker pen or marker and draw over the first section of line, in the direction of the arrow, between the two crossovers.  Then miss a section before overdrawing the next section of line.  Keep going overdrawing alternate sections to point B.  You will see that already some overdraw sections are forming closed lines.

 

Alternate Overdraw of continuous line of horse.

Complete Alternate Overdraw of Continuous Line Drawing of horse from point A.

 

 

The next illustration shows the complete Alternate Overdraw and all these new darker lines form closed lines.

 

 

 

Naturally, if we start the Alternate Overdraw in a section which was not overdrawn in the above example (eg at X below), then this produces a result where a completely different set of closed lines appear.

 

Other Alternate Overdraw on Continuous Line of horse.

Other Alternate Overdraw on Single Continuous Line Drawing of horse, starting at X.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the above findings I first developed my Colour Sequence ideas, which I will expand upon in the next post.

Later I used the closed lines to help in the construction of large models of my continuous line drawings as well as to devise hidden drawings within continuous lines.  More later on those.

The Alternate Overdraw method also led to a way to find a path through Four Colour Theory maps as part of my attempt to prove that theory nearly 40 years ago.

So, watch this space !!

Variable grid single lines

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In 1969 when I was selling prints in the Merrion Centre art exhibition in Leeds, some one asked “Are your drawings done by computer ? ”   At the time computers were rubbish regarding any form of drawing, so I eventually made my own “drawing machine”. 

In 1973 I built a box with 8 perspex rulers lying in one direction and 8 more perspex rulers lying on top at 90 degrees to the lower ones.  Each ruler had alternate inches marked (or not marked)  with a thickish black line.  Any ruler could be pushed in or out one inch to change the whole pattern of single lines displayed by looking down through the rulers (the box could be lit from underneath). 

I could keep altering various rulers until an interesting pattern of lines appeared.  I call these “variable grid single lines”.  One seemed to represent a church and I applied a colour sequence to the picture.  Recently I have modified some of the sky colours and stretched the picture to a rectangle on canvas and here is the result.

Church with Red Sky. Variable grid single line drawing. Mick Burton, 2014

Church with Red Sky. Variable grid single continuous line drawing. Mick Burton, 2014

 

I did many larger drawings on large square graph paper but found that you can’t vary the lines without a lot of rubbing out.  What you can do is look for smaller areas within the grid which provides a good picture in its own right and replicate that.  The single lines can go out at the sides of the picture, but it is possible to create a continuous line within the picture and then any lines within that are all closed lines as well. 

Both these methods are,  of course, stepping off points for putting these sorts of designs onto a modern computer and generating loads of possibilities in the twinkle of an eye.  I try not to cross that line and feel that it is important for me to keep in the pre-computer art sphere, so that any of my drawings can be created using the mind and the hand with minimal use of technology.   Some latitude is allowed, for as  David Hockney has said, “a pencil is technology”.

I am interested in what computers produce, even though I do not want to use their creative expertise myself,  and was amused when I read about an artist who programmed his computer to generate hundreds of his pictures overnight, whilst he was asleep, and then in the morning he would wade through the results and pick out a few good ones.

The brick wall, as far as my interest in computer pictures or animation is concerned, is when I cannot tell whether what I am seeing is a photograph or film sequence of the real world or a clever computer animation.  That is where art dies.

 

Continuous Line Zebra

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I visited Yorkshire Wildlife Park in June 2014, along with fellow members of the Association of Animal Artists.  It was an introduction viewing of the animals to be followed up by an Exhibition of our paintings which took place at the Park on Saturday 26 July.  Tigers, Lions, a Leopard and the Zebras were particularly impressive in their large enclosures. 

I have aways been keen to draw a Zebra in my style but the stripes are such a strong feature that I could not work out a way of doing the animal justice with my crossover continuous lines.  Of course I had seen prints of Victor Vasarely intertwined Zebras, done before the war, which helped kick start Optical Art.

Zeus, 5 year old stallion Zebra at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Zeus, 5 year old stallion Zebra at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Here is my photo of Zeus, a 5 year old stallion Zebra (with a brown nose). 

