Still Life in Tone Using Colour

Project 3

Exercise 2

The aim of this task was to create a group of still life items through the use of tone, using colours to create dark, mid and light tones.

I chose a book, a mug and an apple. A book because I thought I would give drawing a book another go (I feel that I failed miserably last time). I also thought it would be beneficial to spend some time practicing the form of a mug, as this sort of object is one that I have struggled with previously. Finally, I chose the apple simply because I liked the range of colours, and felt that it would be a good starting point for the use of colour.

I chose to use the perspective of the 4th picture. I liked the view from above the most as I felt that it best displayed the different tones.

Next, I chose to experiment with different techniques and materials.

I began by sketching the outline of the objects with a pencil and then used a range of colouring pencils to add in the different tones I could see. I found that the more colour I added, the more realism I was able to bring to the sketch. The black and brown colours that I used showed clearly where the light was hitting the items from, and the mid tones were useful to blend the dark into the lighter tones.

After this I experimented by drawing the apple without outlines and using a range of dark, mid and light pastels. By forming lines that arced to the shape of the apple, I was able to accurately display the curvature. It was also really interesting to see the object come to life by simply blending the lines from dark to light. Squinting at the apple aided me in differentiating the tonal range. From this piece, I can see that it will be important to blend the colours for a smooth transition between tones.

I originally intended for this piece to lead to the final product of the exercise.

I’m really pleased with how it turned out, but in the end, I chose to use this piece as an experimental piece.

I began by using a black coloured pencil to add the dark tones, which were predominantly the shadows on the areas furthest from the light. I was immediately able to see that the shadows and shaded areas were crucial to breathing life into this piece.

After, I used a combination of reds, browns and oranges for the mid tones. I curved the lines of colour to the shape of the apple, as I’d learnt that this was important to display its shape. Without these curved lines the apple would have maintained a flat appearance, but curving them seems to lift it out of the page. Being very careful to see where the small bits of shadow are on the apple was something I had to remind myself to do. For example, there are very subtle patches of shadow around the stem and beneath the apple.

Curving the lines in parallel to the curve of the ellipse displayed the shape of the mug far better than if I had not been mindful of their direction. For instance, if I had drawn straight lines, I think the mug would have maintained a very flat appearance.

To complete the piece I used yellows and creams for the light tones. This worked beautifully to finish the piece, and I’m really satisfied with the outcome. Specifically, the apple.

I realised at the end that I would like to experiment with another use of colour, so setting this piece aside, I then grabbed my watercolours and my pastels…

To begin with, I loosely drew the outlines of the objects using a grey pastel.

I used black watercolour paint to add the dark tones. These were the areas that were blocked from the light. The right hand side of the items were the furthest from the light, and I used a combination of natural light and a strong torch to make the contrast more severe.

The darker tones were lighter on the spine of the book and the inside of the mug. The book didn’t have much to cast shadow upon it. The only noticeable difference in tone is where the spine had been bent and is ever so slightly darker than the rest. The inside of the mug was hit by the light only at the very top, but abruptly stops when the edge of the mug blocks it.

Next, I added the mid tones.

I also realised that I had forgotten to include the shadow from the apple (oops), so included that.

I used a range of grey, browns and reds to blend the dark tones into the mid tones. Sweeping the brush in line with the outer lines of the objects was really important in portraying the shape and dimension. I loved that I was able to see the items popping out of the page as the second lot of tones were added. Using a range of reds made the apple more realistic, as its skin has many different shades. I also found that the brown blends well into the black on the mug, making the transition from dark to mid tone subtle but very effective. This was also really supportive in portraying the shape of the mug. The direction of the paint strokes and the way the colours blend shows the cylindrical shape of the mug well.

Then, the light tones. For this, I mostly used a wet paint brush to blend the mid tones out. Where the light hits the mug on the left hand side, the colour almost disappeared, as the light was so bright. I used cream to blend the grey on the inside of the mug out slightly so the contrast of tones wasn’t too harsh.

My favourite light tone that I added was the green and yellow towards the stem of the apple. I think this was the cherry on the cake for that particular object, as I love the impact it has towards making the apple look real.

Typical me, I was looking at this piece wondering what is missing? And, of course, I had forgotten the shadow cast by the pile of objects – one of the most important parts! Using a mix of black and grey watercolours I added this shadow, subtly blending the black into grey. This added so much to the piece and I’m glad I realised my mistake.

The Final Outcome

At the end I touched up the piece with some white, grey and black pastels.

I used the black pastel to add the small details that I had somehow missed or not been able to display accurately with paint alone. These areas were mainly the patches of shadow on and around the items that were the darkest, and the edges/rims of items.

I added grey pastel mostly on the handle of the mug to display where the dark tones were blending into the lighter tones, and also on the spine of the book. This pastel choice was really beneficial in blending the grey out on the book, and added a lot of character to it.

