Claude Lorraine

Claude Lorraine was a French landscape-painter, draughtsman and engraver. He was born in the small village of Chamagne, Vosges, then part of the Duchy of Lorraine. Although his early life is   unclear it is said that he moved to Rome, where he is said to have initially worked as a pastry cook. He was the enployed at the household of Agostino Tassi, progressing from domestic servant to studio assistant.

Claude Lorraine also spent two years in Naples studying  under the German-born landscapist Goffredo Wals it was here that he was deeply impressed by the beauty of the Gulf of Naples, and the memories of  these years will be inspiration for his paintings throughout his career.

In 1627 Lorrain returned to Rome. Here, two landscapes made for Cardinal Bentivoglio earned him the patronage of Pope Urban VIII. From about 1637 he rapidly achieved fame as a painter of landscapes and seascapes. He then traveled the Roman Campagna apparently befriended his fellow Frenchman Nicolas Poussin; together they would sketch landscapes. Though both have been called landscape painters, Poussin would have the landscape as the background to the figures; whereas Lorrain, placed figures in one corner of the canvas, the true subjects are the land, the sea, and the air.

In all of Claude Lorraine landscapes and seascapes he took great care to capture the smallest detail  giving them a very realistic feel. Most of his paintings especially his early work have a strong light source giving his artwork a dramatic presents. Claude Lorraine uses a strong sense of perspective in all his artworks, not only in his use for linear perspective but aerial perspective as well. His painting he manages to capture the depth of the landscapes using the aerial and linear perspective tricking the eye in thinking its viewing a three-demencanal world.

Albrecht Dürer

Albrecht Dürer was a German painter, engraver and printmaker but as well as being a artist  Albrecht Dürer is also know as a mathematician and theorist. Among the many artworks he produced he also published two books, one on geometry called the Four Books on Measurement and the other on human proportions is called the Four Books on Human Proportion. these books included a series of illustrations of drawing frames and perspective machines. The goal of these devices was to enable artists to take accurate measurements of their chosen subject or to trace a scene as it appeared before them in order to create a convincing illusion of the real world.

Many of the techniques used in the 15th and 16th centuries continued to be useful to later artists. The artist John Constable (1776 - 1837) used a glass frame similar to one described in the Treatise on Painting by Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519).

Many artists have used grids to assist them in creating larger or smaller-scale copies. A grid is drawn over the original study, and another grid is marked out at the desired scale on the surface where the image is to be reproduced. The artist can then copy the part of the design that appears in each square at the new size. This technique is still in use today.

PERSPECTIVE MACHINE
String a grid in a frame, (preferred is a grid dividing the frame into thirds or a multiple of three, and a frame in golden proportion or the same proportion as your paper), fix it in place between you and your subject, as shown in Durer's etching. Use it along with a similar grid on your paper to aid in producing an accurate layout of your subject matter. Note that the relationship between your eye, the frame and the subject must remain constant. Useful when dealing with foreshortening or when accuracy of proportion is important to the layout.
A variation of this that works somewhat differently, in that you draw directly on the picture plane, is to place a piece of clear Plexiglas fixed in place between you and your subject, you can now draw your subject on the Plexiglas. Use a suitable maker, one that will clean off, and rough in your sketch. Now transfer the drawing to your paper using tracing and transfer papers, or transfer and enlarge using a grid. Gauze stretched in a frame can be used in place of Plexiglas, and if the size is right, can make it easier to transfer the rough sketch to paper or canvas.

USING A FINDER
 When viewing a subject, especially a landscape, it can be difficult to select what to include and what to exclude from the composition. If you find this to be the case you might try using a "finder" to assist in selecting that portion of the universe to include in your composition, and in its placement on your paper.
  You can make a finder from a piece of cardboard. Cut a rectangular opening approximately 3.5"x 5". (This is approximately the same proportion as a sheet of watercolor paper, if you are using some other size paper adjust the proportions of the rectangular opening to match your paper.) Hold this frame in front of you and closing one eye and moving the finder, study the arrangement of shapes you see in the finder. Move the finder around until a suitable arrangement is found. Once you have developed the "habit of selection" you will find it is no longer necessary to use the finder.
A photographic slide frame can be used as a finder, however, because of its size, you will need to hold it rather close to your eye.
John Pike's "Wonderful Perspective Machine" is such a finder with some extra features. It is a blue plastic frame (blue to aid in judging the values by neutralizing the color) with gird lines marked on it and moveable thin steel strips that can be lined up with building or other angles and are then held in place by the magnetic frame border. This allows you to set the strips and then judge the angle in relation to the grid on the finder and the same grid lightly marked on your paper.

Drawing Cutting The Lino Not My Hand 5th December

Cutting The Lino Not My Hand   5th December

With only one week till the assessment, I started today eager to finish my print from last week and to have at least another one or two printed as well. With only a short talk about what we were doing today, we could get right into work.

Our task for the day was more of a continuation from last Friday's work. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Seeing as I didn't get a chance to experiment with the lino last week, I was eager to test out the different ways I could create a print.

Starting with a small piece of lino as a tester, I quickly sketched out a line design similar to the large feather I did in my micro macro lesson. I wanted to keep it simple at first so I could get a feel for the lino and understand how to use the engraving tools properly.

Taking the small sample piece of lino, I placed it on the radiator to heat it so that it would be softer and therefore easier to engrave. After a couple of minutes on the radiator I was ready to start engraving. I placed the lino on the wooden board and selected one of the engraving tools. As this was only a small piece and I wanted very thin lines, I chose one with a small blade.

