Scarlet Elf Cups

Finding these on my walk today inspired me to  make my first journal page for a year! First time in that long I've drawn just for me, and not for work/design purposes.Totally liberating! Must practice now....

 2B pencil,  W&N  Artists Watercolours on Khadi paper.

Bertie

Sketch of Bertie, my Adventures in Thread button jointed bunny assistant. 2b pencil.

Cala Galdana, Menorca, Watercolour Sketches

 Saunders Waterford  140gm. W&N Artist Pans

 Derwent Watercolour pencils

Portrait

Done using the grid method with  a Pentel 2B mechanical pencil.  Loved the pencil, but not the grid  which I've decided is not for me! I learnt a lot from doing it though.

Portraiture - First attempts at facial features

Practice for portrait work.

Assignment 1

Beginning the assignment I found my confidence levels were low, despite drawing every day over the past few months.

I was particularly concerned about drawing the made objects, so decided to begin with this.
After much deliberation I chose; a figurine of a girl holding a small dog, which was carved and provided an unusual texture; a chiffon scarf; and a painted straw glass pot. I tried several ways to position the objects but decided I wanted to keep the figure as the central object, and use the soft folds of the scarf against the other hard surfaces.

The first 20 minute study was done in 2B sketching pencil .The composition did not work very well, too much of the scarf was included, and it was much too complex. I was also unhappy with the media I used. I realised I was trying to do a full drawing rather than a study.


For study 2 I used a sepia drawing pencil, which was much more waxy, and covered well. I tried to draw much more quickly and put in blocks of tone, which partly worked -but I could not get the placement right for the pot. It looks isolated from the group and the angle is wrong.



For my third study I decided to throw caution to the wind and chose to use Carre pastels (a medium I would normally shy away from as being too thick and heavy for me). I took time to re-evaluate the position of the items I'd chosen, making the composition much more simple, but keeping the figure as the central point.

I was very surprised to find how much I liked this study, and how things had improved for me when I 'let go' a bit. I found it much easier to place the tones quickly using the pastels.

I decided to use this study for the main drawing. However, instead of using the pastels I decided to use yet another medium - a combination of 6 and 8B graphite pencils - which are very much softer than I am used to.

I was happy with the result, because it had been a complete departure from how I usually draw. The white cartridge paper and the graphite really suited the objects I'd chosen and I felt that they gave a good interpretation of the group.


I was especially pleased at how this section of the picture developed.


For the natural objects I agonised over what to draw, but in the end chose to use vegetables as they were accessible and gave me a range of interesting shapes and textures. I used a large head of broccoli, a red pepper, a field mushroom and a couple of smaller mushrooms.

I used a combination of ink/dip pen and charcoal for the first study. Charcoal is another medium I am uncomfortable using. However, I found this study fun to do, although the composition did not quite work out.


For Study 2 I used coloured drawing pencils and tried a complete different type of composition, working in a linear way. It was an interesting experiment, but did not quite gel. I did like the placement of the smaller mushrooms though!

I decided to use study 1 as the basis for the drawing, but removed the small mushrooms and re-positioned the vegetables slightly. I placed them on a white cloth. Despite reservations I carried on taking 'risks' and used charcoal on a pale brown ground. I really surprised myself at the result, and actually could not believe that I had done it, as it's so unlike me.


I was pleased with both drawings. I felt I had chosen the best preliminary study in each case and made adjustments to improve the compositions.

I used A2 paper in both cases, to try and make myself draw as large as I could - but it was still not large enough! Despite that these are definitely the largest drawings I've ever done, so I'm not unhappy.

A key learning point for me is that once I took a 'risk' with the pastels, the challenge began to reduce and I saw more opportunities than concerns! So by the time I came to the second drawing I felt much more ready to try things I'd usually shy away from. This is a big step for me.

Looking at Artists who have inspired me....

Heartened by the kind and constructive comments I've received I've been spending time drawing some subjects that I wanted to prior to completing my first Assignment. I've also been re looking at work by the artists who have particularly inspired me, and who made me want to draw and paint.....


Edmund Burne-Jones - I love the work of the Pre Raphaelites with a passion, I would be hard pressed to choose a favourite artist or painting, but, have always thought this interpretation of "King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid" very striking, and love the imagery.

Samuel Palmer, first seen when I was 9 or 10. I loved the mystic quality to his work, and the sense of "other worldliness" he creates.

Breughel the Elder - transports me to the frozen European wastes. Wonderful detail and vibrancy in this imaginary landscape.


William de Morgan - simply exquisite design and wonderful use of colour. A visit to his home some years ago was a revelation.


Richard Tuft - I found him on a trip to Ikea! I completely fell in love with "St Ives Vista", and the print is hanging on the wall beside me. I love his use of colour and juxtaposition of shapes and tones. This created an interest in naive art, especially early American.

John Duncan - "St Bride" Seeing this in the National Gallery of Scotland blew me away, detail, colour, vibrancy, naturalism, I was stunned.

Edmund Dulac - creator of breathtakingly lovely fantasy and fairy tale art.

Jill Barklem - Talented author and illustrator of the charming "Brambly Hedge" books for childrenBeatrix Potter - a heroine for many years, and very underrated in my view. Her botanical studies, particularly her work with fungi, is astonishing, and her stories and poems are joyful.


Brian Froud - Another wonderful fantasy artist, who is able to transport me instantly into his magical world of faerie, goblins and mythical creatures.


Paul Nash - "Wood on the Downs" filled me with awe when I first saw it aged about 9. I had never seen anything quite like it, and again, felt the air of mystery and the wonder of the landscape. I was greatly moved by his WW2 paintings and savage and desolate landscapes.

Jessie M King - Another heroine and a wonderful illustrator from the Golden Age, who created the most beautiful and subtle work.

Local Artist Kathy Lewis "May Hill Triptych" A view of a beloved landscape close to home, which has a wonderful esoteric quality.

Looking at my choices I can see similar threads appearing:

• the natural world
• landscape
• the mysterious and other worldly
  
• mythology and fairy tale
  
• history
  
• love of detail
• elements of design
  

This has been an interesting exercise, I'm aware of my feelings but I've never really sat down and thought about why each of these artists evoke a strong response in me.

There are some big contrasts, for example, the work of Richard Tuft compared to, say, the paintings of Beatrix Potter, or Paul Nash's abstract works compared to the work of the Pre Raphs ! I think though, that my love of fantasy/the natural world comes through very strongly, together with my passion for detail, and illustration.