Positive and negative space

I found this exercise relatively straightforward as I am used to focusing on negative space. Getting my mind away from thinking in terms of solid shapes and seeing without interpreting is an important part of how I see most things. Drawing it is another matter. Hand and eye co-ordination is always work in progress.

Man-made objects

 Still Life with man made objects. Thumbnail sketches

First a few thumbnail sketches to work out composition and how to place the objects.
I chose portrait format because I wanted the shadows to play an important role. I tried looking at the objects from above but chose to sit lower to see the distortion through the glass which did not look so interesting from above. Also the pattern on the cup is more interesting than looking into it.

This one seemed like a good idea but it needs the shadow to give it more depth. 

On second thoughts, it does not work so well with four objects. It looks too regimented and the gap down the middle is not right as it splits the page.

This is looking better. Adding the glass makes all the difference. 

( The drawing with coloured pencils will have to wait until they arrive from the suppliers together with the inks, watercolours pencils and dipping pen.)


I was not sure whether to add colour or not but as the instructions were to assimilate what had been done, ( which included the shopping items) and the examples shown were in colour, I decided to use pastels. It is not a medium I am familiar with and it is all a bit of an experiment. I found it difficult to get any detail as there was no sharp point in the pastel but I like the different texture of the background to the objects. However, it did not seem to have much depth.

I also decided to use A2 instead of A1 because I did not want to make the drawing that much bigger than the objects. I find that when enlarging a picture, it loses something if it gets much bigger than what I am seeing.

I gave it more intensity by using the pastel more thickly and trying to make more difference between the  materials. 

I have discovered that I am rather obsessed with shiny objects and the transparency of glass. The cup and saucer is the only object that has a solid surface. The jug is nothing but reflections, the cafetiere is transparent and metal, the glass is nothing but distortions of what is behind it. The shadows are the only indication that anything is solid, therefore they have to be a big part of the composition.

I am not happy with the colour and might do some more work on it. I chose mainly blue and brown but it looks too cold. The rough coloured sketch look more lively. 

The finished drawing. I added a slight touch of pink to the background making it less harsh.

Drawing with texture

This was not easy!

I found making marks to represent texture extremely difficult. It is something I have never done and in spite of looking at the Van Gogh drawing, doing it myself seemed impossible. I kept getting the equivalent of writers block. Hand and eye did not connect with the paper.

Frottage was new to me and I was puzzled about how to start until I saw the floor of a friend of mine. It was so beautifully worn and textured that I started rubbing away with a crayon. Charcoal did not work. Pencil was too light. Crayon was just right.

I am not sure yet how to incorporate it into a drawing. I am sure the moment will come to me when it is just what is needed. 

Texture is one thing, natural objects another. How to combine the two and keep continuity?

I found that when I was drawing the objects, I became very interested in how to draw the texture, the organic shapes and the feel of the objects.
Nevertheless, I found myself going back to my old way of doing things and not experimenting enough with marks.


While trying to keep a check on the shapes within the pineapple, I got the overall shape wrong. Too wide on the left shoulder.

In this sketch, I put in the lemons then saw the glass I was drinking out of and just had to include it. The  log was completely distorted and the transparency of the glass next to the lemons seemed to fit. All it needed was some gin!
I was quite pleased with the drawing but it was not my usual rather wild style. Very cautious and a little bit too tight. It needed more textural marks!








The oyster shells more successful drawn with a felt tip pen and then a wash on top. The pencil drawings got rather insipid and tight.










 The sketches for the composition were more fun to do. I loved trying out different positions for the objects. Working out thumbnails felt more creative than trying to get the hang of the texture of a piece of wood and the mind numbing shapes within a pineapple.

Drawing the crab claw was fun but I now realise that I have not used texture to describe it. Without the cross hatching it would not have any form.



These are more thoughts on composition and experimenting with pastel and water.
















I still have not used enough of the texture marks and decided against using charcoal for the natural forms. The detail in drawing in log, delicacy of the lemons and oysters did not seem to warrant the large expressive sweep of charcoal. Pen and ink seemed most appropriate. Perhaps the mind numbing experience of drawing detail has it's place after all. The interest of the log is the lines formed. Never predictable but tone within the shadows and amazing shapes formed by the lines. Pure texture would miss all this.

Texture and marks are something to keep experimenting with and I am beginning to feel that they might be more useful when working more on composition and colour. I feel the disadvantage is that some marks do not explain the structure only give an impression. Used as a whole with other techniques I think they would be more fun.
I am now beginning to realise that I only have pencils, charcoal, pastels and pen and ink. Perhaps I should get some of these coloured pencils and other tools of the trade? A dipping pen could come in useful too.


Coloured pencils have arrived, with watercolour pencils, inktense, pens and new oil pastels.

My first attempt with coloured pencils. Not good!

I found it really difficult to know what I was doing because the instructions were to do a finished drawing but how do I do texture with these pencils? Also, how do I do a finished drawing in the medium that is so unsuited to what I am planning. My log, oyster shells and pineapple have very little  colour which is why I am doing it in ink with an ink wash.

This is the start of the composition of natural objects. Two oyster shells and a log.
Either a complete mess because I tried to put in the shadows with a wash of black and blue ink which then ran as I was working at the easel, or the start of mark making.

This is the finished drawing. I prefer the previous one but think that adding the pineapple give it more texture and helps the composition.









Check and log


I am struggling to find new ways of using drawing tool to depict texture but persevering.

To imply form without crosshatching I cheated and used an ink wash. The sketch of the crab claw failed in this respect. I tried many different marks for the pineapple but nothing worked very well.