 

 

 

 

 

I decided that I could use a continuous line, without any crossovers, to follow the pattern of the stripes as far as possible.  As the background of my picture is white, the gaps in the lines around black stripes allow the white to flow through and become white stripes.

 

 

Zeus, Zebra at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Zeus, single continuous line drawing of Zebra at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

 

Of course I like to have a separate picture of the continuous line drawing without any shading  or colour and I considered calling this version “Albino Zebra”.  However, on searching this phrase on Google it turns out that there is only one albino Zebra in captivity in the world and that is in Hawaii (and this is not really an albino but a White Golden Zebra with a lack of pigment in its stripes).  In the wild the stripes are pretty essential for camouflage and “albinos” do not survive for long.  The Hawaii Zebra is a female called Zoe and so is smaller (and a bit scruffier) than Zeus.  I therefore had to do a specific continuous line drawing of Zoe with a faint slate colouring.

Zoe, albino Zebra, Three Ring Ranch, Hawaii

Zoe, albino Zebra, Three Ring Ranch, Hawaii.  Mick Burton single continuous line drawing.

Why “Continuous Line” ? What is the point of it ?

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You may ask why I am so bothered about the line being “Continuous”.  Well here we go –    Skelldale. Continuous line drawing.

The Continuous Line gives the drawing an enclosed flexible structure, or environment, which in turn means that all parts are related to some degree.  If I modify sections of a drawing there can be ramifications elsewhere, which may be small or extensive.  “Skelldale” was one of my earliest continuous line drawings.

When I compose a drawing I have to bear in mind that the line must return to the start point.  This is a lot of fun when I do an abstract, but for a figurative drawing it is more difficult as I am aware that the drawing will constantly change.  However, I have learned that this difficulty can help to trigger the creative force that often lies within the drawing.

This discipline of having to make choices on the route of the line, or modifying the route, can produce an extra structural effect or dynamic of movement which I may not have foreseen.  This creation of a result beyond my intention is similar to what happens in nature, where the practical necessity of combining all the elements needed in an animal or a plant often evolve into a tremendous design.

        Lizard. Continuous line with colour sequence. Mick Burton, 1971

A further result of the Continuous Line is its creative effect on colours applied.  I worked out a method of applying colour sequences which can further enhance the natural structure and dynamic effect.  A colour only occurring once can be in a key area, eg. the eye of the Iguana.  I used a special repeat pattern for the scale effect.

 

 

 

Flame on the Sun. Spherical continuous line. Mick Burton, 1972My “spherical” drawings, where the line goes out of one side of the page and in at the opposite side, also produce a special arrangement of colours which can apply to a sphere.  The “Flame on the Sun” has coloured areas which match if the picture has its sides pulled around to meet in a cylinder.  However, there is no such match top to bottom, where a “bunching” effect would form the “poles” to complete a sphere. 

Africa. Four colour map theorem. Continuous line. Mick Burton, 1974.

My knowledge of Continuous Lines also lead to my creating them within natural structures when I researched the Four Colour Map Theorem 40 years ago.  This single line along boundaries of the countries of Africa (from my 1950’s school atlas), goes through every boundary junction once only.  I could connect up the two loose ends to make it “Continuous” !  You can use two alternate colours for countries inside the line and another two alternate colours for countries (and the sea) outside the line and you have your Four colours.  Proving that you only need four colours for any map is a different matter !

 So there we are, my fascination with my lines continues.  I will cover all these types of line further subsequently.

 

 

 

 

 

Definition of “Continuous Line Drawing”

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As I mentioned in my first blog, there are many definitions of “Continuous Line Drawing”, most of which refer to a line which does NOT re-connect.

One of these is that the pen never leaves the paper and you draw until the picture is finished, but that you start and end where you like.  Also “Blind Contour Drawing” puts emphasis on looking at the subject throughout whilst you draw a single line.  These types may also have many merged lines and it may be unclear whether there is only one line, eg. when shading is done by repeatedly going over an area with the line.

