I started with the following sketch from my last life drawing session.
Original sketch
I copied it onto a preused and primed canvas in pencil. I then went over the outlines using a glue gun. I wanted to see what effects it would produce. Once the glue had set, I coloured the image using sponges dampened with burnt sienna acrylic ink. This I discovered was workable in that I could wipe out highlights from the ink wash to reveal pale canvas underneath. I then noticed that, having been dampened, the glue was easy to remove – almost coming away in one lattice-like mesh.
I was left with a web of lavender coloured lines as though I had used and removed masking fluid. I felt I had reinvented the process. But I decided I had not chosen the best options when masking out the image. It may have been more effective to mask highlights. But then I had not planned ahead to remove the glue. I had drawn it on with the intention of leaving it in place for textural interest.
With glue gun linesAcrylic ink washGlue gun lines peeled away
I learned that ink on canvas is quite workable for a time. Also about a masking technique. But that next time I wont just reinforce outlines but highlight areas depending on what colour of canvas is under the glue. I may have a go at something abstract. I am likely to use this masking method again.
I also created the following tree of life using the same glue gun method, this time leaving the glue in place. It’s intended as a birthday gift. Not sure whether it will ever find that “sweet spot” a piece reaches when you know its finished.
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 he puts colours together is what I personally like about his work. For the 82 portraits he depicted people he knew in paint after an initial sketch in charcoal direct onto canvas taking about 45 minutes. Over the next three days each of his individual subjects sat in the same simple chair raised up on a dais so that all of their body fit onto the canvas.
Hockney. D. (2015) Barry Humphries 26th, 27th, 28th March 2015 [48″x36″ Acrylic on canvas]
He used a blue and green backdrop which, as far as I can tell, he alternated to best contrast with whatever the sitter happened to be wearing. The chair was sat at an angle each time. Each sitter’s posture and demeanor is different as you would expect. The artist set himself a deadline of three days whereupon he pronounced the portrait finished. The result is a collection of paintings of individuals -except in the case of twins who sat simultaneously – that have an aesthetic value both as a collection as well as independently.
Walker. M (2020) View from Salisbury Hall [mixed media on paper]Walker. M. (2020) Portrait of AnnMarie Tournebene Boivin [coloured pencil on A3 cartridge pad]
In this film Hockney talks about his process saying that he paints what he sees. Some might argue that his view of reality is somewhat heightened as suggested by the colour juxtapositions he employs. In his landscapes he brings a fresh view of winding tarmaced roads in the Yorkshire countryside. In his painting “Garrowby Hill” he interprets the scene using purple for the road surface which complements the yellow of rapeseed fields and the bright green of the hills and trees. Above, I have included View from Salisbury Hall, a drawing I did as part of section 3 of the OCA Drawing Skills course. I feel the influence of Hockney’s colour choices is strong here as well as in other of my pieces.
In his portrait exhibition, I do not know how faithful his colours were to that of his sitters dress, the artist interprets each figure in his own unique style managing to do so deploying over 50 years of experience in theory and use of colour in a joyful explosion.
When speaking about the portraits, Hockney says that he has captured an aspect of each individual. Should he have someone sit for him more than once, then he would capture another aspect of that person because, I expect, due to an altered demeanor, mood or physical posture on any given day. I’ve included here a portrait I’ve created from a zoom life drawing session. The colours are not as bold and bright as Hockney’s but I felt I’ve captured a mood with the more subtle approach.
At the end of the film David Hockney said that he spends his time reading and painting. He quipped: “Landscapes, portraits and still life; what else is there?”
During this second online life drawing session I used coloured pencils in an A3 sketchbook as well as two drawings on black A3 paper using white chalk.
2 minute sketches 5 minute sketch 5 minute sketch 5 minute sketch 10 minute sketch 10 minute sketch 15 minute sketch. Chalk on black paper25 minute sketch black A3 paper
I found that when I used the chalk I was more committed to making a mark in that it’s not so easy to erase (than pencil on cartridge paper). This is especially true when edges are defined using pencil which eludes the eraser entirely by making it slide off the surface.
In the final portrait sketch I made a mistake with the eye on the right hand side of the paper. It is far too high. (However, I think it gives the subject a forlorn appearance which is quite appealing). The reason I drew it so high, I think, is due to having drawn the eyes on a level when the sitter had her head tilted slightly. I did not allow for this. But I shall do next time.
The sitter picks some great poses here. It really does make for enthused drawing sessions.
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 like slightly well-fed refugees from a war zone.
