Drawing in the Dark - Capturing Captain America with Pen and Pencil

Captain America's shield has how many rings?

Wanting to see more clearly, I brought my sketchbook, pens and pencils to the Hadley Cinemark.

Robert Downey Jr., Cap America - Ink on Paper

Drawing the action from Captain America: Civil War in a darkened theater, I could not see what I was doing.

Marvel - Pencil on Paper

When I bring my Cultivating Creativity students to the Springfield Museums, I invite them to draw the art in order to see the works deeply and to gain a richer understanding of artists' mindsets.  I ask students to do blind contour drawings.  This approach, designed to promote clarity of observation, involves keeping one's eyes on the subject matter while not looking at what the pencil is doing.  Sort of like drawing in the dark.

Red Star on Book of Russian Trigger Words (top left)
White Star on Captain America's Shield (bottom)
Hammer and Sickle (top right)
 Ink on Paper

The good guys and the bad guys both employed the symbolism of stars.  I threw in a hammer and sickle for good measure.

Captain America's Retro Helmet - Pencil on Paper 

2D Rubbing of 3D Glasses - Pencil on Paper

I had greater visibility during the closing credits, allowing for more precision as I did a rubbing of my 3D glasses.

There are three rings on Captain America's shield.

Professor John Nordell teaches courses in the Visual and Digital Arts program at American International College in Springfield, Mass. He blogs about the creative process at CreateLookEnjoy.com

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