Sketchbook 2 – Maureen Walker's blog: An Artist's Journey

This Weekend’s Exercise

From a design for a painting created to thank my niece for looking after my pet rats several years ago. I redraw it here onto a (roughly A5) piece of lino with the intention of cutting it for a relief printing process. I look forward to doing that tomorrow afternoon. Then comes the delight ofContinue reading “This Weekend’s Exercise”

Research Point: The Face

Due to Covid-19 and the impracticable social distancing rules, I have to wear a face mask to work at the moment. It’s interesting how much you can gauge from someone’s expression just through their eyes. But there is no doubt that much of the meaning is lost with half the face concealed. These are theContinue reading “Research Point: The Face”

Part 4:Project 6: Exercise 3: Portrait from Memory or Imagination

I wanted to use the following image from my sketchbook. It’s more of a doodle really. But doodles can sometimes lead to ideas. I flipped through a few books featuring images of faces. One such book entitled “The Face” had several pictures which caught my attention. Using them as prompts, I drew the following: ThereContinue reading “Part 4:Project 6: Exercise 3: Portrait from Memory or Imagination”

Part 4: Project 5: Exercise 2: Groups of figures

For this Exercise I sat outside in the car while my partner went into Morrisons for provisions. I made up the following image from the few stragglers shopping on a damp Monday afternoon in COVID-19 shutdown Britain. The group of shoppers, arranged here to appear as though breaking the 2m social distancing measures, seem likeContinue reading “Part 4: Project 5: Exercise 2: Groups of figures”

Part 4: Project 5: Exercise 1: single moving figure

Its challenging to find subjects for this Exercise in COVID-19 shut down Britain. I resorted to looking on YouTube for cycling and running videos with limited success. I discovered this good example of a moving figure here by John Singer Sergeant. References: (Date of access: 17/05/20)

Part 4: Project 6: The Head: Exercises 1: Facial features & Exercise 2: Your own head

A1 cartridge paper using coloured crayons and chalk I had fun with these exercises reprising a technique I discovered earlier in this module: complementary colours in place of tonal values. I like drawing in colour. Complimentary colours have such an immediate impact. I shall draw using a limited colour palette on Wednesday at my nextContinue reading “Part 4: Project 6: The Head: Exercises 1: Facial features & Exercise 2: Your own head”

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”

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”