I started at the centre and slowly moved the blade to the top of the lino, making sure my hands were out of the way and the lino was resting against the top of the board in case I slipped. After a while I got used to the feel of the lino and was becoming used to holding the engraving tool, getting the angle I needed to take off the top layer of lino.

Having finished my tester, it was now time to print my engravings; the one from last week, and my tester lino from today. With so many people in the 3D room doing printing, it was very busy and hard to find room on the table. I found a space and continued with the inking process. This was a messy job and the ink itself was stickier than I thought it would be. I grabbed a cloth and started rubbing the ink into my aluminium plate, working it in, then using a cleaner cloth to rub off the excess ink from the top. After the ink was removed it was time to put it through the press and see how the print turned out. Placing the plate on the press, I lay the wet paper onto it, covered it with a cloth and then ran it through. As I carefully peeled off the paper, my print was revealed. It was a good first attempt. Some of the lines were a little messy and darker than I thought they would be, but all in all I was happy with my first print.

Now it was time for me to do my lino. This was a lot easier as I had to use a different ink and roller. Rolling the ink on was a lot easier than rubbing and removing it. After making sure I had all of my lino covered in ink, I could place a dry piece of paper over it and then press them together.

Placing both prints out to dry, I went back to the classroom to start my other lino engraving. I used the same image because I wanted to see the difference between the two prints. With carving the lino taking a longer than I thought, I finished my engraving just as the lesson ended. Hopefully I'll be able to print it on Monday.

 

Drawing Collage of ideas 1st December

Collage of Ideas 1st December

Today is the first lesson on how to create a collage. This was something I had never done before so I was eager to try it out and learn the methods behind it. A collage can be very creative and abstract, which is one of the many things I wanted to explore. We were given a board and some objects for inspiration. We were also told to make this more of a 3D collage and to use different materials. We could make it as real or abstract as we wanted.


After the explanation was over it was time to pick our objects for inspiration. After searching through the boxes, I decided on three contrasting things; the first being what looked like a seed box from a plant. It was a cone shape that had distinctive large holes. I then picked up a dried and curled brown leaf. With its varied texture, I thought it would be a challenge to interpret into a more abstract 3D form. Finally I chose a small chestnut that still had its spiky protective shell. Just like the leaf, this would also give my collage a different texture, as well as give me an opportunity to add some more geometric shapes. With my subjects chosen, it was time to start mapping out my ideas on how I was going to make my plank of wood into a 3D collage.

I looked at the natural forms I'd chosen and noted which aspects I would like to take from them and develop. I started with the large seed box. Even though most of it was smooth and flat, the main features were the large holes on the top of it. My first thought was layering wood that I had drilled to create a variation in layers. The chestnut was easy as I had selected it for the opportunity to add different textures and geometric shapes. The leaf was going to be my divide in the centre of the board, slightly overlapping the other two, giving a feeling of movement

With my design ready to be made, I headed down to 3D to make my geometric chestnut and my layered seed box. After finding different pieces of wood, I then marked out my circle for the seed box and cut it out using the saw. I then used different sizes of drills to make the holes. With that finished, I started cutting out my shapes for the chestnut, making them various sizes so I could layer them together.

After gluing them all on my board, it was the end of the lesson. I got a lot done, but still needed time to finish and apply my leaf to the collage. This lesson was very different to the last ones we had, but it was interesting to learn about different ways you can create art and the various methods in doing so.

Drawing engraving 28th November

Engraving   28th November

With today being the first day of printing, we started off with a talk on the processes we will be doing over the next three weeks. There are many different materials and ways to engrave.

Woodcut is the earliest printmaking technique, and the only one traditionally used in the Far East. It was probably first developed as a means of printing patterns on cloth, and by the 5th century was used in China for printing text and images on paper. Woodcuts of images on paper developed around 1400 in Europe and slightly later in Japan. These are the two areas where woodcut has been most extensively used, purely as a process for making images without text. The artist draws a sketch either on a plank of wood or on paper which is transferred to the wood. Traditionally the artist then hands the work to a specialist cutter, who uses sharp tools to carve away the parts of the block that he/she does not want to receive the ink. The remaining raised parts of the block are inked with a brayer and then a sheet of paper, perhaps slightly damp, is placed over the block. The block is then rubbed with a baren or spoon, or is run through a press. If in colour, separate blocks are carved and used for each colour. Linocut is a similar process to woodcut, but a block of linoleum is used instead of wood.

Collagraphs are built up in a collage-like process onto a rigid base. The resulting plate is then inked and printed onto paper. Collagraphy is a very free form of printmaking and achieves very vibrant colours and a great depth of tone. Collagraphs can either be relief (where the ink is applied to the upper layers of the plate) or intaglio (ink is applied to the whole plate and then removed from the upper layers, left only in the recesses.)

Drypoint: A variant of engraving, done with a sharp point, rather than a v-shaped burin. While engraved lines are very smooth and hard-edged, drypoint scratching leaves a rough burr at the edges of each line. This burr gives drypoint prints a characteristically soft, and sometimes blurry, line quality. Because the pressure of printing quickly destroys the burr, drypoint is useful only for very small editions; as few as ten or twenty impressions. To counter this, and allow for longer print runs, electro-plating (usually called steelfacing) has been used since the nineteenth century to harden the surface of a plate.

