Research & Reflection – Page 3 – Maureen Walker's blog: An Artist's Journey

Research point: Portraiture: Exhibition on Screen: A Bigger Picture and 82 Portraits and One Still Life

I went to see David Hockney exhibition “A Bigger Picture” In 2012. I revisited it today via this film about that exhibition – as well as focusing on one other exhibition in 2016: “82 Portraits and One Still Life” What is most immediate about Hockney’s work are his colour choices. The skill with which heContinue reading “Research point: Portraiture: Exhibition on Screen: A Bigger Picture and 82 Portraits and One Still Life”

Part 4: More thoughts on Assignment 5

I get cross with myself because I know I can do better. Producing below par stuff leaves me feeling dejected. The following was done with experimental use of Staedler highlighter pens. What I like about them is they do not leave overlapping lines where one line crosses another, but combining colours is possible as theyContinue reading “Part 4: More thoughts on Assignment 5”

Part 4: Project 2: Research Point: Foreshortening

The above was an attempt at foreshortening my own reflection using pencil in a kraft paper sketchbook. It looks wrong – as though I have a huge body on short stumpy legs with small feet. My brain made an adjustment to my perception of my feet compared to my head. Actually, as seen in theContinue reading “Part 4: Project 2: Research Point: Foreshortening”

Part 4: Project 2: Exercise 2: A Longer Study (enlargement)

I started this about 03:00 today. I began with the scanned drawing which I then uploaded to Irfanview. I segmented it, printed the separate parts onto A4 sheets and reassembled them onto white A1 mountboard. More by luck than design, it fitted. It was a case of playing around. It went through the following renditions:Continue reading “Part 4: Project 2: Exercise 2: A Longer Study (enlargement)”

Assignment 5: Further thoughts

I’m just playing around a little further with this idea. My aim was to create a cubist type image of a group of women engaged in yoga poses. I’m still not sure it’s going to work. I think the problem is that I’m not working from life but from photographs. Photos are ok but youContinue reading “Assignment 5: Further thoughts”

Thoughts: Assignment 5

I started with a self portrait above. Its interesting to compare to a self portrait I did aged 25 (I’m now 53) Then I doodled the following: I thought the sketch in the bottom left hand corner might have “legs” so drew it (using a yoga book model as a guide to the warrior poses)Continue reading “Thoughts: Assignment 5”

Part 4: Project 2: Exercise 1: Quick Studies

I have not started a drawing from the midpoint before. I usually begin with the top of the head and work down. I think this explains the slight hesitation at the outset. Initially, I felt limited in the amount of information that I could capture within a 2 minute period. This improved slightly with eachContinue reading “Part 4: Project 2: Exercise 1: Quick Studies”

Part 4: Project 1: Exercise 2: Emphasising Form with Cloth

Being read to, again. Here the soft fabric of the dressing gown envelops the sitter but does not obscure him. The sleeves fall in characteristic “pleats” at the elbows. This time I had a little trouble getting him to appear focussed on the book. The book was a larger one than previously so it wasContinue reading “Part 4: Project 1: Exercise 2: Emphasising Form with Cloth”

Part 4: Project 1: Research Point: John Berger’s Ways of Seeing

Wow. This man saw the future. I think that, in this digital age, this book and television series are especially relevant. I’ve watched just the first episode but shall continue further into the series until the book arrives on my doorstep. He is a good example of someone who successfully unpacks an idea or pointContinue reading “Part 4: Project 1: Research Point: John Berger’s Ways of Seeing”

Sketch of the day

I asked the sitter to remain as he was for a further minute, in order to add white crayon highlights. I have recently discovered that kraft paper is great for varying tonal contrast – a much quicker result than plain cartridge, as there is no need to cover up blinding white paper. I feel IContinue reading “Sketch of the day”