Month: January 2021

Homework 3 – Value: reading, bullet points and drawing

Prompt: Read the article starting on page 2 on value and write 5 bullet points that reflect points of interest in the article and make a drawing that is in the style Paule Vezélay (9.14) that explores your understanding value/shading and depicts shaded objects in the foreground and background.  

Paule Vezélay, Forms, 1936

Interesting Points:

  • You can use different value scales (a 9 part scale or 5 part scale) to create different effects with your drawing. Using less values can simplify a drawing.
  • Value is what creates contrast and allows objects to be seen.
  • A common mistake (and one I think I often make) is not using the darkest end of the value scale.
  • Value schemes can help evoke a mood in a drawing. An example would be a lighter more airy and happy feeling scene.
  • Using the white of the page as the lightest value can help emphasize darker areas.

My Drawing:

Objects with value done on newsprint

Sketchbook Prompt #20 – Week 3

I tried to choose prompts this week that would help me work on the week’s topics of value and still lifes.

Prompt: Choose objects that have obvious light and dark areas. Render the values that you see. Think of this film still as a value chart that is now an image. 

Inspiration:

Example from black and white film  

Sketches:

Shoe with value 

Apple core with value 

Exercise 3 – Value Chart and Other Exercises

Prompt: Using a range of pencils to create a 9-step value scale chart with 1” squares. You will then create 4 separate scales using hatching, cross hatching, stippling and random marks. Next you will draw a sphere. The sphere should be at least 6” wide and have a light source. The last exercise will be to draw a cube in perspective using charcoal to give the drawing value and shadow.

Value Charts 

Sphere with light source in upper left corner 

Charcoal cube

Project 1 – Still Life Contour Drawing

Prompt: Think about composition, focal points, and positive and negative space. Using an assortment of pencils, make a contour drawing of the selected area without using any value or shading.

I decided to use the B pencil and thin lines for the water bottle in the background, then as the objects came closer I used darker pencils and thicker lines. The scrunchie was closest and I used the 6B pencil for the main edges of this.

 

Final Drawing

In progress images shown below:

Sketchbook Prompt #19 – Week 2

19. Make a line drawing. Using a different color, make another line drawing or markings on top of the first drawing. Experiment with different subjects.

Inspiration: Look at the work of Marisol Escobar, Untitled, a suite of six prints, 1978, (lithographs) in The Bradbury Art Museum, Windgate Gallery. 

Marisol Escobar
Untitled #3 from a Suite of Six Prints, 1978 

Sketches

I wanted to explore subjects of the ongoing pandemic and emergency vaccine use.

Subject 1 – The virus 

Subject 2 – Syringe 

Subject 3 – Mask

Exercise 2 – Objects

Here I have made four contour drawings on one 18″x24″ page. Each drawing (except for the sea urchin shell) has an in progress and final image. After trying all of the pencils I decided using HB for the initial sketch and then going back over the emphasized areas with the darker 2B and 4B pencils worked best. I preferred drawing the fabric objects because the lines did not need to be as precise in order to convey the image.

Object 1 – Sea Urchin Shell from Sanibel Island FL

Object 2 – OSU Scrunchie

In-progress object 2

Object 3 – Sunglasses

In-progress object 3

Object 4 – Face Mask

In-progress object 4 

Homework 2 – “The Secret of Drawing – the Line of Enquiry”

Reflection

The “The Secret of Drawing 1 – the Line of Enquiry,” brought to my attention the dynamic relationship between art and science. I think there is often a preconceived notion that people who are analytical or science-oriented are not creative or artistic. However, this documentary proves that notion wrong. The impact behind the art work of Leonardo Da Vinci on modern medicine (particularly on the surgeries performed by Francis Wells) surprised me. Da Vinci’s drawings almost appear more alive and more informative than photographs because you can see the strokes, the detail, and the thought which was needed to create the images. I found a similar liveliness in the art of John Adams Audubon and George Stubbs. It was ironic to me that these artists were able to capture the life of their subjects even though they often used dead specimens.

The biggest takeaway I gathered from this documentary was how to use drawing as a way to learn more about the world and yourself. Da Vinci’s artwork, along with that of Cassiano dal Pozzo and Audubon, gave me a deeper appreciation for history in relation to art. These artists have managed to capture moments in time through their drawings and have provided important insight into the natural world. While art is often used as a form of expression, it can also be used to explore the world around you. Exploration was a key component to Russell’s moon drawings. In an age when traveling to space was likely unfathomable, Russell was fascinated with the moon and was able to expand his view of the world by drawing it.

 

“The Secret of Drawing 1 – the Line of Enquiry,” Produced by the BBC, Hosted by Andrew Graham-Dixon, 2005