Final project

Here it is, the last drawing project! For this one, we were to use a model and draw a bust portrait, having the model draped in cloth. Fabric is possibly the only thing I’m still a little uncomfortable drawing, even with the practice I gave myself before doing this piece. So in an attempt at fearlessness, I used two blankets in this composition. Because I’m like that.

The model is my husband. He was drafted for this project primarily because it was easy for him to find time to sit for it, but I think he actually enjoyed the experience. Behind him is a menorah in a Tree of Life design. It’s not just a prop, he is Jewish (why else would we have one laying around?). But I admit I included it because after looking at him sitting in front of a blank wall with a big glare on it, I felt like there needed to be something to catch the light and add a different texture. Plus the gold candle cups provided a pop of a different color to contrast the blue wall.

Materials: dry pastel, charcoal, colored pencil, white ink.

 

Landscape drawing assignment

I know, it’s been a while since I updated. Spring Break happened, and then I just kept…not updating. But don’t worry, I’ve been busy all the while!

Here at last is the finished landscape. Charcoal and erasers, and a paper towel used on the sand to approximate the texture. The sand was definitely the most challenging part of the drawing, while the clouds were just really fun to make.

 

Schloss Ort – midterm drawing assignment and WIP sketch

The midterm assignment was to draw something that illustrated form, volume, and shape. Originally I started working off a photo of two red-crowned cranes dancing, but then realized we were supposed to use a photo we’d taken ourselves. So I restarted with a photo of Schloss Ort in Gmunden, Austria, where I visited in 2005 and took this picture from the bridge between the castle, which is on an island in a lake, and the converted hotel.

Here is the picture I worked from:

Schloss Ort, Gmunden, Austria

My WIP:

And the finished product, done in charcoal only (well, with some kneaded eraser here and there), is in the top photo.

Contour, mass, & volume – sketchbook assignment 4

These sketchbook pages explore three different ways of creating the illusion of volume and mass with 2D media. Four sketches demonstrate creating volume and depth by using cross-contour lines to reveal not just outlines of a form, but the various shapes that make up its surface. Another four sketches show volume with dramatic light and dark contrasts, gotten by first toning the paper to a medium gray with charcoal, then pulling out lights with an eraser, and finishing by developing the shadows. The last four show form and suggest volume by developing only the negative space around an object, in my case a dining chair positioned at different angles.

You can see in the third set of sketches where I messed up pretty dramatically on one chair area and had to erase the best I could. Result: ghost chair!

Paper bag drawing assignment

The goal of this assignment was, I think, similar to the texture panels and the soda can, in that we were to capture the unique texture of a paper bag that had been crumpled up, pulled partially back into shape, and arranged in some interesting way. Back to charcoal for this, mostly just vine with a little compressed here and there for added depth. Also some pretty heavy use of tortillons “dirtied” with charcoal, to make the lighter and subtler shading.

 

Still life drawing assignment

Aaaand here is the final drawing of the still life with squares and circles, from the sketches in the last post. This is just charcoal, which I used primarily because I find it quick to work with (quicker than graphite or colored pencil, at any rate), but also because I was a little scared of it and wanted to get better acquainted. Way back when I took my last art class (high school?), charcoal gave me anxiety because of how permanent that black is on the paper. But I wanted to get over that, so I went with it here and just incorporated the mistakes into the drawing.