Practice Makes Perfect

Many artists make decisions about composition while they create an artwork. For instance, a painter might decide in the moment what shape to make a brushstroke or how bright to make a highlight. Sol LeWitt made all of his decisions before even starting one of his wall drawings. At the time, this was a new idea in art. In the works shown here, you can see how LeWitt developed one of his geometric concepts—and how other artists interpreted it. How does LeWitt’s idea transform over time?

Artists often make decisions while they work. A painter might choose what shape to make a brushstroke or what color paint to use. Sol LeWitt made all of his decisions about a composition before he started a wall drawing. At the time, this was a new way of art-making. In the works shown here, you can see how LeWitt developed one of his ideas and how other artists interpreted it. How does LeWitt’s idea change over time?

• LeWitt titled the drawing above Untitled (A square divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts, each with a different direction of lines).
• As in most of his works, the name provides instructions for how to execute the design.
• Unlike most LeWitt works, the artist drew this one himself. He sketched it on a postcard and mailed it to a friend in 1971.
• LeWitt uses parallel horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines in different sections of the divided square.
• He sketched it with ink, probably working quickly. The lines aren’t perfectly straight and the corners don’t meet at right angles.

• The 1971 drawing above is called Untitled (A square divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts, each with a different direction of lines).
• In the title, LeWitt includes instructions for making the design.
• Unlike most of his work, he drew this one himself. He drew it with pen on a postcard and mailed it to a friend.
• LeWitt uses horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines in a divided square. The lines in each section are parallel, meaning they do not cross.

• The 1992 version of LeWitt’s design, above, is called Bands of Color in Four Directions (Within a Square). He uses black pencil and watercolor paint.
• The basic pattern is the same as in the drawing on the postcard, but here he uses colorful bands. They are wider and more precise than the ink drawing.
• LeWitt’s instructions do not specify which colors to use.
• The scale is much larger than the postcard sketch, at about 40 inches on each side.
• Compare the title of this example with the title of the postcard. Which instructions are more specific?

• The 1992 version of LeWitt’s work, called Bands of Color in Four Directions (Within a Square), is pictured above. LeWitt uses black pencil and watercolor paint.
• The basic pattern matches the drawing on the postcard. But here LeWitt uses colorful bands. They are wider and straighter than the lines in the drawing.
• The work is about 40 inches on each side.
• Compare the title of this work with the title of the postcard. Which instructions provide

• The full title of the wall drawing at far left is Wall Drawing #681C: A wall divided vertically into four equal squares separated and bordered by black bands. Within each square, bands in one of four directions, each with color ink washes superimposed.
• In this large-scale work, the four patterned squares from the postcard and painting above are arranged next to each other rather than within a square.
• Instead of watercolor paint, LeWitt wanted artists to use layered gray, yellow, red, and blue ink. Layering inks allows the artists executing the work to achieve a wide range of hues.
• Two artists first inked this work on a wall in 1993. Then in 2008, other artists installed the version shown here. The artists layered the inks differently each time, resulting in a new combination of colors.

• The full title of the wall drawing at far left is A wall divided vertically into four equal squares separated and bordered by black bands. Within each square, bands in one of four directions, each with color ink washes superimposed.
• This work covers a whole wall. The artists arranged the patterned squares from the postcard and the painting above next to one another instead of in a larger square.
• LeWitt had artists use gray, yellow, red, and blue ink. They layered the ink to create a wide range of hues.
• Artists first inked this work on a wall in 1993. In 2008, other artists installed this version. They layered inks in new ways to make a different combination of colors.