We were taken to the 3D room where the printing would take place and shown how to turn our engravings into prints. It started with placing a piece of paper in some water to soak and while that is happening the ink is placed on the aluminium plate using a fine cloth and then the excess is rubbed off with a clean part of cloth. After the ink is removed the plate is then placed in the printing machine and the paper that was soaking in the water is drained of any excess water and layered on top of the aluminium plate. Finally the whole thing is run through the press and the paper is focused onto the aluminium plate and the ink is imprinted onto the paper.

Having been shown the printing process, it was now time for me to have a go. Using a photo from the cathedral trip of a dragon, I started drawing out the outline using the tracing paper. When I had finished the outline I placed the tracing paper over the carbon paper and layered both over the aluminium plate. Then taking a fine pen I traced over the lines I had already made.

With all the lines pressed onto the aluminium plate, it was now time for the next part of the process which was engraving. I took the metal tool that looked like a pencil and started to scratch away the surface of the aluminium, taking care to plan the areas of light and shadow before I made any marks on the plate. I started with small light lines in one direction for the lighter areas, then going over them in the other direction using the cross hatching technique to create deeper and more texture lines for the shadows. I kept doing this till I had all the different layers I needed for the print.

As it was now the end of the lesson, I would have to finish printing on Monday. This was my first attempt at print making. I enjoyed learning about the different methods you can use to achieve a print.

Drawing many tones with a couple of colours 24th November

 Many tones with a couple of colours 24th November

Today's study was a look at colour and how to use it correctly with tone. We were given a large scale still life set up to paint, focusing on the tonal difference between the separate objects. Having set up the board, we were given an A2 piece of paper and four colours of acrylic paint. With only four colours, we had to adapt to match the tones, using the two warm colours (yellow and red) as the lighter tones on the still life, and the two cool colours (blue and the green) as the shadows. This is because cool colours tend to recede.

I started with the lightest part of the objects, using the yellow to cover the brightest areas, slightly going beyond so it would be easier to blend the dark paint with the light to get a gradual tonal change. Ignoring the fact that the four colours we were using looked nothing like any on the object, we had to see beyond the idea of realistic colour. Instead we were to think of the colours as light and shadow, warm and cool, and use them to create different tones.

What I found difficult was that I wanted to use the acrylics like watercolour paints, blending the paint together to get a gradual smooth transition from one colour to the next. This is hard to do with acrylics, especially in a short time frame, so instead I layered the paint thicker and tried to make the colours work with each other, ignoring my need to blend. I still worked the colours into each other, but not with a smooth finish. It made it look very abstract.

I enjoyed this lesson. It was interesting to see and learn different ways of using and applying colour to a painting. It shows that the colours don't have to be realistic for a painting to look good. I think I'll have to try this style of painting out a bit more and also experiment with some other techniques of painting.

Drawing Human form in different ways 21st November

Human form in different ways   21st November

With this Friday being the last lesson on life drawing I was hoping to increase my speed so I could complete a couple more pieces.

The lesson started with a quick 5 minute study. This was a good way to warm up as well as getting used to drawing quickly; something I need to improve on. For the first three poses we were told to get as much of the form down as we could. For the last few poses we only had to draw a stick man made up of five lines, one each for the body, arms, legs and a circle for the head.

We were then told to turn our board around to the side of us so that we could draw on it, but not see what we were drawing. Using a piece of charcoal, we had to draw the model making sure not to look at our drawing, or taking the charcoal off the paper. The results were very interesting; mostly mad scribble, but they did have some figure shape. Finally, on the same page, again not taking our charcoal off the board, we had to draw just the outline of the model, but this time with the opposite hand. It was an interesting exercise that made you concentrate on what you were drawing.

We then moved onto a larger drawing where we covered the paper with black charcoal, then used the rubber to add light by erasing the dark. As I have done this a couple of times during the course, I'm starting to get accustomed to drawing this way. Using the rubber to lightly draw the lines and to map out the figure, I then started to pick out the lightest parts and gradually add and blend in tone. We were then given white charcoal to make one part of the drawing more detailed. We were told this is how the old Masters worked and that the drawings they did were just a part of the painting process. I chose to draw the model's arm and shoulder as they were in the light and had more tone.

Finally we were given a different way to start a drawing; instead of measuring we had to draw lines and angles that would form the figure we were drawing. This looked almost like construction lines in a building. It was a very different way of drawing from last week, but having got used to measuring angles, it wasn't too hard. After the lines were drawn we could then go over them with a bit of colour to sketch out more of the curves of the figure. It was an interesting lesson and gave me some different ways of looking at the human form.

Drawing tone and colour 17th november

Tone and colour   17th November

Today’s lesson was a study on tone and colour. We were given a photo of a portrait and a copy of the same painting, but it was only an outline. We then had to paint in the tone using acrylics. It was a good warm up exercise focussing on creating tone using paint.

I started with the darkest parts, adding one layer of paint, then using water to gradually blend the darker layers into the white paper. Using this method I continued layering on paint, creating the gradual tone to mimic the shadows in the painting. It was easier to make the differences in tone blend together with a smooth transition from dark to light using the paint in this way.