Finally, I used the white pastel for any patches of reflected light that were the brightest, e.g. the small patch on the apple, the area on the mug closest to the light, a small area around the rim of the mug, and some patches on the handle. That did it for me. After adding these features I felt satisfied with my piece.

I feel so happy with this piece, and I think this is my strongest of all that I have created so far.

My favourite object is the apple. I think I have been able to portray it really well – the tones, the shape, the texture. I’m pleased with the blend from dark to mid to light tones and the range of colours that I used worked really well. I’d love to practice more using watercolours and pastels as they are very out of my comfort zone, but I had a lot of fun working with them and I think I did pretty well for my first attempt. I’m now beginning to feel more and more motivated to practice with materials and media unfamiliar to me.

Still Life Using Line

Coursework

Project 3

Exercise 1

The aim of this task was to set up objects that connect (items that are similar to each other in one way or another), or objects that clash or contrast.

I began looking around my lounge and kitchen for items that either complemented each other or were the complete opposite. I settled on two bottles – a wine bottle and a gin bottle. Once I’d chosen these objects I took photos of them placed beside each other to work out what perspective I would like to draw them from.

I chose to sketch them from the position displayed in the first image – from straight on.

First, I began by creating a loose outline of the bottles with a pencil and then built upon that simple sketch. Slowly I started to add details on the bottles, such as the wax, labelling, markings and reflections. After this I added the finer details. I wanted to add as much as I could see whilst in pencil to get a general idea of what the final outcome may look like. I also feel far more comfortable working in pencil before working up to pen or a more permanent tool.

After I had the base of the drawing in pencil, I sat for a while and figured out what exactly connects these items – they are both glass, they are both created for the same purpose, but what I think connected them the most in this aspect is that when placed next to each other they almost blend into each other, becoming one item. I had decided to draw the items in the room that I found them in. One of these bottles is often used as a candle holder so it’s got a lot of wax running down the neck and body. The other is one that we just liked the look of, so we kept it. They have been in our lounge for a long time, to the point, the room wouldn’t look the same without them. To me, this is a more personal connection, but I like to think it makes the sketch that bit more special.

I then built up the sketch with a range of fine liners, using thicker pens for the more prominent features and finer ones for any subtle details.

I often work with pens and find that a drawing is more striking when the lines are more obvious. The thickness of the lines in this particular piece really brings the detail out of the page, which, as a result, makes the sketch more eye-catching. One thing that I found challenging was displaying the lines and marks that I could see through the glass. It was tricky to work out how to do this, but I think I did a pretty good job. I think this is something I will need to practice in the future when I focus on drawing items like these again.

I felt that the drawing looked a little empty, so I chose to add the dark areas that I could see on each bottle. For this I used a 0.05 nibbed pen. This is a very fine nib so I was able to achieve a very subtle effect which looks almost as though the lines were added with a pencil. I love the appearance this gives the bottles as it adds not only the range of tone, but was a great way of displaying the shape and curvature of the bottles. I was able to do this by curving the lines in parallel with the bases.

The Final Outcome

I’m really happy with the outcome of this piece. It was great to be able to work with a technique that I am comfortable with, and using a range of fine liners bought the drawing to life in a way that I feel pencil wouldn’t have been able to. It is a breath of fresh air to finally be able to say that I think this exercise went well, and now I’m feeling eager to continue.

Detail and Tone

Coursework

Project 2

Exercise 1

The aim of this task was to practice building up dark, medium and light tones using hatching and cross-hatching techniques. I selected two shells for this exercise.

I browsed through other students’ blogs to gain some inspiration and noticed that some had chosen to use only graphite pencils, whereas, others had used a range of coloured pencils. It wasn’t clear for this specific exercise what tools we were allowed to use, however, I chose to experiment with a variety of colours.

First, I experimented with different medias to see which were the most effective in creating the details and tone on the shells. I chose to sketch and add the differing tones using a range of graphite pencils to begin with, and I found this to be a simple yet effective technique. It fast added realism to what began as a bland sketch.

After this, I chose to sketch the shells using a range of coloured pencils. I really like the effect that this had, as I think it shows clearly where the light hits and where the shadows on each shell are. In hindsight, I think I went slightly overboard with the yellow and I have made a note to be mindful of not doing this in the final product.

Finally, I combined all of these different medias, using both graphite and coloured pencils. This was the technique I liked the most, as it portrays the contrast of tones in great detail, more so than the previous two experiments. I decided that this is the technique I shall be using in the following part of this task.

I began by crosshatching the darkest tones using a black coloured pencil. I’m never sure whether to start with the lighter or darker tones, however, I personally find it easier to begin with the darker. This section of the shell was entirely in shadow as the light was hitting from the right-hand side. It appeared as though the darkened part of the shell merged into the shadow cast by it, which I thought would be challenging to portray, however, it proved easier than I thought. To create this effect it felt as though I was cross-hatching and drawing various lines over and over and over again, which, essentially, I was, but patience paid off because I’m really pleased with the appearance I’ve achieved.