To me, a line is only Continuous if it ends at the start point.  Lines that do not re-connect I call “One Line” or “Single Line”.  I only use the word “Continuous” if the line completes a circuit continually.   I own a book entitled “Picasso’s One Liners” which has over 50 of his great drawings, which all start and end in different places and, correctly, there is no mention of “Continuous”.

A One Liner in style of Picasso. M BurtonHere is a demonstration drawing I did last year based on a Picasso “One Liner”.  To be “Continuous” the line would need to return from the foot to the start point in the hat.

 

 

 

 

 

My definition of “Continuous Line Drawing” is one drawn line which ends back at the start point and the continuous route can be clearly followed throughout.Elephant,. Continuous line drawing.

My basic style has lots of cross overs of the line, but some artists produce continuous lines which never cross over – which is fine.

Here are the “rules” of my basic style, where the line crosses over itself many times.

 

  • The finished continuous line has to cross over itself at least once, but must end where it starts.  It can be drawn in sections as long as the completed line is continuous (you don’t have to amaze everyone by doing it in one go without taking the pen off the paper !)
  • Where the line crosses itself it must be clear that there is only one line (not several merged lines).
  • A line can be drawn off the side of a sheet as long as it clearly re-enters the sheet at the corresponding point on the opposite side.  Similarly, if the line goes out at the top it must re-enter at the corresponding point at the bottom.  This enables the continuous route to be still clearly identified.  I call these “Spherical” drawings, in the way that an atlas map of the earth on a flat sheet denotes a globe.

So that is it !  I just wished to make it clear that most of the images which are referred to on the internet as “Continuous Line Drawings” are not really (to me).

Black and White Alternate Shading

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010. 1966-9. Cat, or Ragamuffin. Alternate shade, black. Whilst doodling at work (I was articled to a Chartered Accountant) I was already using alternate shading on some drawings.   I realised that if you initially shaded one outer area on a continuous line drawing, and then worked alternately through the doodle, all outside areas became shaded.   Bridget Riley’s Optical Art (or Op Art) in black and white, with its shimmering effect, suddenly appeared in the early 1960’s.   I started black alternate shading on some of my new figurative drawings.   I now realise that most of Op Art was abstract to make the most of the effect, whereas I was doing animals, people and landscapes.

My Lion in particular produced its own shimmering effect.
016. 1967-9. Lion. Alternate shading, black.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To extend the scope of my continuous line drawings, along with the alternate shading, I had a go at a landscape based upon the countryside where I grew up near Ripon and called it Skelldale.   I could walk along the banks of the River Skell upstream to Fountains Abbey.

006. 1966-7. River, Skelldale. Alternate shading, black.

An exception to the abstraction in Op Art was Zebras (in 1937) by Victor Vaserely, in which he used the black and white stripes of intertwined zebras, and it was one of the very first Op Art pictures.   He then became largely abstract in the 1950’s.   He was unknown to me until several years after I started in 1965.

This was In about 1971 when I walked past Christies Auction house in London, when taking my pictures to an exhibitions agent, and I saw through a window some black and white abstract drawings which had a similarity to mine.   I went in and was amazed at the variety of drawings, so many having aspects which I had experimented with.   The lowest estimate was £14 and I considered leaving a bid, but I decided that it was a lot of money (then) and that I had similar ones at home (stupid boy).   A week or so later I read in the newspaper that Vaserely had been selected to design the emblem for the next Olympic Games (1974).   I should have left that bid !

 

 

 

 

 

Animals in My Art – How I Started.

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My first Animal drawn with a continuous line was the Horse, which was based upon a painting by George Stubbs, where a horse is savaged by a lion. I used the general image of the horse, but with a calm and flowing style (rather than it appearing to be scared witless).003. 1966-5. Horse. Cont line.The Cat was drawn quickly, in about 15 minutes, without reference to any picture. My main memories of cats in my childhood were at my Dad’s work, a market garden in Ripon where he was the foreman. There were always several cats around, which were kept to control the mice and rats in the gardens. Dad called every one “Tib”. The downside was the periodic drowning of kittens to keep the numbers in check. I particularly liked one cat which always appeared to have been in a fight, and so I drew a dislocated tail on my cat. This sort of tail became a trademark in some later animals.
Cat, continuous line.