It’s a challenge to draw people on the move. But it is even more so to make them appear to be in motion.
I chose to enlarge the sketch slightly onto A3 cartridge paper in fine liner over pencil outlines. The people look a bit too much like they’ve been grouped a bit unnaturally; which of course they have. People outside Morrison’s were behaving within the COVID-19 rules of 2m separation. This meant that there was little sense of a group or groups of people forming.
I think that the next time I’m in a crowded place such as a gallery, I shall take as much notice of the people as I do the exhibits.
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.
Black biro on A4 paperBlack bite on A4 paper
I discovered this good example of a moving figure here by John Singer Sergeant.
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.
Small sketch in kraft paper sketchbook
I like drawing in colour. Complimentary colours have such an immediate impact. I shall draw using a limited colour palette on Wednesday at my next online life drawing session. I plan also to use this method in my end of module project. I think it needs a bit of green/turquoise to offset the orange.
Small sketch in Kraft paper sketchbook Project 6:Exercise 1:Facial features
I had a bit of fun. I used a celebrity magazine to refer to when drawing these facial features. There were a lot of similar noses. Perhaps they all went to the same place to have them done. Natural is best in my humble opinion. But it is a great place to go for reference material for facial expression. Although most of the faces were smiling or looking moodily at the camera. I think I’ll dig out some books and see if I can find some different expressions.
I think also I shall bear this in mind when drawing the portrait from imagination later in this part of the unit.
This is the tip of the iceberg. I can see myself getting carried away making up characters for another graphic novel at this rate.
I started with my feet. I think these turned out ok though it needs more work:
Pencil on A3 sketchbook
I went directly from feet to hands. Always a tricky subject.
I think that I convince myself that I can’t draw hands especially prior to sitting down to do just that:
A3 sketchbook. Varying degrees of success
I suppose the obvious artist to go and look at for the structure of the human body is Leonardo da Vinci. I’m thinking Vitruvian Man? This is a depiction of the ideal, perfectly proportioned figure. It leaves me feeling slightly inadequate, even though I am no man. I suspect this has a similar effect on other people when they see it. A bit like the air brushed beauty we see constantly on our screens both large and small. Nevertheless it is instructive in how the various component body parts ought to connect.
In my recent life drawing session the model, though conventionally proportioned, would not be described as following the conventions of beauty in the current era. This is how real people look. Yet I hesitate to draw my own body due to my conventional thinking and personal pride about how I appear to others. I shall take my cues on structure from elsewhere.
I employed the services of my model as follows:
I found it difficult to isolate individual body parts without incorporating other connecting components.
After a week where I believed I had the COVID-19 virus, and then got better PDQ, therefore wondering whether I actually had it or some other less debilitating Coronavirus, I’ve not done too badly.
The above is taken from a group of sketches I did from a video of myself playing my fiddle. Of course it’s not as good as the real thing, but holding a fiddle and sketching oneself is.. well you catch my drift.
Pencil on A4 sketchbook Difficult to capture movement from video
I was inspired both by my earlier attempts to represent yoga poses as overlapping images, as well as a vague memory of an artist from the modern era. I now realise by searching online that artist was Giacomo Balla and the piece in question was “The Hand of the Violinist“.
I saw more movement in my bowing arm than in my hand on the fingerboard. In Giacomo Balla’s oil painting patterns of movement are hinted at by blurring lines suggesting the scroll and finger board pivoting. The bowing arm was not visible.
I shall look more closely at this artist’s work for reference. I now realise it was movement that was missing from my yoga poses image. The poses were that, static poses.
I just took part in an online life drawing session. It was a lot more help than I had anticipated. Once I got over the slightly weird quality to the low rez image I focused on the light and shade and forgot to worry so much about details. The following are 2 minute pencil sketches in an A3 sketchbook:
The following are 5 minute sketches:
The following were 10 minutes apiece:
And to finish, the model chose a close up of 15 minutes:
It looks like it’s going to be a regular thing on a Wednesday. Next week I’ll try a different medium using colour.
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 they are slightly translucent.
The Curtain Twitcher. A3 cartridge using highlighter pens
I was annoyed that I did not follow through on my original intention – that is to substitute limited colours for the tonal values. Instead I just used the nearest colour for skin tone, cheese plant leaves and curtain etc. It is important to remember that learning from mistakes can produce interesting outcomes though.
As a test of materials this worked fine but I do need to follow through in my intentions.
Maureen Walker's blog: An Artist's Journey 