Next, I began to work in the yellow, orange and brown colours I could see. I got caught up in creativity and forgot to take pictures of the actual order I did this in.

I started with the yellow pencil and crosshatched where I could see these tones. The yellow areas were mainly around the shadowing in each curve of the shell, and was quite inconsistent over the surface. I guess over time the surface of the shells has been worn and changed by the environment, altering its appearance.

Then, I used a combination of orange and brown to blend the yellow tones out and to darken other areas of the shell. There were many dips and bumps along the surface that held just a small amount of shadow, and it was really useful to have these mid-tone colours to depict this. It was very effective to have the brown shading, and to then blend it out/in using an orange. Far more effective than if I were to be shading using only graphite.

Next, I chose dark brown to work on the darkest parts of the shell. These were the parts that weren’t in shadow, but were far darker than the yellow, cream and brown areas of the shell. The top of the shell and the centre of each dip/curve were very dark, and adding dark brown to those areas worked wonders. This is when I started to see my drawing come to life, as I was able to bring some 3-dimensionality to the shells.

To finish this piece, I used all the previous colours to work over these areas further. I spent some time tweaking any parts of the shells that needed it, and went over the shading on the left-hand shell and below each shell to form effective shadowing. Adding colour and shading to the other areas seemed to dull the black that I had previously added in, so going over it bought it back to life.

The shells were covered in many long, fine lines along the curve of their shape, so I finally added these in and went over the lighter patches with an eraser to show the patches where the light hit the most.

The Final Outcome

I am really pleased with how this piece turned out. I really enjoyed being able to experiment with colour as this is something that I don’t often practice. I usually work in only graphite pencils and fine liners, however, it was great to step out of my comfort zone and to branch out with my creativity.

It was really interesting to put to the test how to form shading and shadowing using coloured pencils, and I’m keen to work on this more in the future.

Positive and Negative Spaces

Coursework

Gary Hume

Towards the end of the Composition section of Intimacy, we are asked to review how contemporary artists use positive and negative space within their work.

To begin with, we are asked to focus on Gary Hume, an English artist who came to prominence in the early 1990s.

Piece 1, Cerith – 1998.

Piece 2, Angel – 1998.

These are two of the ten screen prints in the series Portraits. The prints in this series are produced using between three and fifteen colours and are very abstract, to say the least.

Cerith represents the subject’s face and neck with a large blue area (the positive space), surrounded by an even larger yellow area (the negative space). I love the way that the spaces within this piece contrast so well against each other, it almost feels that there is no “space”. In the previous pieces of work that I’ve researched in Drawing 1, I’ve found that negative space is often depicted by empty space, but it doesn’t appear to be empty when it’s filled with vibrancy and colour.

Angel depicts a large white face framed by yellow hair. I find this portrait sad, as it looks as though the figure in it has bruising around the right eye. The khaki and yellow colouring used also gives the impression of a bruise upon a person’s body. The white area of the face is upon a neck represented only by drawn lines that stop abruptly, and are surrounded by a vast area of khaki. Again, the colour used in the negative space here fills it up entirely and, to me, doesn’t seem negative or empty at all.

I love the use of colour to fill these spaces, positive and negative, as there is nothing empty about either and the entirety of both pieces are brimming with colour and solidity.

M.C. Escher

Another artist I found was M. C. Escher, a Dutch graphic design artist. He created illustrations for books, designed tapestries, and made murals, but his main form was printmaking.

Escher liked to involve positive and negative space and shapes in his pieces, and created some very astounding pieces with the use of this technique.

The above image depicts a day landscape merging into a night scene.

If you focus on the day landscape, the black birds appear and become the positive shapes/space and the daylit area becomes the negative space. However, if you look at the dark landscape, the white birds stand out, making them into the positive shapes/space, with the darkened land being the negative space. Escher incorporates a lot of optical illusions within his pieces, and this is cleverly displayed in this piece. The fact that you are able to see two different scenes within one image by use of negative and positive is fantastic.

I’ve viewed a few interpretations of positive/negative space today, and I have come to notice that there are a few outlooks you can have regarding these spaces.

In the figures created by Gary Hume I considered the positive space to be the area that is the main focus or figure of the artwork and the negative space to be the block of colour or area surrounding the focus. However, after looking at some of Escher’s work, I can see that it could be portrayed other ways. For example, in his work the positive space is the white or lighter area, and the negative space is the black or darker area.

Both portrayals are super effective and really interesting takes on the technique, and I don’t think I could choose a favourite if I tried. They are incomparable and powerful in their own ways, which is encouraging as it shows me that I don’t have to stick to a strict guideline on what positive and negative space should be.

Bibliography

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hume-cerith-p78688

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hume-angel-p78682

Assignment 1

Coursework

Feedback and Reflection

I’m super pleased with the feedback I have received in regards to my coursework and outcome of Assignment 1. It’s really helpful to have guidance and input into what I could work on and what I did well. I feel encouraged to be less harsh on myself, as I wasn’t expecting the feedback to be so positive. I’m quite firm on myself, so to have such encouraging feedback was a relief.

