Tutor feedback Assignment 2

SELF PORTRAIT

Marvellous self portrait. Now I know what you look like! Good tone and size, Full page. Not a lot of variation of mark, but what you have used works nicely. Do try to follow the contours with your drawing and shading lines. For instance, your shading flattens the face and hair due to the straight lines you’ve used. Imagine the same shading but following the contours, or applied in the direction of the hair itself. If you cannot imagine this , then try it on a piece of paper. 

This is a similar comment to my last assignment (from a different tutor) about using more variety in my mark making so it's clearly something I need to work on. I've used a lot of soft blending strokes here. I decided to make some small changes to the drawing by adding more contour to the shading on the face and hair as my tutor suggested.

Original A3 pencil

Changed A3 pencil

  I didn't want to make to many changes as it would darken the tone a lot so it's not easy to see. I've changed the direction of the pencil strokes in the hair which was very noticeable and I also tried to give more shape to the shading on the cheeks and eyes.

I thought I'd have a scribble on fresh paper to see if I could create more depth using contours and other marks.

 The drawing is dreadful but it was an interesting exercise as I had to keep stopping myself from doing bland shading and do more of a contour hatching stroke. This is exaggerated but hopefully next time I'll incorporate some of these marks. 

FIGURE DRAWING

This is an excellent work. You’ve observed the subject in great detail and managed to transfer much of that observation to the paper. The hatching works nicely to suggest the solidity, with your lines nicely following the surfaces to give a lovely roundness. The comments you make on your blog are valid. The best thing about them is that you have made the good observations, recognised the faults, thought about them, and the next stage is to remember or refer back to them, work out the answers, (i.e. ensure you measure with your thumb the size of the head early on in the drawing.) when carrying out other work making sure you don’t repeat mistakes. You’ve learned how unforgiving pen is. So make sure you do enough preparatory work before tackling the next important pen drawing. Also you may find it helpful to sketch as a product designer does, where exact lines are needed with no space for corrections, - with your hand imitating the movement and line you propose, above the paper before touching ink to paper.

Feel pleased with yourself as this is affine piece to submit. I would however just suggest one point , that you sketch a suggestion of background, so the model is not sitting in mid air. It is important to always place your subject in a context.

For a moment think of the background in your reclining blue figure. Imagine that drawing without the background, and then your hatched sketch with that much background as the blue one contains.

I can clearly see what she means. I roughly drew in a background trying to figure out where the shadows would be. I found a similar area in the house and used that.

Original A2 pen

Changed A2 pen

 The changed drawing is definitely better. The background finishes the drawing off and more importantly doesn't detract from the figure. Unfortunately I can't do much about her exceedingly large head but I've learnt lots.

Tone - 2hrs – x1 drawing -A3 – model reclining

I love this drawing. It is competent, creative, and emotional. The use of those colours suggests an exotic and emotional scene. Had you kept only to the blue it could have been cold, but the purple warms and with the strength of the blue, gives a strong atmosphere. I see that you tried orange as well. You were correct that the complementary colour dulls, but this is when added as a mix. It dulls and does not change the tone though. It can also be used alongside the base colour to make the colour stand out.

 This was very interesting regarding the colour mixing.  In this case the orange would make the blue jump off the page and vice versa. I'm just used to using paints to create different colours. I had to go back to my colour theory from my last course.

This is the colour wheel showing opposite colours and where my theory came from.

We also studies how placing different colours next to each other affect the colours.

You can see that in the bottom row the blue square jumps out when it's surrounded by orange but recedes when its surrounded by green.

 Likewise, the orange square looks like a different colour when its surrounded by red compared to the blue.

So for conte pencils and other media like this that don't mix you have to think of a different way to create tone and shading. A single colour drawing obviously requires just increased pressure or layering but in this case choosing another similar colour like the purple works best.

 

Assignment 2 - final pieces

This assignment required 2 final pieces. I had to work up quick drawings and decide on the most interesting view before I started the bigger drawing at least A3 size.

