THEORIES

Artist is Genius-Leonardo da Vinci
During the Renaissance the arts began rising to higher forms of respectability. The artist, rather than being thought of as one part of an entire process, is regarded as a genius with "Divine" powers. One of the best examples of these gifted artists is Leonardo da Vinci. In addition to his work as an artist, da Vinci is an inventor, an engineer, an anatomist, and a scientist. He writes a treatise on drawing and painting in which he suggests that students work within a hierarchy. Da Vinci believes that students should first draw from master's works, then from three dimensional casts of the human figure, and finally from a live model. These rules transcend the years and continue to be followed by art students today.