 

After finishing the first study, we moved onto a larger painting of a still life, continuing a focus on tone. I roughly mapped out each one of the objects, making sure I concentrated on measurement and proportion. The main part of the drawing was the outline of the object, adding only a minimum amount of detail as I would be adding that with the paint. With the sketching done, it was time to add colour and tone. Much like the first exercise, I started with the darker areas and blended them with water to make a gradual tone change from dark to light. While painting I continually noted the different tones and textures on the objects. Even though they were in the same light, the various objects were casting different shadows on each other. I had to make sure all the tone I added was consistent. I also had to ensure there was enough contrast so the individual objects didn't merge into one. I did this by making sure there was a defining shadow, or a small change in the tone, so you could see that the objects were in front, or behind each other.

Using tone is important because it can define a subject as well as make it look three dimensional, being able to depict tone when using colour is an important  skill. Without tone, the drawings and paintings would look flat.

Friday Drawing Life Drawing Figuring out the body

Figuring Out The Body

Once again it was the end of the week which meant another all day life drawing session. After enjoying last Friday's class I was eager to get started. In the first part of the lesson we were focusing on capturing the essence of the figure by doing quick sketches. We started with 5 minutes then had less and less time till we were down to 30 seconds per drawing. I found this was an interesting and difficult way of drawing because I normally take my time and like to map out every part before I move on. However, with this I had no time to spare and had to get as much down as quickly as I could before the time was up. I had to try and think of ways to capture the form of the figure as quickly as possible with the least amount of lines. With that in mind I started drawing quickly.

From one drawing to the next I didn't have much time to think about if the position or proportions were right on my drawings, I just had to go with my first instinct. After drawing normally for a while, we were then told to make a couple of drawings without taking the pencil off the paper. We only had a couple of minutes to draw a pose with just one line, and not taking the pencil off the paper. The pencil was always moving forward. With this type of drawing I had to think a step ahead of where my pencil was so I could keep the line going in the short amount of time we had. This was a hard way to draw. I not only had to think of the outline, but how I would connect the lines inside.

After the quick drawings were done it was time to start the main study. We started covering the paper with charcoal, then mapping out the figure. Using the same system as last lesson, I started measuring the model by establishing the head size then seeing how many head lengths go into the rest of the body. I then resized that onto the paper so that the figure would fill the page, once that was done I started drawing the head and shoulders measuring as I went and adjusting where I needed to.

Once the figure was drawn I had to add tone. With the black background I had to take away the dark areas with a rubber to show the light. I went around the drawing adding darker tones for the shadows and rubbing away to show the light. I was just finishing when it was time to start the next drawing. We were given a shorter time to finish this last drawing, 50 minutes and we weren't allowed to use any curves. This was interesting to practise because it made me notice how a lot of the body is made up of curves. I started a new drawing only using straight lines. I made what seemed a very cubist figure that was very different from the other I had done today.

With time up, I reflected on what I had done today. In a short amount of time I had done several quick drawings, a long study in charcoal, and a 50 minute study. I was happy with what I'd finished. I know I'm improving and I can tell I'm getting a lot quicker with my drawings. It's only 8 weeks into the course, so I'm looking forward to seeing how much I will improve over the coming months.

Drawing Monday Tonal Development 3 November

Tonal Development   3 November

After the half term I was ready to get back to the collage and the drawing lessons. Even though I've done some drawing at home over last week it wasn't the same as having the group lessons. I missed looking at the different styles of the class, getting ideas, and being able to talk through your thoughts. Getting feed back from the other students is something I find very useful.

This Monday's lesson was continuing on from last week, which was developing tone. We were set a task to draw an object of our choosing on a large A1 piece of paper. We were then to cover the paper with charcoal so we had a surface to add and take away from.

Having made my feathers in micro-macro a similar way I was eager to try out this way of drawing again. I started by picking my object. This was an important task as I wanted an object with a contrast of textures so I could have a range of tones to draw. Searching through the boxes of objects I found one that was very interesting. I still have no idea what it was, but it seemed to be made out of natural materials.

I started by closely examining the object, turning it around and looking at different angles so that I could find the most interesting view point to start my drawing. I finally settled on turning the object so I could see the inside and part of the outer rim. This was so I could get the contrast of the bumpy inside and the smoother outer skin of the subject in question.

Having established what I will be drawing, I then had to cover my paper with charcoal. This was simple, but messy. After going through one whole charcoal stick I was ready to start the drawing. We were to begin by rubbing away the charcoal that we had just put on as a background. This was a different type of drawing than normal, but I just saw it as drawing the light instead of the shadow.

I started my drawing by lightly mapping the outline making sure that I didn't take away too much of the charcoal to begin with. I then quickly rubbed out the parts where the light was hitting object. This time taking away more of the black charcoal and starting to work on tone. With this method I had made three tones; the black background, the grayish tone that was the mid light; and the lightest tone that were the spots where the light was hitting the object. Having the basic tone mapped out, I was now ready to add and work back into the layers with some more charcoal. This was easier than I thought it would be as the charcoal when smudged made it easy to blend tones together, creating a smooth transition between the tones.

I found trying to get the tones of the smooth areas difficult as they had very little change in the tone other then gray to black so I had to work out ways to get the texture without losing any tone. One of the many good things about working with a black charcoal background is that I could add many layers to one part without damaging the paper. This was a good thing seeing as parts of my object had very complex textures. The only way I could have a good contrast with the tones and still keep the texture, was to layer smudge the layer on top of the paper over again until I was happy with the results.

With a lot of the layering done, I quickly went over many parts of the drawing adding darker or lighter parts making sure the contrast was there so the object stood out from the background. After a lot of adding and taking away, and then adding again, I was happy with my artwork. The lesson on building tone by taking away was not only useful, but enjoyable.