Line and Shape
This was a seated pose focusing on line and shape rather than colour. I chose an ink pen for this as I felt it would be good for describing the shapes of the figure and I would be able to use bracelet hatching to describe the roundness.
I tried a couple of poses and decided I liked when the legs are crossed slightly side on and relaxing back into the chair. Unfortunately I didn't recheck the brief at this point as it asked for the model to have their hands resting on their thighs so I've made an error here. I liked this pose however so hopefully it wont make a difference. 

Final piece A3 pen

 I'm a bit disappointed with this final piece becasue I messed up the size and shape of the head. Pen is so unforgiving when I tried to correct this it just made it worse. I do however like the rest of the figure. I think I've managed to convey how she was slumped in the chair.I'm also happy with the legs and feet.


Tone
This was a reclining pose with suggestions of lying back in an arm chair or a sofa but I really wanted to try full lying down pose on the bed. I wanted the feet to come towards me so I could have a go at foreshortening.
Because this drawing was supposed to show tone, I wanted to use a soft medium that I could layer on to get darker areas. I chose a Conte pastel pencil in blue as I though the colour gave some atmosphere to the drawing. In the end I found that just the one colour on its own couldn't be applied dark enough for the darkest tones. Using the colour wheel I though that adding the opposite colour to blue (orange) would create shade. In the end however this didn't seem to work, whether it was the particular colours I tried I'm not sure. I ended up using a purple colour in the darkest shadows which I think worked quite well. So the colour theory didn't work!

For the final piece I chose the position where he was almost straight on which was not what I intended. I had expected a more slanting pose would be better but when I did the sketches they just didnt seem as pleasing. I think the angle of the light coming in had a lot to do with my choice as well. It's possible the other poses would have been better if the bed was in a different position or if I could have placed myself in a different position (other furniture and wall were getting in the way).

Final Piece A2 Conte pastel pencil

I am pleased with my final piece however, and I like the blue colour. I think I've managed to get the legs coming towards me which I was worried about. The only thing I'm not happy with is the bed itself. I started doing to wrinkles on the cover and found once I started I had to finish. They took agaes and I was getting really impatient. I think they detract from the figure and confuse the picture. Maybe they should have been done in a different colour or at least in a lighter tone.
 
Now I just have to send everything to my tutor! I really enjoiyed this assignment.

Portrait from memory

For this section I decided to draw my mum. The brief asked to draw someone you have seen momentarily or draw a self portrait from memory. Firstly I had to make brief sketches and observational notes.

I tried to draw as much as I could and include the important details I would need. I forgot that the two sides of the face had different shadows so I had difficulty with the left eye. If I were to do this again I would do one overall sketch of the shape of the head. then do sketches of the nose and each eye and the mouth.
 

Although my sketches were quite lifelike the final drawing done from memory and using the sketches didnt really look like my mum.

Check and Log

1. Did you find it easy or difficult to convert your sketches into a portrait? I did find it difficult. I think it would always be difficult to do this but maybe with practice I would learn to look for the small characteristics and put them down in sketches quickly. At the moment I think I still see the overall face so I need to really observe and pick out the important shapes.

2. Would you spend more time on preliminary drawings if you started this excercise again? Yes I would pay more attention to certain details however I think if you did this a hundred times you would always miss something out. There is no doubt that the more information how can put down initially as quick as you can is best. Ideally, this was for a specific study you would make sketches and take photographs too.
 

The self portrait

This section asked for 5 sketches of my face from different angles. I'm always surprised when I first draw someone I know well, how ignorant I am of their features. Drawing a portrait makes you really look at someones face, like you have never looked before. This is also true when doing a self portrait. I guess most people don't scrutinise every single lump and bump normally so when you have to draw yourself it's actually quite interesting.

Then I was asked to draw 5 more sketches of the head only focusing on the shape of the head. When I actually spent a lot of time looking at the measurements of my face I got a much better likeness (bottom left).

After that do some sketches of the neck only which I initially thought was a strange request and I didn't think I would be able to draw a neck and make it look like a neck. In the end it was fine though.