Frottage as a drawing technique I am putting on hold until I see a good opportunity to use it.

Thoughts on Vincent van Gogh

I was not sure how to go about doing this research as I did not want to copy the history of Vincent van Gogh and was not sure what was actually wanted.
However, I decided to show a few drawings with my comments about how I see them.

Cradle....  pencil on paper

© Bridgeman Education

First, Cradle, which looks like an early drawing. I could not find the date it was drawn but what I like about it is the attention to tone, composition and the freedom of expression, nothing tight about it and the area of light around the baby in the cradle.

                                               At the plough.  pencil, pen & brown ink on paper
                                                    from the series representing the four seasons.
                                                                                © Bridgeman Education










At the Plough looks like a later drawing. Again I could not find a date of when it was drawn but the marks seemed more confident. Very assured and a wonderful sense of composition and movement. The lines indicating trees above the animal balance the strength of the man. The figure above the horizon balancing the shadow of the animal. The size of the paper is interesting as is wider than the conventional rectangle which gives a great sense of the movement of the plough along the field.

In the orchard 1883 pen. transferred to lithograph
© Bridgeman Education

In the Orchard ( 1888) to me shows the extreme sensitivity in the drawing of the trees framing the buildings, the use of space to convey distance and the mark making of the earth to show the movement of having just dug it.

In the corner of the park 1888 Ink and pencil on paper
© Bridgeman Education

In the corner of the park (1888) shows how he has developed the marks to indicate every shape and form of shrubs, from the direction of the lines, amount of pressure, straight versus curved, stippling of all sorts and a great sense of tone. The progression from the Cradle drawing shows how he is experimenting with line and leaving the early marks of shading and inventing new ways to show form and shadow.

Rocky ground at Montmajor
1888-89 pen.reed pen & ink on paper
© Bridgeman Education

Rocky ground at Montmajor (1888-89) seems far looser and as though his use of line and tippling is now part of his vocabulary. There is a freedom in this that seems missing from the previos drawing.

Sorrow 1882 lithograph
© Bridgeman Education

Man with his head in his hands
© Bridgeman Education

Sorrow and the Man with his head in his hands both show the immense sadness and despair that seems to come from Van Gogh, through these drawings. They are not using his lively marks, they are far more considered which, perhaps, is more appropriate for the subject. The use of pure line in Sorrow is more eloquent because of it's starkness. The pregnant woman, sitting naked touches the viewer more because of the vulnerability.
The contrast of the Man with his head in his hands is that it is dark, full of shadow, texture and total despair. The hands in his face being lighter, his eyes covered, the wrinkles near the eyes, all suggest suffering to great to show his face.

This selection of drawings, to me, show the variation and emotional range of his drawings.

Battle of the lines and circles

Check and log


Are the objects in your drawings the correct size and shape in relation to each other?
Do the shapes between the objects look correct?
Do the objects in yours drawing look solid?
Have you managed to create a feeling of depth in your your drawings?


The objects are the correct size and shape in relation to each other and the shapes in between look correct.
They could look a bit more solid but that would rely on tone and shadows.
Also, there would be more depth if there were shadows to imply they a ground the objects were sitting on.
I could have put them on a cloth and used more perspective to imply more depth.

The ellipses are not quite right especially the tall jar which is too narrow compared to the small jug in front of it. They do not look as though they are seen from the same view point.
I also noticed that when photographing the drawings, the camera could make the verticals lean unless I was absolutely parallel to the page.

Whoops

I have noticed that I have fallen into my bad habit of rushing. After grappling with technology and doing the first few exercises, I just had to look ahead and do more drawing!
Time to stop and rethink....
I have now made a list of all the things I have not done and the things where  I have not taken time to read
the instructions properly.
Time to admit to getting it wrong and put it right. This means that the order in the log is going to be out of synch unless I do the whole thing again. Perhaps I could try editing?

Reflections and Shadows

I started doing the exercise on reflected light and got carried away with the amazing reflections and shadows. The reflected light was in the shadows and each of the objects was reflected in the other objects Not only the objects but I found myself, rather distorted, in the images. The surprise was the stem of the goblet which was reflected in the base and then carried on into the shadow.

I have not got the ellipse of the goblet right. It is tilts down to the right.
Also the shadow of the small sugar bowl is too dark at the base.

What I loved about it was the contrast between the very sharp edges compared with the soft tone. What I found difficult is that I saw so much colour and had to limit myself to charcoal. I also found it difficult to get the definition and sharpness using  stick of charcoal. The putty rubber was too clumsy and I would have like to use something finer.
The fascination with these shiny objects is that they have no colour at all and everything is a reflection.
I am reminded of the law of Yin/Yang which in Chinese is the shady side of the hill and the sunny side of the hill. They are both connected and cannot exist without the other and yet they are fluid and move according to what is happening.Where there is light, there will always be shadow. They cannot be separated. I also found that looking at the background in order to get the tone right, depended on what I was focusing on. It was not all the same tone but changed with the light and also my perception.
This also reminds me of what is reality? Is what we see always there and is it real? I saw the distortion of the jug in the goblet, I was one shape in the goblet and another in the jug and if I look in the mirror I am some body else.

Check and Log


I found no difficulties at all separating cast shadow from reflected light, only difficulty in drawing it accurately.
The shapes of the objects is defined by the light and shadows and there was nothing else to draw but these shapes. It helped to get my mind out of the way and just look very carefully. Each shape and tone had to be compared to the next one and each space had to be seen as part of the whole.