Drawing Friday LifeDrawing 24th October

A Change of Plan 24th October

As soon as I stepped through the door of my Friday drawing class I could tell something was wrong. We had been told that today we would be doing print making. I could see this was definitely not the case as there were easels set up and a male model was standing in the centre of the room. We were then informed we would be doing life drawing and not printing today.

We quickly went over how to start a life drawing properly; how to measure and scale what you want on the paper. Starting with measuring the head, we were told to see how many head lengths went into the body, making sure we had our arm straight to make sure that we always had the same point to measure from so it didn't change.

With the talk over, it was right into drawing the model standing in a normal upright pose. First I had to make sure my starting point was correct. I had to fill as much as the page as I could with out cutting any parts of the model off. This being my first life drawing, I was a bit apprehensive of what my drawing would turn out like, but I had very little time to think about that. With a little help I mapped out the proportions on the paper and was ready to start drawing the figure. As quickly and lightly as I could, I sketched out the model, constantly going back and checking the measurement against the head size, not only for the length, but for the width too.

I found it a lot easier to draw the longer I was doing it. I got into a rhythm, and was getting quicker as time went by. The only thing I had to fight against was the urge to add a lot of tone. The first drawing was to be more of a study on line and proportion than anything else and adding lots of tone would detract from that.

With the minutes racing by, it was time for a break before I knew it and I had to stop drawing. We then went to the other room for a group discussion. Mostly we talked about how we felt about our drawings and what we found difficult. Almost everyone said getting the proportions right was something they found difficult and I was the same. With a quick recap of how to make sure we were doing the measurements correctly, it was back into the room for the next drawing.

This time it was a different pose with the model sitting on a stool, having one foot up on a box whilst twisting to the side. It was a lot more interesting to draw if nothing else. Also, we were using an off white coloured paper which meant we could the add some tone into the drawing. This was something I was happy with, not only adding the shading, but also using a white pastel pencil to add some highlights. I took all the things I did from the first drawing, measuring and scaling it to the paper, while still keeping the proportions right. This drawing took a lot less time than the first one. I found it a little easier because I kept checking and measuring all the time.

With most of the model mapped out I could then move onto adding a bit of tone to the figure. I started with the head and worked my way down to the feet. I also added a little tone to the stool he was sitting on, but I wasn't really worried about that. I wanted to finish the figure before spending any time on the objects around him. I used crosshatching to add layers of tone. I went over it again for the very dark part of the drawing, then with the white pastel I gently added a little light to some parts.

I was so busy concentrating I forgot about the time and before I knew it, the lesson was over. Most of the drawing was done. I didn't get around to finishing the stool, but I wasn't too upset about that. I was happy with what I'd done considering it was my first attempt at life drawing. I look forward to improving in the lessons to come.

Drawing Monday One thing in many ways 20th October

One thing in many ways 20th October

This Monday we were starting a new subject in drawing, and I was interested to find out what we will be asked to do.

Today's class was focusing on natural forms while concentrating on tone and texture. We were given a variety objects to choose from, and a range of media to use.

Before starting we had a short discussion about how to present our drawing on the A1 page. We were asked to make smaller studies that were to take no longer than twenty minutes. We also looked at some design sheets from 3D. This was so we could get ideas on how to lay out our page.

With the talk over with, I picked my object. I started with what looked like a plant of some sort? I chose it because of the interesting centre it had; many different lines that looked like little veins.

I started my first drawing with a side view of the strange object. I did this so I could include a view of the intricate veins inside. I drew in pencil as it was a starting point, as well as a good way to familiarise myself with the subject. I concentrated on tone, and tried to work quickly, aware of the 20 minute time limit for each drawing. This limit was so we could have time for more than three drawings in the lesson.

After a little over 20m minutes had passed, I'd nearly finished my first drawing. I moved the object so I could only see the top. With the interesting web like inside, I quickly mapped out the outline using a pen. Capturing the intricate details without making it look messy was difficult. I started at the centre and worked my way out from there, slowly building on the lines, trying to keep the flowing winding feeling. I decided to keep the top half unfinished, partly because the 20 minutes was up, but also because I thought the composition was more interesting that way.

Moving swiftly on to the third drawing, I grabbed some white and black charcoal and started sketching out a detail of part of the inside; layering the black and then the white on top. This wasn't as successful as I would of liked. I wanted to get a feeling of depth in the drawing; one of the main reasons I started this sketch.

During a short break, I walked around the room looking at other people's drawings, asking them why they chose their objects and what they found difficult. I got mixed comments, but most people chose their object because of one or two parts they found interesting; either the feel, texture or tone, or a combination of these things. A lot of people were doing ink washes and using paint. This is something I haven't done much of yet, seeing as colour is in the last section of our drawing lessons .

When the break was over, I started on my fourth drawing. This time I decided on a soft brown and white, focusing on the textured outside of the object. I wanted to capture the contrast of shadows on the bumpy skin.

I moved onto my final drawing of the day; a view of one side, as well as the inside of the object, using an ink wash. I focussed on the negative space and used cross hatching to cover the outside of the object. I then filled in the space in between the intricate veins on the inside, using a small amount of water to keep it light.

At the end of the lesson, I had done more than I initially thought I would. I later found out that the object I was drawing was a part of a natural loofah. This made me look at it differently in some way. I think if I knew exactly what it was before I started, I might have drawn it differently? However, I'll never know for sure.

