Drawings: OCA Project - Still Life

Composition of Natural Objects.

Indian Ink on A4 Paper

Do you think it is easier to suggest three dimensions on man-made or natural objects?

It is definitely easier to define the shapes of man-made objects in three-dimensions because they are made up of regular geometric shapes with corners and faces. Natural objects such as fruit and plants do not conform to these regularities and tend to have lumps and bumps that make a subject harder to define.

How did you create a sense of solidity in your composition?

I used black Indian ink applied with a brush to lay down some bold defining lines. These lines helped to give the drawing a sense of depth as the black seemed dense and heavy against the white of the paper. Then I added water to some of the black ink to dilute it for the mid-tone wash; helping to bind the dark and light tones of the drawing together.

Do you think changing the arrangement of your composition makes a difference to your approach and the way you create a sense of form?

I think it was good to experiment with different compositions before starting on the final drawing as it helped me to find an interesting layout for my objects that was still comfortable to draw. It also helped me to see how different objects could interact and play off each other to convey the sense of form.

How did you decide to position yourself in relation to the objects?

I decided I wanted to view the objects from a slightly elevated position this gave me a good view of all the objects together and of the shadows cast by the light coming in from the right hand side. I also liked this position because the fruit formed a sort of triangular arrangement and the flower stems seemed intertwine around all the gaps.

Photos of sketchbook pages

Still life sketches of made objects & Natural object composition arrangements.

Both in Black Ballpoint Pen

Drawings: OCA Project - Reflected Light

Study of light reflected from one object to another.

Charcoal and Chalk on A3 Sugar Paper.

Shadows and reflected light and shade.

Charcoal on A2 Paper.

What are the difficulties in separating cast shadow from reflected light and shade?

When using both charcoal and chalk in the first drawing, it was difficult using both these tonally opposite mediums and still trying to create a range of tones without the whole drawing just turning into a smudgy grey mess. I attempted to get over this problem by using the blue of the paper as a mid-tone thus separating the two. The cast shadow had much more solidity and a much harder quality to it so I used just charcoal when trying to portray these bits, most noticeably in the shading on the surface upon which the objects are standing.

The reflected shadow and light follows the contours of the objects. How have you shown this in your drawing?

When applying the charcoal or chalk I followed the shape of the object, allowing the contours to show and define themselves. Like ont he bowel in the first picture and especially on the pepper grinder in the second picture.



Paintings: A Very Warm Portrait.

Acrylic on A1 Paper

This piece is a portrait from quite a while ago but I thought I should probably update this blog with some more art before I completely forget about it.

I completely covered the paper with a thin coat of orange acrylic before proceeding with the rest of the painting. I tried to be quite spontaneous with the colour but the whole piece seems to be biased towards warmer tones, so I think if I were to try again with this I would add some blues and pale greens to defuse this. Overall I quite like this artwork though, especially the shape of it.

Woodland Watercolour

Watercolour on A4 Cartridge Paper

I found this piece that I created a while ago, last spring if my memory serves me well, and thought it was quite an interesting artwork. I remember consciously trying to be uninhibited with the colour; if I got the feeling of a colour being present in the view I endeavoured to add it without hesitating.

 I personally find it really intriguing how if you really look at something, especially natural landscapes, you begin to see all sorts of colours you would never imagined would be present. It is taken for granted that leaves are green and trees trunks are brown, but they never really are.

Whether I succeeded in my attempts with this I am not entirely sure but nevertheless, as a piece of art, I really quite like it.



Paintings: Ruined Window Watercolour

Watercolour and Indian Ink on A4 Cartridge Paper

So I am once again back and blogging once more and I thought I would start this new blogging year with this piece featuring a ruined church window. I created this artwork a while ago and I liked it because  it was all overgrown with ivy, the trees were growing though the window and plants were clinging onto the rocky walls; it already seemed like a piece of art before I even started to draw it.

I worked with some watercolour tablets and Indian ink on this artwork, consciously using quite vibrant colours to try and convey a subtle reminder of stained glass. I am not sure if this worked, you will have to decide for yourselves on that, but I am definitively pleased with the finished result anyway.