I’ve taken a lot of pointers from the things that my tutor fed back to me, and I’m motivated to persevere with my choices and adapt my skills in certain areas.

Positive feedback points:

Medium extension
Pressure of contact on page
My sketchbook use
The reflectiveness within my writing
Planning regarding Assignment 1
Attention to tone, form and subject

Things that I will be focusing on in future work are:

Creating more thumbnails in practice for larger pieces
Not to rely on outlines to form an object
Not to be too harsh on myself in regards to my style of work and my downfalls
Ellipse practice
Less smudging when shading

Composition

Coursework

The Ancient Egyptians

15th Century BCE

I learnt something new the second I began this piece of research – I was entirely unaware that Still Life art went as far back as the Ancient Egyptians. It’s astounding to think that the tools and materials they used were far more basic than what we have these days and they were still able to create pieces as clear as the one above.

The Egyptians painted valuable items and feasts on the walls of tombs for Pharaohs so that they would have a bountiful afterlife. They also painted them for the Gods, as offerings. I feel that the Egyptians did not have as keen an eye for detail as many modern artists, as the items are quite unrealistic, unshaded and lacking intricate detail, however, it’s still very clear what each item is.

Ancient Greeks & Romans

1st Century

Ancient Greeks and Romans created similar Still Life forms. Whilst they usually produced these in mosaic form, often they would apply it for frescoes. Frescoes are the artistic recreation of an image by applying pigment onto plaster. The above image is from Pompeii and shows a great deal more detail than the productions by the aforementioned Egyptians. Here we are able to see the introduction of shadows, shading, texture, positioning, and proportion. A huge step for humans and their art!

Many masterpieces across time have been preserved beautifully through the use of this technique, such as the astounding ceiling of the Sistine Chapel created by Michelangelo.

The Middle Ages

15th, 16th & 17th Century

In the Middle Ages artists had really adapted and improved their skills in creating powerful pieces of art. As you can see above, some wonderful and incredibly detailed Still Life pieces were formed in this time.

Artists adapted their work forms to serve religious purposes, and mainly illustrated scenes from the Bible, also using their skills to design manuscripts – our first glimpse at the profession of an Illustrator.

How far we came in these years! Whilst the creations provided to us by the Romans and Greeks were delightful and are pieces of art that we still adore and are inspired by today, I feel that the artists of the Middle Ages changed the game forever. The passion and effort that have gone into every inch of the 5 pieces above will never cease to amaze me.

The fine, fine details are what make each piece so powerful. Focusing on the right hand picture – Christ at Emmaus – it seems to me that you never stop noticing things in it. The four men sat around the table, the expressions and features of their faces, how they hold themselves, the clothes they wear, the food on the table, the shading and shadowing. It feels as though I am looking not at a painting, but at a photograph. I can only aspire to be as talented and creative as the artist that created this piece – Jan Van Eyck.

Renaissance

14th – 16th Century

These pictures are so beautiful it makes me feel emotional just looking at them. They are gorgeous in every way.

In comparison to the pieces created in The Middle Ages, these are equally astounding, however, in an entirely different way.

Whilst both eras follow a very dark theme, using a mixture of colours that never seem to appear bright, no matter how vibrant they are, the objects within the pieces differ. The two images above include life forms, similar to the aforementioned artist Jan Van Eyck, yet these life forms are not human. Flowers and pieces of fruit seem to play a large part in Still Life artwork from around this time.

Again, it’s like looking at a photograph, the amount of detail that is used in creating the items and the area surrounding them. A massive improvement has been made regarding the perspective and proportion used in forming these magnificent pieces, as you can see the depth within each one. I can see exactly how long and wide the table that the fruit and wine sit upon is. I am able to really gauge how large the bouquet of flowers is in comparison to the size of the surface beneath it.

I adore the texture created on the table cloth in the second image. I think it’s my favourite aspect of each of the pieces. I love how the artist has formed the folds and waves within the cloth, using very expert shading and shadowing techniques to create this. It’s funny because when I look very closely, I am able to see that it is just the use of a black drawing tool that has created such a brilliant effect, however, when you just sit and admire the image it has the powerful ability to trick you into thinking you’re looking at the actual thing, as though the items on that cloth on that table are sat right in front of you.

Modern Art

19th & 20th Century

In later centuries Still Life remained a very popular focus for artists.

Famous artists such as Van Gogh and Picasso have taken their own very unique approach upon still life in many well-known and loved pieces.

Focusing upon Twelve Sunflowers in a Vase painted in 1888 by Van Gogh, you can see that his sense of realism is not at the forefront of his creativity. The first thing I noticed, other than the vibrancy out the painting, is that there are few prominent lines. There is a simple outline of the vase and a few here and there around the flowers, but there is very little structure to the items in the piece. Next, I noticed the lack of shading. There are no shadows cast upon the wall by the flowers, the vase, or the rear of the table, which is something that hugely improved my pieces, by showing the space between objects and the proportion of an item in comparison to another. This is not a detail included in this piece, which gives it an almost cartoon-like effect.

