Getting Started This book is a guide to the history and art of ancient Rome The drawings and paintings are based on Roman architecture and sculpture and the wall paintings and mosaics of ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum Roman cities Roman roads and buildings are so well built that some are still used today Much of the art of Pompeii and Herculaneum was preserved because it was buried for almost two thousand years by volcanic ash from the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in a.d. 79 Many of the colors in our illustrations are the colors that the Romans used especially the bright red which was a favorite of the Pompeiians The first drawing lesson is of a Roman legionary the Roman foot soldier He had to be in good condition to march and fight in full body armor In addition he carried a sword dagger shield and one or two spears If you want to know more about Roman arms and other details of Roman life there
are many beautiful and interesting books on ancient Rome Also museums have many fine examples of Roman art for us to enjoy
You only need a few simple supplies to do the drawings in this book Ordinary paper pencils a sharpener and some kneaded erasers will do the job And if you want to paint your drawings any type of watercolor paint and brush will get you started 1 Guidelines help you to draw figures with natural looking proportions Take a little extra time to make sure yours follow those in the drawing lesson before you add basic shapes 2 Add muscle curves to legs Notice that the soldier is shown holding his shield It’s important for artists to know such details even if they later cover or remove them 3 Draw details of the plate armor This type of body armor came into use at about a.d. 40 Before that Roman soldiers wore ring mail which was heavier and gave less protection against spears and arrows The metal studded leather straps protected the lower body Finally erase the arm holding shield and add decorations to shield add the spear point to shaft Painting To paint one of your drawings first transfer it to heavier paper Here is a simple way to transfer your drawing First rub the underside of your drawing with a soft 3B-4B pencil Then tape the drawing to the heavier paper Trace your drawing with a sharp pencil Now and then lift a corner to see if the transfer is working You can also use carbon paper
When using watercolors paint lighter colors first and darker ones last To keep the colors clear and bright always use clean water to mix colors Outline painted areas with a very dark pencil You can also color your drawings with colored pencils markers and crayons