Drawing Architectural forms Building Layers On Black Paper 17th October

Building layers on black paper 17th October 

As Friday was the last time looking at architectural forms, we were given a task of producing a sort of final art work by the end of the day. Before we started we were shown some different ways artists have drawn buildings, as well as the materials they used. We could then develop some new ideas on how to look at the building we were drawing, and understand we don't have to follow the photo we had.

We were sent off to start. In my head I already had an idea of what I wanted to do as I'd taken an good photo of the outside of Lichfield Cathedral. As I looked at the photo, I found the angles and all the lines interesting. It would be a challenging drawing with all carvings, windows, and the spiral right in the centre. However, as I had not yet done a drawing of the outside of the cathedral, it would make a nice change.

I decided to draw on black paper as the white would make the drawing stand out. All the details would also allow me to create many different tones. I grabbed a pencil and started lightly mapping the outline. When I started drawing, I realised this was a good exercise for perspective. With many lines going to different vanishing points, I had to make sure they were all correct before I started adding white onto the paper.

It took longer than I thought to map out the sketch; there were so many columns to draw. I took out my white pastel pencil and went around the outline of the Cathedral first. I then took some white charcoal and filled in the sky by pressing hard at first, then pushing upwards, gradually getting lighter closer to the top of the page. The white sky now made the rest of the black page really stand out.

I added some highlights with my pastels, keeping the white lines sharp because I wanted the texture of the paper to come through. As I worked my way down the paper, I added a bit of black to the darker areas to create more contrast. This worked well because the paper wasn't a very dark shade of black. One of the hardest parts was drawing the windows. There were so many and as they were leaded, I had to draw them carefully without making them look too 'messy'.

Unfortunately I didn't get to add all the detail before calling it a night. I would have to finish this off another day. However, I was very happy with what I'd done. It was a big improvement compared to last Friday.

Monday Drawing Composition Placing things on the page 13th October

Placing things on the page 13th October

Today's drawing lesson focussed on composition; a continuation from last week. We started with a quick talk about the handout on composition we were given last Monday. This was to make sure we all understood how composition works and the methods some artists use to achieve a unified and interesting composition.

After the talk was over, I was set the task of completing two drawings from the large scale setup that was in the centre of the room. I had to draw one large A1 drawing and one smaller A2 drawing. This was different from last Monday's lesson as today the subject was already there, but I had to pick a section draw.

Starting with the smaller drawing, I considered the assembly of objects in front of me. In my mind I tried to frame each part as if it was already a finished drawing. With composition in mind, I searched for a visually pleasing arrangement of shapes and lines. There had to be a focal point and an structure of elements to lead the viewers eye around the work. I looked at symmetrical balance, and the flowing lines and patterns in the objects. These can help or hinder the composition of the drawing. The elements within the frame must be arranged in a balanced compositional way.

There are many things to consider when starting a drawing; one should be the arrangement of objects, as well as what's surrounding them (the negative space). Is there an even or odd number of objects? An even number gives the viewer a calmer feel, as does symmetry, but it can be boring. When we look at a drawing, painting or photo, or any group of objects, our brains automatically pair things up. This give a sense of order and calm, but doesn't necessarily create interest. However, when faced with a odd number of objects, our brains can't pair the objects up, which gives a more dynamic feeling, making our eyes move around the work. In nature there is very rarely an even number of anything, so to draw an even number of trees would give the drawing an unnatural look. We would instantly notice something odd about it. This is something to bear in mind when drawing a natural landscape. There has to be variety of shape and size to create interest.

I made a start as I wanted to get both drawings finished by the end of the lesson. I chose the dry bit of wood as my focus. I thought this would be a good starting point because of it's interesting shape and the surrounding objects. I restarted a couple of times to rethink what was going to fit within the frame. I wanted enough objects in there for it to be interesting, but there also had to be a balance of space.

While I continued measuring and adding tone, I had to think about what points of my drawing the eye would be drawn to and if it fitted in thirds, or the "visual grid". I also had to think about how tone, especially contrast of tone, can visually draw attention and make the viewer move their eye.

I finished my first drawing then moved onto the second one; the larger A1 piece. This time I decided to focus on the negative space. I moved around viewing the objects from different angles, keeping composition in mind.

In this drawing I would work quickly, and concentrate on the outline of the negative space. Once the line work was done, I added texture and tone to the areas of negative space. I added darker tones near the outlines of the objects, then had it gradually fading further away from the positive shapes. This was a good exercise for adding tone and texture to the negative space and making the positive shapes appear.

At the end of the lesson, we had the opportunity to look at everyone's work. Each artwork showed a different style and technique. The interesting variations gave me several ideas on how to represent the same subject in different ways.


Drawing Lichfield Cathedral Learning the Hard Way 10th October.

 
Lichfield Cathedral - Learning the Hard Way 10th October

Today's Friday drawing lesson was about having a close look at the drawings and photos from the trip to Lichfield Cathedral. It was also about why the Cathedral was built.

We started by talking about what we took away from last week's trip and what we focused on in our drawings. I personally was amazed by the detail of the sculptures, in fact all the details in every inch of the building. I'd made a lot of sketches of the stone sculptures and their different styles, trying to capture their solid and smooth feel. I also tried drawing the vast expanse of the main space. This was a good exercise on perspective, as I sketched the sides of the Cathedral inline, showing how they gradually appeared to get smaller in the distance.