The other thing I can see is how subtly Van Gogh has created the appearance of reflected light. It appears that not a lot of precision and effort has been included in portraying this. To me, it looks as though the artist has taken a few effortless dabs with a lighter coloured paint along the centre of the vase, but somehow it works brilliantly to capture the detail.

This is a perfect example of an artist that has worked their character and personality into their work. When you look at Twelve Sunflowers in a Vase, or any similar pieces, you immediately think of the name Van Gogh. The specific colours and lack of fine details are something that is very characteristic of his work, and something you would immediately recognise if you saw it without context.

To be able to create a piece of work that people recognise without knowing the name of the piece or art or the exact artist is incredible, and something that inspires me an extraordinary amount.

Next, Picasso’s Basket of Fruit.

His pieces are also extremely recognisable, and he is an artist that I focused on a lot throughout my art classes at school. My first thought when I look at his art now is weird.

This piece is very, very strange and definitely unique. I would have never known that it were a basket of fruit as it looks almost robotic. If I were without context and had to guess the things that I could see in this painting, I would guess that it were a helmet of some description and a chandelier, however, alas, it is not.

I find it very difficult to like Picasso’s work, as many of his pieces unsettle me and have an eerie vibe.

Again, this piece looks very cartoon-like and as though it were created in a very short amount of time. The colours used are extremely dull – dark greens, dark reds, greys, and black. There are very small uses of brighter colours such as gold and white, however, these are overshadowed by the darker tones within the painting.

The lack of perspective in this is slightly alarming. The items look extremely 2-D, however, I imagine a basket of fruit and a table would be anything but 2-D. It looks as though the basket is completely flat, and also is though it is partially floating in mid-air. This is something that I consider to weaken a Still Life painting, as the point is to represent life and/or realism.

Another thing that I noticed is, whilst some areas are shaded in, other areas that should include shading are without. For example, the right-hand side of the chandelier includes shading where the object is blocking the light, however, with this in mind, should the basket not also have shadowing/shading on it’s right-hand side?

After reviewing these examples across the centuries, I have decided that my favourite era for their take on Still Life is the Renaissance. I much prefer it when the artists create the objects exactly as they see it, or how they think it would truly look. When the perspective and proportion of an item is as accurate as possible it gives the piece a more powerful end result. Also, when shadowing and reflective light is portrayed correctly it has such a hugely positive impact on the piece and the outcome of it. I adore how artists during the Renaissance formed their artwork – the colours used, the fine details in each and every object, and the effect the lighting has on each item.

In the future, I think I will take a lot of inspiration from these pieces, even the ones that I didn’t enjoy as much. There are parts from each individual artwork and each artist that I could use to influence my work. I’m looking forward to delving further into the past for some more motivation in my future pieces.

Odilon Redon

Coursework

April 20 1840 – July 6 1916

Symbolist painter and printmaker

Odilon Redon, born Bertrand-Jean Redon, began drawing as a young child, and at the age of just 10 he was awarded his first drawing related prize. As he grew older, he began studying drawing, however, his father was insistent that he turn to architecture.

In his native home of Bordeaux he began sculpting, and was taught the skill of etching and lithography by Rodolphe Bresdin. In 1870 his artistic career was put on pause whilst he joined the army to serve in the war.

At the end of the war, he moved to Paris and continued his artistic work mostly in charcoal and lithography. It was not until the late 1870s that his work began to gain recognition with his piece Guardian Spirit of the Waters.

In the 1890s Odilon Redon began to work with pastels and oils, which were dominant of his work for the rest of his life.

Two Trees – 1875

Two Trees is an aptly named charcoal piece of two trees.

I love this piece, and I think it could be viewed in a number of ways. Sometimes when I look at it, it appears to be very bright, warm and as though it’s being sketched at sun rise in a soft, raw light. Other times I look at it and it seems to be quite dark and mysterious, almost spooky, as though the sun is setting and darkness is quickly approaching.

I love the way in which Odilon has formed the range of tones, and one of the things I love the most, is how it somehow looks extremely realistic but also very much like what it is – a drawing. I get strong Alice in Wonderland vibes from it, not only from the focus of the piece, but the technique used in creating it. The darker patches on the ground and the trees has a scratchy appearance, very much like the illustrations from the books. I could almost imagine a cheesy cheshire cat perched on a tree branch.

The approach Odilon has taken in creating the light, mid and dark tones is extremely simple but very powerful.

The centre of the drawing is very dark, giving the impression that you can see deep into the depth of the woods. It also really helps to form the shape of the trees and the perspective in which the artist could see them; where the tree ends and the thick, dark charcoal immediately begins makes it very clear how much further in the foreground the focal point of scene is.

