ABSTRACT
Artists engage in sketching when they have ideas or subjects in mind. This chapter presents an attempt to investigate the relationship between life sketching and painting in traditional Chinese aesthetics. This analysis will help to develop an understanding of aesthetic approaches to life sketching and its relation to painting. Exploring drawing and sketches in a Western context has made my position as a Chinese researcher particularly interesting, as the author has realized that he cannot isolate my Chinese heritage and cultural background from this work. It also suggests how a contemporary artist may apply and interpret this traditional method in their drawing practice. Specifically it explores the possibilities for a contemporary artist to interpret and apply the way Chinese traditional artists conveyed the object, underpinned by an appropriate understanding of the subject. The chapter provides some background about the status of sketching in contemporary Chinese art practice.
