tekenkunst

Tekenkunst, or drawing art, refers to visual art produced primarily through marking a surface with a dry or liquid medium to represent forms, ideas, or phenomena. It includes studies, preparatory sketches, and finished works, and can function as an independent art form or as the foundation for painting, sculpture, and design. Core elements are line, tone, value, texture, and composition.

Techniques and media include pencil, graphite, charcoal, ink, wash, chalk, and digital tools. Methods such as contour drawing, gesture drawing, shading, hatching, cross-hatching, and stippling are used to describe form and volume. Observational drawing relies on direct observation, while imaginative drawing explores concepts without a visual model. Perspective and proportion are central to representing space and anatomy.

History of drawing spans ancient times to contemporary practice. In the Renaissance it became a primary means of study and invention, with masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer advancing drawing as an investigative practice. In the 17th to 19th centuries, drawing served as preparation and documentation for painting, printmaking, and design. The 20th century saw shifts toward abstraction and experimentation, while digital drawing emerged with tablets and software in the late 20th and 21st centuries.

Practice and reception: Drawing remains essential in education and professional work, from life sessions and anatomical studies to design and illustration. In contemporary art, drawing overlaps with comics, concept art, and digital media, expanding its methods and applications.

Notable practitioners include Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, Käthe Kollwitz, Pablo Picasso, Egon Schiele, and Henri Matisse.