It’s very impactful how the simple use of charcoal has created such a vivid, powerful piece of art. I’m unsure on this, however I believe that he created this on yellow paper, so the lighter tones and sections are not white as they would be on a standard sheet of paper, they are soft and buttery, giving the piece the effect of glowing warmth, as though you can really see the sun illuminating the two trees in front of Odilon.

You can see the use of crosshatching very clearly at the top of the tree on the left, and it creates a brilliant effect of shade. Not only is that part of the tree hidden from the light, but the artist has ensured you are still able to see the texture of the bark and the curvature of the tree. Wow. In other areas you are able to see subtle smudging and minuscule features such as tiny spots at the bottom of the right hand tree which I imagine are supposed to be the flowers that he could see dotted around the grass below the tree, and even the individual, almost non-existent, blades of grass which you don’t even see to begin with, but which add so much life to the piece. Looking at these blades of grass I was almost tempted to say “at the bottom of the drawing”, however, this isn’t truly how I see it. It’s not just a drawing on a flat sheet of paper. After a while of looking at this it doesn’t even feel like a drawing to me anymore, it has begun to feel as though I am the artist creating it or I am someone out for a walk and this is what I am approaching. I feel hugely inspired by this as it just goes to show how impactful the use of charcoal and a simple range of light, mid and dark tones can form an outstanding piece of artwork.

One thing that has inspired me greatly, and something that I’d like to practice in my future work, is the lack of prominent outlines. I have a habit of creating very clear lines in my work, and seeing a great artist such as Odilon Redon do the complete opposite really motivates me to try this out.

Other works

Looking at other pieces by Odilon Redon, I can see many similarities to Two Trees, however, they are all unique in their own way.

The first piece is of a person sat on some rocks in front of of a setting/rising sun. This piece is extremely moving and it’s one of the few pieces of his where a person is included in it.

I love the use of colour for the tonal range. He uses a range of cream, brown and black to create the surface of the rock and the shadows across it. You can really see the depth that he has created using these colours, and even simple details he has included add so much to the piece. For example, the simple addition of a sharp, defined rock in the right hand corner gives the impression that the person is further away and the rock is the closest thing to you. It almost feels as though you are peeking at this person from behind the rock, taking a photograph of them.

It’s really interesting to see how his work differs when emotion is involved in it. Dependent on the person viewing this piece, I think it could be perceived in a number of ways. Is the person resting? Is the person contentedly sat on the ledge being warmed by the sun? Is the person upset, crying even? It’s difficult to tell as the details of the face are in shadow, yet, after looking further into this I found the title of the piece – Melancholy. Knowing this makes the piece far more emotive to me, however, I still believe that if you removed the title the piece would be up for interpretation.

The next piece that I looked at is named Orchids. It’s an extremely beautiful piece, something I would even consider framing on my wall.

My favourite part of Orchids is the lack of fine detail. There are no fine lines and markings on the petals, the flowers themselves have no shading on them and it is not clear what the vase is on top of. I think I prefer the piece this way, as it almost looks unfinished, or a work in progress, but also perfect just the way it is.

I really like how Odilon has shaded the negative space around the orchid. The left hand side looks as though it has been shaded using frottage, a technique that I am growing to really appreciate. On the right side of the orchid it appears to me that the artist has left it completely blank, or somehow removed the shading/colour. I’m sure pencil erasers weren’t around during his time, however, maybe he used something similar. This is something that I have practiced more and more recently and the outcome looks very similar.

It took me a while to notice, but there are many fine lines included in this piece, for example, the reflected light along the stem of the vase makes it a hundred times more lifelike. It really portrays the curvature of the vase and which direction the light is hitting it from.

Small details make a big difference!

The final piece I looked at is the sweetly named The Smiling Spider. This piece terrifies me but also intrigues me. It’s a simple charcoal sketch, but with so much inside it. From the spider to the shading to the colours used, the whole piece is a little eerie. It reminds me of one of the sections I created in a previous exercise based on emotions. Focusing on “anxiety” I simply scribbled a black patch in the centre and used my hand to smudge it. I feel that Odilon has done something very similar here and then added spindly legs to it.

I love the appearance that the spider is blocking the source of light. You can see this from the amount of shaded negative space behind the spider, whereas, the area in front of the spider is seemingly untouched, as though that area is illuminated by bright light. This gives you the impression that the spider is enormous. Another really impactful piece by this artist, and definitely someone I will be returning to in the future for inspiration and ideas.

https://www.odilon-redon.org/

https://arthive.com/odilonredon/works/198907~Two_trees

Assignment 1

Coursework

The brief for this assignment was to arrange some items that trigger a personal response, including techniques practiced in previous exercises during this project.

I chose objects that mean a lot to me as they are a part of my everyday life.

My favourite plant
An eyeshadow palette
A book
Two of my favourite rings

These items vary in shape, size and texture, which gave me the ability to portray the shading and tonal ranges of the objects in different ways. I placed the items by a large window so the light that hit them was soft and natural. I much prefer the way shadows and reflections look in a raw light.

