Tea and Doodles

This was a fun few hours. I braved the heat and went to sit in the nearby wooded area to our compound. 42C heat, various ants nests and a couple of curious workers cut short the session but maybe this changed the way I worked...less formal perhaps? I am in a quandary at this stage as to my drawing style. I feel I have a lack of definition in these pieces but am I trying for more detail, too much perhaps? I feel like I am missing the tonal areas. In adding the colour, am I aiming for atmosphere or quality of drawing. Or am I over-thinking it all...?!

Another exercise pushing me to be at one with my surroundings. I’m forever in the car...making time to really see what’s around me will never be time wasted. Although I know I really have to dedicate the time in the first place, this is proving the issue. As a result, I am relying more on photographs as reference. Perspective and distortion are possible problems with this. But for reference to add detail after initial observation is a benefit.

Trees This section is a focussed study, thinking of not only the tree itself but its context alongside the background, other trees, buildings etc. Thinking of negative space, tone and perspective as well as textures, hard or soft structures, spaces, repetitions, grooves, bumps, joints etc. Liken it to my A-level studies, practising drawing the human body, light source, tone, texture. Consider atmosphere, underlying structure, fluid approach, organic and flowing lines, individual components and characteristics. Practise observational skills, drawing techniques, composition and selection. I started by drawing the palm tree (from a photo - it is 45C outside) in its whole.  I found I was looking at the underlying structure in that certain basic shapes make up each differing part of the trunk, the top and the fronds.  I then tuned into the tree and focused in on the texture of the bark and shapes it was made up of. It appeared to have a diagonal growth pa...

This assignment is designed to pull together the fine observation and practice that you’ve done on this part of the course.  You’re free to choose your own source material and media, provided that you take account of the factors listed below. You can either work on a still life,  or interior scene – or a combination of these.  In the work you produce now you must demonstrate a growing understanding of: the use of colour in drawing the most appropriate medium for the subject composition and context mark-making and contrasts of line and tone accurate and expressive depiction of form,  experimentation with idea, material and method. Is this a creative composition?  Is my subject interesting?  Am I using the most appropriate medium, colour, method, etc.? In my previous posts  here   and   here I have shown my sketching and preparation for this assignment. I enjoy perspect...

  My aim is to recreate the atmosphere created by the tonal contrasts of the sole light. I bought oil pencils thinking they were more controllable oil pastels. But no, not the effect I was expecting. Options:  * brown ink to create a sepia-like affect * dusting of chalk over watercolour pencil * water-soluble marker ink * white oil pastel with ink wash * monochrome coloured pencil to show tonal contrast Tests so far Work in progress. The paper isn't ideal for this amount of wet work as I didn't keep to taped down. Second version to come.

I have had no shortage of places to draw in the house. I had in mind I would draw my art 'room' at the top of the house as it is my bolt hole and a place to relax that nobody else visits. I found some beautiful light play and reflection at different times of the day and I was excited that this could make a  good composition and assignment.   However, s ometimes things can be overworked and I may have been forcing this line of investigation too far as I was losing the sanctuary and peaceful feeling of the room. Plus it was getting too hot to continue working up there. I then found another area of the house at a certain time of day that invokes all sorts of feelings that I wanted to capture in a drawing - or at least see if I could.  I was locking up the house at bedtime and switching off the lights when I came across this view: It is very peaceful, but almost eerie. Not a soul except me awake. The landing light being left on to guide me upstairs. Shadows and refl...

I have had no shortage of places to draw in the house. I had in mind I would draw my art 'room' at the top of the house as it is my bolt hole and a place to relax that nobody else visits. I found some beautiful light play and reflection at different times of the day and I was excited that this could make a  good composition and assignment.   However, s ometimes things can be overworked and I may have been forcing this line of investigation too far as I was losing the sanctuary and peaceful feeling of the room. Plus it was getting too hot to continue working up there. I then found another area of the house at a certain time of day that invokes all sorts of feelings that I wanted to capture in a drawing - or at least see if I could.  I was locking up the house at bedtime and switching off the lights when I came across this view: It is very peaceful, but almost eerie. Not a soul except me awake. The landing l...