With the talk over I had to print out my photos from the Lichfield Cathedral trip so I could then start my drawings. We were then given a choice of different size paper and materials to use, as well as a choice of working on a table, easel or wall. As most of my work up until now has been on the wall on big pieces of paper, I chose to stick with that as I'm still getting used to drawing that way. The more practice I get, the better.

I looked at a photo of the top of one of the arches. It had some great detail I wanted to capture. I made a few sketches concentrating on different aspects of the same photo. Sadly it didn't go very well. The first drawing was using black and white charcoal. It was a bit messy and I couldn't get the detail in. The problem was that I'd drawn it too small for the amount of detail I wanted to add. I left it unfinished and moved on to another drawing. In this one I concentrated on a detail of part of the first one. It was a little better, but I was still unhappy with the outcome. I just couldn't get the detail right. Aside from that, the tonal work wasn't the best I could do. The charcoal wasn't behaving itself. I tried to smudge it, but it didn't create the effect I wanted.

This was not some of my best work and I didn't know why. I was concentrating on what I have learnt the past few weeks, but nothing seemed to be going to plan. The last of my works was by far the worse. For some reason I wasn't getting on with the charcoal today, so I tried my hand with an ink wash. It was my first time using ink in this way and it went horribly wrong. The only positive thing I could say was that I'd tried a new technique. At least I now know how not to use a ink wash. I also learned not to use bright purple just because it's the only one left, and that I should map out my drawing a bit better before I put the ink on the paper. After trying to make it work, and failing, I called the tutor over to ask his advice. He gave me some brown ink which helped tone down the bright purple. After lunch he showed me how to layer some different colours on top of it to achieve more variety in tone and texture. This helped a lot and made it match more with the other two drawings. I did attempt layering the last drawing with different media; ink, charcoal and pastels, which at least was another good thing I tried. However, I was not happy with the overall end result. It wasn't the look I was hoping to achieve. I was annoyed and frustrated in the end.

In five hours I did three drawings that weren't finished, and I wasn't happy with any of them. On Wednesday I finished four drawings in just two hours. One of the tutors even commented on them being some of my best work he'd seen me do. It was quite a contrast.

One thing I thought about, and now realise, is that not every drawing I do can be a great artwork. I understand that days like today are a time for me to learn from my mistakes. I have to see what doesn't work in order to know what does, so the next time I try something like this, I have an understanding of what I could do better.

Wednesday Drawing Night 8th October

Drawing Night 8th October 

With Wednesday's visual communication lesson over, I stayed behind with one of my group to catch up on some work. There were lots of things to write up and stick down from today's visual communication. After a while a different group of students came into the room. While they were talking we overheard them discussing tonight's drawing class. This was something I completely forgot about, but having heard it was starting soon, I quickly packed up and searched for the room where it was held.

I found the room, sat down and got ready for the class to begin. It started with an introduction on what we will be doing for the next two hours. After hearing exactly what, I started to worry. What had I got myself into? We had to pick an object and stick with it for the whole two hours. We would have to draw quickly, focusing on capturing the feel of the object, not getting hung up on making sure the line work was perfect. We were given twenty minutes on each drawing and had to have at least three to four A1 drawings by the end of the night.

Getting so much done in a short time worried me a little. The main things I find difficult are all the things we had to do, drawing in a large scale on the wall, working quickly, and not focusing on the line work of the drawing. What had I got myself into? There was no time to think of that now. No time to worry about anything because the 20 minutes had already started. I had to quickly grab an object, paper, a bit of wall and something to draw with, or I wouldn't have time to finish anything.

There was a wide selection of objects on the table to choose from, from plants to bones. I found a interesting shell that had been broken and allowed you to see through it. I decided on the shell, picked up some charcoal and was ready to begin.

I started with drawing the shell on white paper, making sure I filled as much of the page as I could. With no time to think about making everything perfect, I had to go with the first lines I made on the page. Working quickly, I had to get as much tone and texture onto the paper as I could in the 20 minutes. With time ticking away, I found it easier to make faster and freer marks. With the first 20 minute up, I'd completed my first drawing. I was surprised I'd finished it. I could of done more, but it was done. You could see it was a shell and I managed to even get some shading done.

However, there was no time for examining my work, I had to quickly move onto the next piece. I chose black paper this time and took a closer view of the top part of the shell. I liked the way you could look through it and see different areas of light. The contrast of the smooth inside with the rougher outside was interesting. I had no time to worry about getting the texture exactly right, but I did have to rework some areas as I went along. Sadly, I didn't get time to finish the texture of the rough part of shell, but overall I was happy with the end result.

Once again it was time to start a new drawing and I wanted to use some brown paper. I had to cut the paper myself and there wasn't much room to do that. It took some time out of my 20 minutes, but I got there in the end. I could now start. I turned the shell around to view it from a different angle. I added a little colour. I worked quickly, trying to capture the various tones and the feel of the shell. I would of liked to have done the shape a little differently, but there wasn't enough time to be picky.

Now for the last drawing of the night. The minutes were passing so quickly I'd hardly noticed the time. I couldn't reflect on that now because I had to start my last piece and I had to make it work. I grabbed one more piece of black paper and positioned the shell, turning it to face me so I could see the inside and outside spirals. I quickly sketched the outline of the shell and shaded like my life depended on it. I moved swiftly from one part to another, smudging the smooth inside part of the shell, but keeping the outer lines sharper to depict their rougher texture.