I used all of the techniques that I have worked on throughout this project for this piece – frottage, crosshatching, as well as using a range of tools to create light, mid and dark tones across the items. I used a different approach for the shadows of each individual item. For example, the shadow cast by the book was quite subtle, therefore, to recreate it I rubbed a piece of charcoal gently on its side to form a frottage effect. I really like the outcome that this created as I think frottage is an extremely powerful shading technique.

The plant pot was my favourite piece to create, as I loved experimenting with a variety of ways to form reflective light and shadows. The shadow cast by the plant and the pot is created using crosshatching, which I then subtly blended to create a softer appearance. Personally, I feel that this worked really well and I’m pleased with the way it looks. As this proved to be a really impactful use of shading for the plant, I used the same for the shading on and around the pot. For the shadows between the leaves of the plant I simply used a grey and black conte stick to smudge in the patches of shadow and shade dotted between and around the curves and edges of the leaves. Again, I’m happy with the outcome of this, as I began to see the sketch come to life.

Reflection on my progress

Demonstration of technical and visual skills

There were a few parts of this that I found challenging, but that I have also noticed real improvement in.

I’ve become very particular regarding the proportion of the items that I am drawing, as I am prone to thinking a sketch is of the correct proportion, but when I look at it at a later date or from a distance, I realise the lines either aren’t symmetrical or just don’t look the way they should. This is something that I find super frustrating, as I often get to the point where it’s too late to fully rectify any mistakes.

The one issue that I have with this piece is the makeup palette. It’s the kind of object where it’s very easy to spot a fault in the lining and proportion, as there are many parallel lines within it. Even now, after much altering, I can see that there are complications. It became very frustrating, as when one line was fixed, another one became disproportionate, and by the end of it I felt that if I continued to try to fix it I would spoil it.

During this I’ve had to repeatedly remind myself that I am new to this and I am still learning. Eventually, I will get there.

Quality of outcome

I feel mixed emotions towards the final outcome of this piece.

I really enjoyed creating it, however, there’s just something about it that doesn’t sit right with me, and I think it’s the aforementioned palette. I created this using very subtle shading and the whole sketch appeared very pale (as you can see below), but after some experimenting I darkened the shading and shadows, and I’m far more satisfied with the result.

Now, with Form and Gesture complete, I am reflecting back on my work and whilst I can see real improvement, I am able to identify areas in which I can better myself. In the future, I intend to practice, improve and experiment with shading skills, working out and putting to paper the accurate scale and proportion of an item, and a range of approaches in portraying the above.

Demonstration of creativity

The creativity used in the previous projects and the final assignment is a kind that I am unused to. In my own work I use a lot of dotwork and fine lines, my main drawing tool usually being fine liners. Getting used to thick, heavy tools such as charcoal and conte sticks was testing, nevertheless, I feel that I can see slow but sure development in both my work and my confidence.

I probably would not have chosen to practice using things such as charcoal, conte sticks and pastels if it weren’t for the tasks in Part 1, but I’m really happy with the fact that I’m expanding my creative horizons and branching out on the ways in which I design.

I’ve experimented a lot with frottage, crosshatching and the other forms of portraying tonal range on 3D objects to create a feel of realism, and without realising it I’ve managed to bring my own imagination into it and create a personality within my work.

Context reflection

I have taken a lot of inspiration from other students’ learning logs and have comforted myself at times of doubt when I see that my pieces aren’t meant to be perfect, and they won’t all look the same. We are all putting our own spin on our work and are all here for a reason – to learn!

It’s also been a huge support communicating with other students through the OCA Facebook group.

As mentioned, I hope to improve by continued practice and experimentation. Again, assuming I will immediately be fantastic at these skills is something that I had to repeatedly steer myself away from. However, I know that with time, perseverance, self-acceptance and understanding I will look back on this work and notice a real progression in what I am doing.

Shadows and Reflected Light

Coursework

Project 2

Exercise 4

I found this exercise both challenging, yet very enjoyable.

Drawing an object with a reflective surface is something I’ve always desired to attempt, however, I’ve not had the confidence nor the first clue on how I could create it effectively. I took some inspiration from fellow students and I did some mild research on which particular tools I should use in this task, which was extremely helpful. I chose a ceramic plant pot and a large candle holder. To put these on paper I used:

Assorted charcoal pieces
White, grey and black conte sticks
An eraser

My instinct was to roughly draw the items with a pencil, however, I stepped out of my comfort zone and went straight at it with a piece of charcoal. To begin with I felt extremely out of my depth and was convinced that the whole piece was going to be a disaster. Although at times things did go wrong, I was able to rectify any mistakes using the eraser or even cover them up with more charcoal.

I used the charcoal for the outlines, and then lightly outlined where I could see the white of the reflecting light. This made the task far easier for me as I had blocks to work around with the charcoal and conte sticks.

I found the charcoal really useful for the general shadowed/darker areas of the objects, and as it’s very easy to smudge, I was able to shape it to the curve of whichever item I was working on.