The next task was to do 2 self portraits using a different medium and position for each.
I found that by the end of this section I was getting a pretty good likeness and it was much easier to do that on a larger scale but I struggled more with the likeness when drawing face sideon. I was pleased with the pencil drawing. This one looks like me the most but the eyes are a bit starey!

A3 Charcoal

A2 Pencil

Check and Log

1. Could you see the head and face as overall basic shapes? Yes once you looked closely you could see all the lumps and bumps which make the drawing a good likeness but overall the basic shapes are there first.

2. Does the head and face look solid and convincing in your drawing. Some more than others. I think in most of them they look solid due to shading and highlights.

3. Are there any assymetrical lines and angles on your face? Obviously the symmetry is lost when side on which is maybe why I struggled more with these ones. Overall I didn't notice much asymmetry when straight on which indicates I've not been totally perfect because noones face is symmetrical.I don't think I was looking for symmetry when I was drawing though. Because of shadows each side of the face is totally different from the other so I tended to focus on each individual part on its own.

4. Did you have any difficulty putting in the shadows? Yes I did have some difficulties getting the different tones correct and I think these subtle changes across the face are what gives a likeness. I found the most difficult part was getting the nose right when side on.I always have to sit back and look at the drawing and then make the darkest tones darker.

5. Did you readjust the size if the head? Yes I had to readjust the size of the face a lot because I would make the features too small. The forehead was always higher than I thought it would be.

The Moving Figure

This section is more of a work in progress and involves me filling a sketchbook with fast sketches of the moving figure. In order to do this I've been taking every opportunity to sketch people. The instructions say I should carry a sketchbook whenever I go out and about. I gave this a go but found that it stayed firmly in my bag. I guess it's pretty impossible to expect to sketch outside when I'm permanantly attached to a newly crawling baby. I'm going back to work soon so I'll be a bit more independant although getting the time to sit and sketch might be the problem then!

Meanwhile I've made use of the people around me, the TV, magazines etc. Obviously photos and even images on the TV are easier than real life so I've tried to get as many real people in as possible.

Sitting in front of the TV and sketching people, I was pleasantly suprised at how interesting this can be. There is a never ending supply of interesting poses which in themselves can create pictures that tell a story. Someone simply standing, about to push open a door or reaching out to pick something up could make a great composition for a final piece. Where does the door lead to? What is the person reaching for etc etc? I've always struggled in the past to do this, with my figures ending up very static and boring. A little preparatory planning of positions would make all the difference to a picture.

I've found it quite challenging to draw these fleeting moments, which is the purpose of this section I suppose. Suddenly you spot an interesting pose and then the person moves and its gone. I'm learning quickly to accept a multitude of unfinished squiggles in my sketchbook and you have to just move on to the next squiggle. It does make me look out for the same pose next time if I spot one that's interesting. I've found myself asking people to stay still for a minute which kind of defeats the purpose but stops me getting stressed!

This is a bit of a deviation but one artist I really like that captures fleeting moments and makes the viewer wonder about the figure in the painting is Richard Whincop. I discovered him in a local gallery and fell in love with his paintings and was lucky enough to get one for my birthday a few years ago. To quote his website.......

"My oil paintings explore the relationship between people and artworks, and the way this is affected by the context in which they are seen. They include works inspired by the environment of Art Museums, which bring together people and objects from different cultural worlds. I have also depicted paintings or sculptures in unusual settings, or juxtaposed them with apparently unrelated objects. This approach can throw up dramatic contrasts or forge unlikely connections, with each element shedding new light on the other. I have explored the symbolic role of the picture frame as a gateway to another world, a fictional "artistic realm" that seems just as realistic as the real world. In these works I have depicted figures and objects apparently entering or emerging from framed paintings, suggesting two-way traffic between art and reality."

Consider Phlebas II, Oil on Board, 60 x 42.5cm

That Which We Seek, Oil on board, 44 x 60cm

To get back to the assignment though, I had a quick look at some sketches of moving figures on the internet. There's certainly a lot of sketches on the internet mostly from unknown artists. One artist that springs to mind is Degas. He is most well known for his paintings of ballerinas and galloping horses. He also did many pastel drawings of nudes bathing.
His ballerina paintings were the result of copious sketching to the point he was able to change the dancers positions in his final paintings only using his memory of the dancers complex postures. He also used photography.

