Sheet of Studies [recto and verso] 

This sheet of studies was made by John Flaxman, probably in the late 18th or early 19th century, using graphite on paper. The effect of graphite on paper is one of immediacy. It's a direct, accessible medium, capable of capturing the fleeting nature of an idea. Look closely, and you'll notice the varying pressure of the artist’s hand. Some lines are bold and assertive, others barely a whisper on the page. This allows for a sense of depth and volume, despite the two-dimensional nature of the drawing. The ease of graphite allows for the rapid generation of ideas, moving from one to the next. There is a sense of freedom. The act of drawing here becomes a form of thinking, a way of working through ideas, and in the process, challenging the hierarchy between finished artwork and preliminary sketch.