After this, I went over the charcoal with a black conte stick in the areas that I could see were darker than others, which began to give the sketch some life and I was able to really see it coming together and this put my mind at ease.

I then used the grey conte stick to very subtly blend the black into a mid-tone where the shadow began to transition into light. Finally, using a combination of white conte stick and the eraser, I began to accentuate the parts where the light reflected onto the item, giving them the vivid, white appearance that I could see.

The most testing part of this task, but also the part that I am most proud of, was creating the reflection of the plant pot in the candle holder. This was a detail that I almost persuaded myself to leave out, however, I try not to do things by halves so I gave it a go, and I’m really pleased with how it turned out. It was a very subtle detail, as the candle holder has a matte sheen over it’s mirrored surface, but I think it’s a very important and impactful part of the piece.

Creating Shadow Using Lines and Marks

Coursework

Project 2

Exercise 3

For this exercise I chose a few items that were in my lounge/kitchen area – a vase, a mug, an apple, and a small box.

This is a technique that I have not practiced much so I had mixed emotions approaching this task. I was looking forward to experimenting with a new style of drawing, however, I will confess that I felt slightly apprehensive as to what the end result would be, but, I’m pleased to say that I’m very happy with the outcome and the skill that I have gained in the process.

I began with the vase as my introductory piece and, admittedly, I did not have high hopes for the final product. It was tricky for me to get used to drawing this way as it’s not something that I’ve ever tested before and, although it was interesting to experiment with lines and crosshatching as a form of shading, I think this is the weakest of my four pieces.

That being said, it wasn’t too bad for a first try!

I decided to try a few different approaches to crosshatching; varying the drawing tools that I used, the pressure that I applied to the paper, and the way in which I directed the lines. For areas of the object that were more shaded I used a black ball point drawing pen, however, I think I went a little too over the top and, as a result, I had to darken the other parts of the shade, which caused the sketch to lose a lot of its realism.

I found that the process of shading this way very effective, especially if looking at the drawing from a distance, and in spite of the fact that this piece didn’t turn out as well as I’d hoped, I was eager to continue, adapt and improve!

I am far happier with my second sketch of the two as, by this point, I’d began to figure out what to do and what not to do.

For the vase, I feel that my biggest mistake was giving it such an obvious outline; looking at the mug above, I personally believe that it looks far more realistic due to the subtler outlines.

I began by using a pencil and lightly curving the lines around the shape of the mug. I realised from my first attempt that the lines needn’t be exact; the curvature and direction of the lines is dependant on the item being shaded. For instance, a mug is cylindrical, therefore, the shading needs to curve with the shape of the mug. Once I figured this out, I found that my sketches were improving greatly.

To create the mug I used a range of HB pencils and a 0.4 fine liner drawing pen to subtly add depth and darken the shading without going over the top.

I found the apple slightly more problematic due to the colouring and texture of it, as there were a lot of different shades of colour and the surface was not perfectly smooth as the previous two had been.

That being said, I’m pleased with what I achieved. The light from the lamp was hitting the apple directly from the left side, so the right side was entirely hidden from the light. This made creating the apple far easier, as I didn’t need to worry too much about shading and filling in a number of areas along the uneven surface of the piece of fruit. Again, guiding the pencil along the curvature of the apple made the appearance of shading far more convincing, and I used the 0.4 pen to slightly darken the parts that were further away from the light. Then, using a pencil I lightly blended the lines out.

In the future I am keen to attempt this technique on an apple again, but with the lighting directed onto a different area of it.

I chose a simple box for the last object.

This was easy to create as the light was hitting the box on the right hand side, therefore, the left hand face and a small part of the top of the box were completely in shadow. Shading this specific item reminded me of when I first practiced Still Life in school, as it was often a simple shape or item such as a box or a bottle that I would focus on to begin with. However, one thing that I hadn’t experienced was the effectivity of this form of shading, or how powerful it can make a simple drawing.

This piece required straight lines only, as I was simply following the outlines of the box, and although it was an uncomplicated task, I think it adds a great deal of character that would not be available if not for the brilliant technique of crosshatching.

To create my shaded group of items, I collected the previous four, put them together, then directed the light onto them from the right hand side. I very quickly drew the basic outlines of the objects without putting too much detail into them; this was challenging for me as I am a perfectionist and I craved to ameliorate the outlines of each object, however, I knew this wasn’t the objective of the task so I persevered and focused on shading. I used a range of HB pencils and some very fine drawing pens to create this image. I feel that, of all the tools used, the pens were the most useful and created the most successful effect, so I will be sure to keep that in mind for when I practice this further.

It was extremely satisfying seeing some basic sketches being brought to life by adding simple, effortless markings to portray shadow and darkness. Although it now seems very obvious to me, I’ve learnt that adapting the form and curve of the lines, depending on the object, made a vast improvement to the appearance of what is being drawn. This is an exceptionally useful technique which can be used to create very powerful pieces of work, and I’m determined to use it in my future work.