Projected Demo

A methodological teaching tool

The source of idea dates back to December of 2008. During the performance of the excellent young organist Daniel Somogyi-Toth at Saint Michael’S Church, in Budapest, both hands and feet of the artist were simultaneously projected to an altar screen in front of the audience, while he played in the gallery high above and behind us.

This is what we‘d need in freehand drawing instruction! I wish we could show the chronological sequence how a drawing unfolds equally to every student by means of a web camera fixed to the demonstrator’s drawing board!

Through my research in the sequence of drawing, I have already established still image phases ready to be united as slide shows.

All beginnings are difficult. We need effective pedagogical methods at the initial stages of drawing a new subject to help wavering students past their occasional deadlock. The most frequently asked questions are: “Where should I begin? What is the sequence of drawing to be followed?”

I have found that a simulated experience of drawing alongside the students is a really valuable starting method. The instructor mingles with his students, walks around the subject, helps find the best possible viewing angle and shows how to get started by beginning to draw himself.

The demonstration doesn’t mean complete execution. Its role is similar to the lancing rocket of the space shuttle: the first stage accelerates the shuttle, then, after having put it on course, becomes detached from it.

The professor’s personal example is crucial in advanced drawing instruction. The demonstration should be adapted to audience’s readiness and given circumstances. On the other hand, completed examples, models of earlier years exhibited in the background enrich the ambiance of the show.

 

The problem is that only few of a group of students can have the correct unobstructed view of the unfolding demonstration on instructor’s drawing board by standing around him. What they see depends on their actual position to the center. Even if their view is not fully blocked, looking from an acute angle, they’ll see little, and much distorted. Pushed back to worse place, they will get even less.

It is desirable that every participant should get equal quality view of the show. Students farthest behind should see the teacher’s hand as well as fellow students standing right close to him.

The pedagogical intent is to monitor the draftsman’s hand in movement constantly.

Because of increased number of students in a group, correction time per participant is constantly diminishing. By employing a process that extends training in space and time, our effectiveness would improve.

First of all calm, spacious interiors should be considered where projecting is possible. (Basilica, Opera, Museum, Concert Hall, etc). Many subjects are suitable for projected demo.

Sunny, windy exteriors with much traffic are exceptions, because bright light makes projection impossible. Even in such cases the presentation should be documented, because subjects are repeated.

 

During general introduction at the start of semester all kinds of topics could be projected: know-how of basic construction, drawing technique, art of sketching - any details students are interested in.

Words fly away but recorded pictures remain, we believe. We can easily publish edited versions of drawing sequences to the Web.

Summary

Students can follow the process of demo drawing live, as part of the introduction to a new subject. The show demonstrates the chronological order of a perspective drawing’s basic structure. At the same time the teacher’s personal manner of drawing is documented as well. The projected demo is a magic mirror transmitting an example of equal quality for every participant, independent of their spatial position to the teacher. Everybody can see the projected image equally.

The show might be pulled apart in space and in time. According to my suggestion, edited versions of transient words and pictures should be documented.

I wish we possessed such living documentation of our excellent ancestors’ efforts!

List of needed tools:

A – Laptop

B – Webcam

C – Camera mounting clamped to the drawing board

D – Projector

E – Screen (or empty wall surface)

F – Electrical supply

G – Tripod, easel, underlay, etc.