Four Dancers, Charcoal

Ballet Dancer Standing, Conte crayon

He repeatedly drew the same pose until he mastered it. The sketches above show his corrections and how he would focus on one aspect to perfect it. He would have to make these sketches very quickly while the dancers where in position which wouldn't have been for long.

I recently visited a local gallery that had an couple of large scale drawings by Hazel Bowman. I was really impressed by these charcoal drawings of dancers. The artist has conveyed a sense of movement not only through the subject and the actual drawing but also I think though the positioning of the figures off centre. I studied the drawing, trying to figure out how she managed to catch the sense of movement. She has mainly left the ends of the limbs unfinished and in some places there are lines remaining where it seems as if she has started to draw but the model has moved. The charcoal is laid down following the twist of the torso or the clothes.

Hazel Bowman

So here are a few of my efforts anyway, I'll be working on this all the time........

Check and log

1.Did you manage to identify and to catch those fleeting moments? I hope so. I think the fleeting moments are conveyed in the positions of the limbs mostly. the rest of the body is fairly static. I think in some of my sketches, you can see the figures are in the process of doing something and they are just about to move. Even the seated figure above looks like he is unsettled and about to shift.

2. Did you find it difficult to retain the image and draw later? This is very difficult. I guess practice and experience will help this. The more you draw a particular pose the easier it will be to do from memory.

3. Were you able to keep to a few descriptive lines to suggest the movement of the person? This was also difficult but depended on how long I had to look at the figure. If it was a fleeting glimpse I was more economical with the lines. The tendency is to draw more than is needed. I think I need to find the key lines which would describe movement quickly. I think the arms and legs show movement and if you redraw without rubbing out then this shows a change in position.

The Clothed Figure

This was a nice short section. The first task was to arrange some fabric and make two 15 minute drawings. Then i was to focus on small parts of the fabric in 5 minute sketches done in 15cm squares.

This was quite good fun. I love drawing the folds of fabric as I think they can, quite quickly and easily describe the underlying shapes as well as being interesting subjects in their own right. 

I'm quite pleased with my attempt and I can see how this could become a time consuming and highly pleasurable subject to paint and draw. Even for me, the most impatient artist, I could have spent ages doing this. As it was I had to drag myself away and I'm pretty sure I ran over time in my pencil drawing.

For my first drawing I wanted to give Lord Leighton's technique a go so I chose a coloured greyish sheet and a dark and light pastel pencil. The photograph hasn't shown the cream colour very well, in real life it's much lighter and represents the highlight a bit better.

Black and cream pastel pencil on pastel paper A4

 Then I drew the same fabric in my A4 sketchbook using soft pencil. I think graphite works quite well for this subject because it can be applied heavily for the darkest shadows and sharp edges or softly for the changing tones over the folds.

(right) Pencil on white paper A4   (left) upper - pencil, lower willow charocal A4

upper - compressed chacoal,      lower - conte pastel pencils  A4

Then I focused on parts of the fabric within 15cm squares. It didn't actually work out like I planned. I originally wanted to zoom in more and focus on a smaller section but each time I ended up drawing more than I wanted. The first two I used pencil and charcoal and the second two I used a compressed charcoal stick and then green and red pastel pencils. I thought the knot was interesting becasue it was all compressed. In hind sight however I would have zoomed in further and had less creases. 

While I was on this section I wanted to give Henry Moore's technique a go. I did a very quick copy of one of his shelter drawings using a white oil pastel overlayed with a wash of ink. If I tried it again I would apply the wax a bit harder but other than that it worked quite well. When you are putting the white crayon on the white paper you don't have much idea how its going to turn out so I was relieved when I put the ink on and it wasn't just a blob. It would be good to get some thinner crayons to get greater detail.

Oil pastel and india ink on watercolour paper A4

The final piece for this section draped some fabric over my husbands legs while he was sitting on the sofa. He had one leg half up on the sofa which has maybe confused it a bit. I spent about an hour on this and focused completely on the material of his top and the cover, leaving the head and arms very rough. The cover was a much stiffer fabric than his top and I think this has come across in the drawing.  

