Tutor Feedback - Assignment 4

Assignment 4 - Tutor feedback

From assignment 4 my tutor gave me some good advice....

"A hint to help you with your next work Try to get into the habit off varying the lines as you sketch. Use those initial lines to show light and dark sides and tones. E.g. draw heavy lines on one side of the house, and the lightest hint of a line on the opposite side, then, in two lines you have made a note of tone, light, surface and shading for later. Try some experiments to note as much as you can in as few lines........you can vary the strength of the line , including density, and width to show tone."

I've actually been told this before in my local art class but I always forget to adhere to it. I had been drawing a plant and she had suggested that I tired varying the heaviness of the line round leaves etc. It struck me then as a good idea but I immediately forgot. I find it difficult to remember to do these things when I get immersed in a drawing, I guess the more you hear them though the more likely you will remember. 

I did a couple of experiments using this method........ 

My tutor also gave me some suggestions for my line drawing of the townscape.

Before changes A3 Bockingford paper

I think I've taken the instruction "line" a bit too literally. My first attempt at this section had been too much of a tonal drawing but this attempt maybe needed a bit more than just outline. I need to try and get something in the middle.  My tutor has recommended....

"The blanket shading of the windows could be varied to show light touching the glass. You can show the direction of the light one the recess by heavy lines on one side of the pane and lighter or broken or just suggestions of lines, on the other. The walls can show texture with a few stony lines on what would be shaded areas. Some houses will shade others and this can be shown with only a few well placed lines."

  
I've tried to follow these suggestions and I think the changes have improved the drawing. Rather than an outline exercise it's more interesting and has more texture. Making the top and side of the windows darker has made a huge difference to the sense of depth in the drawing. I wouldn't have believed it until I compared the before and after photos. I'm so surprised at the difference that such a simple and obvious thing makes I don't think I'll forget to do this now!

Here's a zoom in of part of the drawing showing how I've indicated brickwork on the houses and increased the tone one the top and left of the windows and tried to indicate the glass by making diagonal hatching.

 Looking at the drawing now I should have made the outlines of the mountains much lighter. This would have demonstrated the distance. I wish I could lighten then a bit. I may try to experiment with white pencil or something!

Development of a Sketchbook townscape

My tutor had this to say....
 

"Your development of a sketchbook townscape is planned well. You have suggested light, solidity and many other factors well.  The building is tonally finished and the remainder could match in quality with just a few strokes.

 Try some rubbed out streaks to lighten the side of the tree tonally, and give perspective and solidity. A well used rubber ( not rubbing out, but lightening the tone,) can give more variations to the branches too. If this is a whole piece for submission a well executed drawing should cover the whole page, so bring the detail to the front rather than scattered around as suggestions. Then it will be fine."

Original A4 pencil on paper

 I had struggled a lot with the tree in the background but this was before I had done the section on trees so I felt a bit more confidence looking at it again. Unfortunately I has sprayed the drawing with fixative so it was difficult to lighten up the tree but I did a bit. I also tried to fix the branches a bit. The original was very dark and I had obviously randomly laid down squiggles hoping it would look like branches. I think I was overwhelmed with the enormity of the job trying to draw every tiny branch and tried to rush it. Having completed the section on drawing trees I realise that you can't rush it and you have to study how the branches intertwine. I think it I had at spent a bit more time at least on the front most branches I could have indicated the furthest away ones more quickly. 

Anyway I tried to lighten the trunk and fix the branches a bit. I also added in the detail at the front. I had a look at some pictures of grassy areas and realised the differences in tones you can get in an area such as a lawn or park, even if it is cut short. As this was a graveyard the ground was naturally quite bumpy so I tried to show this with some shading and picking out the detail in the grass. 

I also added a kerb to the path. I don't think there was one but it added some detail. I pleased with the changed, they've improved the drawing.

Changed A4 pencil on paper

 Drawing Trees

I didn't have much to do for this section. My tutor suggested that I looked at the grass in my individual tree....

"Your individual tree is glorious. Do ensure that the grass matches in quality.

Your collection of trees is lovely. No tweaking at all."

Original A3 pencil on paper

I saw immediately where I had rushed my finish and just made some scribbly marks to show the foreground. Again my impatience to finish a drawing is the problem. I had a go at putting some more detail in the grass and drew in a small tree (not sure if this detracts). The detail makes the drawing seems more finished and complete.

Changed A3 pencil on paper