Detailed observation

The next exercise was to do some line drawing, focusing on the detail of the object, but excluding shadow and tone. I started with half an orange and then drew an onion.  Drawing in pen really worked well for this exercise.

Observation in nature

I have now started on the second part of the course which is all to do with observing nature. 
The first project was to explore coloured media.  I used coloured pencils, pastels and also crayons.  The idea is just to experiment and do some mark-making.

Still life using made objects.

I have now finished the last two drawings, before I send them off for the first assignment.  I was determined not to spend days and days on drawing these.  I must admit the pencil drawing took a little longer than the colour one, but I had to call it a day at some time. 

The cotton reel caused me a huge headache, as did the tape measure.  I did begin to think I was completely mad to even think I could draw a tape measure, but it did seem to fit with the other items really well.  I wasn't convinced about the composition either, and as you can see from the colour drawing I did pull the items a little closer together to connect them a little better.

Finally........

I have finally updated my blog!  I finished these two drawings a few weeks ago, but since then time has just zoomed past me.  These will be some of the drawings I will send in for my first assignment.  This is for the still life using natural forms.  I am really pleased with them.

The first drawing is using pencil and a bit of charcoal for the shading.  As the paper was A2, charcoal worked really well for covering such a vast area.  I wasn't sure what to do for the background so I ended up just lightly shading the whole page.  It doesn't really show up on the photo.

The second picture was using coloured pencil and some pastels.  I was really nervous of doing this one, since I haven't ever used pastels before.  The colours were much brighter than the pencil, and since my subject was a bright orange pumpkin, the pastels were a better choice.  Again this is using A2 paper, which just seems a huge space to fill.  

Now I have started work on my next still life, but this time I am going for some buttons and needles and thread.  Thankfully, this time,  I won't have the problem of my still life decomposing before I get to draw it.

Working towards my still life of natural objects

These are the latest drawings I have done, working up to the assignment of a still life.  I tried several different compositions and then added a little colour.  I think I am just playing around at the moment trying to find an idea that actually works.  As it takes me so long to draw anything, I am constantly having to move my tray of rapidly fading vegetables around the house so they are not in the way. No two drawings are ever going to be the same. Oh, to have a study!

Drawings with texture

After my initial attempt at depicting texture, (the strange looking knitting!), I tried again and had much better success.  I think it is much easier to draw natural objects as they have no hard lines, and even if one line is slightly out, it doesn't throw the whole drawing.

Using texture

This week I have been doing some exercises on using texture.  I had great fun going round the house and garden looking for different textures to draw.

I tried to use pen, biro, pencil, ink and charcoal.

I then tried to do some rubbings, or the posh name, frottage.

I made a simple collage from the impressions, but it wouldn't quite fit onto my scanner.  You can only see the middle bit, but you get the idea.

My next drawing was trying to use some of the textures that I had just tried to depict.  The drawing is of some knitting on two circular needles.  It is very unsuccessful, and came out looking like some weird internal organ!  But, it was the first time I had tried anything so difficult, so I will go off and have another go.