Final study, Pencil on paper A3

Elaborate depictions of clothes and fabric have been a constant feature in art throughout the ages. The grand portraits would had layers of luxurious satins and velvets which would show the wealth of the sitter. Artists must have spent huge amounts of time on painting clothes and drapery and I can see why.

Check and Log

Did you approach the figure as a whole? I'm not sure if I have. I concentrated on the fabric too much to the detriment of the whole figure. In fact I didn't even leave enough room for the feet.

Did you manage to create volume in the folds of fabric? I think the fold in the fabric can be seen due to the highlights and shadows.

Can you sense the figure beneath the fabric? Yes I think you can. It is possible to see the shape though the fabric, particularly the t-shirt which is softer material. The fabric draped over his legs was stiffer and didn't cling so much but I think it's still possible to see the shape of the legs and the bend at the knees.

Clothed Figure - research

I wanted to look at some drawings of the clothed figure before I started this section. I had some artists in mind: Frederic Leighton; Henry Moore and Alison Watt.

Frederic Leighton


I went to an exhibition of his drawings and studies at the Hunterian Art Gallery a few years ago. I just happened to pop in and I wasn't aware of the artist before hand. However I was really impressed by these studies. They were so beautiful and so detailed, I was in awe of the work that went into them. My drawing tends to be very rushed and I'm too impatient to spend ages on tiny detail. Paradoxically though, I am most inspired by this type of drawing and painting.
In these studies for his large paintings he repeatedly concentrated on figures draped in yards of (seemingly) luxurious fabric. He predominantly used black and white chalk on coloured paper or graphite on white paper.

These studies above demonstrate the lengths to which he went to prepare for his paintings. He was known to carry out many preparatory sketches focusing on small areas of figures which he then traced onto his canvases. At first glance these drawings of drapery have an abstract quality but Leighton has skillfully described the curves of the underlying figure so that and on further inspection they are almost nudes.

He has used the brown paper as the main tone for the fabric and the black and white chalk serve to show the shadows and highlights respectively. This technique is so simple and yet so effective.

Henry Moore

I don't know an awful lot about Henry Moore but I happened to catch a programme about the drawings he did when he was sheltering in the London Underground tunnels during an air raid in WWII. As far as I can remember, he was stuck there one night and had to shelter so made use of his time by studying his fellow sufferers huddled together under blankets. He then made drawings from memory and would came back to London over and over for inspiration.

Many of his drawings were done using a "wax-resist" technique in which he drew with a wax crayon and laid washes of ink over the top. This technique works really well for the subject I think. You really get the feeling of a blanket draped over a sleeping figure. The wax is laid down where the highlights would be and then the other tones go on using watercolours or ink. I'd like to give this method a go.

Alison Watt

I was reading over the instructions for this section and we are asked to draw lots of squares in which we then draw close up areas of a piece of fabric, so in essence each one is a little composition in itself.


This made me think of the Scottish artist Alison Watt. A couple of years ago there was a BBC Artworks Scotland programme which documented her solo exhibition Phantom, at the National Gallery in London. Although they aren't drawings, her amazing abstract close-ups of fabric on a large scale are breathtaking in their beauty. Luckily there is one of her paintings in the Kelvingrove art gallery in Glasgow that I have been able to see.

Pulse oil on canvas 10 x 7ft

Phantom oil on canvas 213 x 335cm

Root oil on canvas

I love the way she has made such a simple subject so beautiful. She has obviously spent a lot of time considering the composition for each painting, each crease and each highlight are carefully thought out.
The link below on youtube shows some of her preparation for her NPG exhibition and is a great insight into how she works.The appears to have been influenced by Jaque Loius David and Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres and the way they painted fabric particularly the male fashion at the time, the neck-kerchief. She talks about negative space and her difficulties depicting this. This negative space is the focus of Root and Phantom shown above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6GuM7g0IzE

Although these are oil paintings, because they are monochrome it is easy to see how they could translate to drawing using pencil or charcoal on white paper.