Following our April Fools Day party on 1 April 1966 (the day after the General Election) when I did my Harold Wilson continuous line, our next venture was a Pink Elephant party.  So I was asked to do another picture.  This elephant was based upon a drawing in a book of animals.  I added a dislocated tail and appropriate colour.012. 1967-3. Pink Elephant. Alternate shading.People said that the flowing lines on the Horse and the Elephant gave an appearance of elegance, whereas some animals were a bit more aggressive.  So I decided that I would draw a Lion in a seated position, with the lower part of its body at ease and relaxed, but with the head suddenly giving out a great roar.  The roar was based upon the opening sequence of Metro Goldwyn Mayer films, where the lion roars through a gap in the logo.

I have a strong memory of sitting with a blank piece of paper in front of me and thinking that I had done the Horse, Cat and Elephant and they had all turned out well.  I had not yet failed to create a picture better than I had anticipated.  Would the Lion work out ?  You just have to start and see what happens.             015. 1967-8. Lion, or Mayer. Cont line.

On the Internet, a couple of years ago, I saw a feature which allowed you to put your own face in the Metro Goldwyn Mayer logo.  Of course I chose to put my Lion’s head in there. Their Lion was called Leo, but I prefer Mayer.pixiz_4f02e0881fb14[1]

 

                                                                                                                                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

My sort of Continuous Line Drawing

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Welcome to my Website and Blog.

My style has generated all sorts of reactions, often surprise and delight, and there have been many questions as to how I do my pictures.

There are many definitions of Continuous Line Drawing, and I will look at several of these in future blogs, but I will start with my own basic style.  I developed this style between 1965 and 1974 and then had a break for nearly 40 years.

Here is a sketch I did in 2012 when first attending Stainbeck Arts Club in Leeds.  It was one of several 10 minute sketches that we did, taking it in turn to be the “model”.  This sitter, Barrie, did all the composition for me and I was fortunate with the viewpoint.  I did very little shading and no shadow, but was not considering a continuous line follow up at the time. 

Stainbeck Artist. One of several 10 minute sketches from one afternoon. Mick Burton, 2012.

Stainbeck Artist. One of several 10 minute sketches from one afternoon. Mick Burton, 2012.

At home later, Joan particularly liked this sketch out of the several I had done. She suggested that I do a Continuous Line of it as she had not seen a new one since we had met. In fact I had not done a Continuous line portrait of a person since 1966 when I drew Harold Wilson.

So, on a copy of the sketch, I have penned in Red the marks which I used as a start point for developing the key features and overall structure.

Marks for single line on Artist sketch.

Then the key identifying features were done with groups of continuous lines.

Connecting up the initial feature areas was by using lines matching the structure and texture of the subject where possible. Some changes had to be made to make it work.

A general “tuning up” completed the whole Continuous Line Drawing effect.

Stainbeck Artist, a Continuous Line Drawing from a 10 minute sketch. Mick Burton, 2012.

Stainbeck Artist, a Continuous Line Drawing from a 10 minute sketch. Mick Burton, 2012.

I have always enjoyed the final stage, which includes the flowing decorative effect of the line, which has entranced me since I first saw Art Nouveau pictures when I was 9 years old.

I also show the picture after I have applied colours. My style of colours will be explained later, but this picture helps to demonstrate why I prefer to do a complete continuous line rather than starting at one place and finishing at another. The colours only work naturally if there is a complete continuous line where each crossing of lines is a clear junction.

Stainbeck Artist in continuous line and colour sequence. Mick Burton, 2012.

Stainbeck Artist, single continuous line drawing and colour sequence. Mick Burton, 2012.

This is my basic style. I have many related styles which have grown out of this, mostly related to my observations of how nature operates.

I hope that you found this first post to be useful and are looking forward to more from me.  Any comments, observations, questions or requests will be very welcome.