The final 20 minutes were up. I stopped and reflected on what I'd done; I'd finished four A1 drawings in 20 minutes, and was happy with them. This was something I didn't think I would ever do. Having only a short amount of time to draw, made me worry less about the lines I was making. There wasn't time for worrying about decisions. I couldn't be indecisive. I had to go with my feelings and draw quickly and instinctively.

Last Friday I spent a long time trying to finish my feather drawing. However, in the last two hours, I did more than all day Friday. This class showed me I don't have to take so long to draw. I can capture the feeling of an object without taking hours. I was happy with each one of my drawings. Of course there were some parts I would like to change or do differently, but overall it was a good result. I was amazed at the end of the lesson at what I'd achieved. I left feeling excited and pleased.

Drawing Composition 6th October

Composition  6th October

Today's Monday drawing class was about composition; an important aspect all artists must think about. It doesn't matter whether it's drawing, painting or photography; composition is a key element of them all.

The class started with the group being split into threes and fours. Each group had to create their own composition to draw, using what was around the room and some things the tutor had gathered.

It was an interesting exercise thinking of the composition on not only one side, but all the way around. It's difficult to achieve interest in every direction, as well as making sure it's balanced with no large gaps or space on any one side.

The group all voiced their ideas and arranged the objects we were all going to draw. This made it interesting because of the different ideas of what to go where, and how it should look. We all had to come to an agreement before starting. Luckily it was settled quickly and we were able to get down to the drawing part of the lesson. This was where the other parts of the decision making took place, but they were decisions I normally make whenever I start any drawing. However, this time composition was at the front of my mind. Having to stop and think of something you do naturally makes it harder to come to a decision. Firstly, I had to decide whether to have the layout in landscape or portrait. This seems like a simple thing, but it has to be considered carefully because each choice will give a different feel to the drawing. It depends on what you're drawing and how big you want to make the objects.

The next thing to consider was the position of the objects; where to place things on the page? How much negative space will there be? What will be the centre point? These are some of the questions you have to ask yourself when focusing on composition. Symmetry is one solution artists sometimes use to a composition problem. It gives artworks a calm feeling because of the visual balance.

There are many different ways to draw and paint, and there are many rules to take into account when composing an artwork. Some are mathematical, such as the golden section. This is about achieving harmonious proportions and relationships using a specific mathematical ratio that is "pleasing to the eye". Most accomplished artists who have studied great artworks, and made their own works, instinctively know how to create the right composition.

I started with drawing the eye line and picking my centre point of the drawing. This was something I found difficult. I took the long bottle as the centre and worked around that, putting what I've learn so far from the other drawing classes into practice. I worked slowly trying to get everything in proportion.

The time went too fast and I had to stop working before I was completely satisfied. The speed of my drawing is something I have to work on. I hope I improve in this area as I continue through the course.


I had a quick break before starting the second of the drawings. This exercise was about focusing on the negative space around the objects to make us more aware of the importance of this space as part of the overall composition. It also ensures we are looking at the object in a different light or point of view. I was much quicker with the second drawing, as well as being a lot freer. Concentrating on negative space, I focused more on the outline than the object itself.

With the class over, I was happy to get two drawings done. However, if I had the chance, I would do them differently. The first drawing was lop sided and unfinished. I would of liked more time working on it.

Drawing Lichfield Cathedral 3rd

Lichfield Cathedral 3rd October

Today's Friday drawing lesson was a field trip to the beautiful Lichfield Cathedral; a massive Gothic style cathedral with a long history.

We started by walking around the outside, taking photos of the whole building, as well as capturing small details of the carvings and figures on the exterior walls. It was hard to pick which parts to focus on as it's such an ornate building. All the stone carvings had been lovingly crafted with such skill that each one deserved to be individually admired. Everything about the building showed how important this cathedral must have been to the whole community. When the cathedral was built, the church was the heart of the town. If that is true then this would be a good example. Each of the three stone spires are heavily engraved with a gold crosses on top. They appear to be reaching up to the sky towards God. Back then it would of been the tallest building in the area, so no matter where you were, you would be able to look up and see the spires and be reminded of God.

As I walked inside, I noticed just as much detail as the outside. The high ceiling, stone walls and the stained glass windows made everything feel grand. I couldn't help but feel small and insignificant in such a setting. The people who came into the cathedral all those years ago must have felt the same, or even more so, as this was a house of God and they were humble people wishing to renounce their sins and be accepted into heaven. It must have been an overwhelming experience entering the cathedral for the first time.

As I walked around taking photos, the feel of the Cathedral never escaped me. I thought about the time it must of taken to build and all the upkeep. A lot of care had gone into everything. While I was walking, the organ was playing. The music was echoing throughout the space, filling the large room and every inch of the Cathedral. It added to the awe-inspiring atmosphere.

After taking some more photos, I sat down and started drawing. The first thing to catch my eye was a small leaf like carving on a stone pillar on the edge of the wall. I noticed that even the corners, which can be easily overlooked in a normal building, were embellished here. I continued spotting small details, drawing them, and moving my eye onto something else. It wasn't difficult finding something to draw as there was so much to look at that captured my attention. However, there was so little time. My only regret was I didn't stop outside to do any drawing. If I didn't have a head cold, I would have done that. I think I'll be going back to Lichfield Cathedral at some point to do more drawings.