Shell Drawing and Ink Wash - 4/29/10

This is the fourth shell drawing we've completed over the course of the semester, and the second ink wash. I used charcoal for the drawing and washed over that with black and brown India ink.

Drawing this shell was easier than it was when I did my first shell piece, as I feel that my skills are becoming stronger. I am developing a better understanding of contour lines and how to use them successfully, and I am getting better at correctly utilizing the long axis to create accurate perspective.

I'm still getting used to adding the ink wash, although this piece shows remarkable improvement over my first wash (see the two images below). Adding the dark wash to the bottom made it feel like the shell was actually on a surface, rather than floating in the air. I need more shading towards the "cranial" end of the shell as it sits on the page; there is some shading around the edges of the shell, but this area seems a bit flat overall. At the same time, the shading towards the caudal end of the shell gives it life and really shows it moving back in space.

The biggest issues I had with the ink wash were the lines. I continually felt that the ink lines were too sharp, making them unbelievable, so I would typically blend them a bit and hope for a positive result. Most of the time, this led to me simply blending the line almost completely back into the piece. Then the paper would get too wet, making it harder to even begin with a sharp enough line. I found myself continually becoming increasingly frustrated, and eventually decided to cut my cloth and stick with what I had.

During the class critiques, I took a few steps back and looked at other students' pieces that I thought were the most successful. When taking a few steps back and viewing the piece as a whole, rather than a number of separate lines, I realized that the lines I had used in my wash would have probably worked. I'll have to remember that for next time.

If I'm not mistaken, this was the last time that I will work with Mishelle. She's been a great drawing companion, and I could not have asked for a better model (not one complaint, even during long poses!). Our paths may cross again, but for now, I bid her farewell.

Third shell drawing, first ink wash.

Fourth shell drawing, second ink wash.

Catching Up

I apologize for my absence over the last few weeks.. I guess it took me a bit longer than it should have to get out of "spring break mode". Anyway, I've included here a couple of pieces from class that I think are worthy of sharing and a few comments about each.

Although I drew this contour at the end of last quarter (March 16; it can also be found in my midterm portfolio), I think it's deserving of some attention. This was one of the first cross-contour drawings that I was successfully able to complete on my own. It does a good job of demonstrating the movement of the legs in space as the model's left thigh extends toward the viewer while the right leg remains farther back.

This drawing, my second five-hour shell cross-contour, was the final assignment from first quarter (March 18). I think I'm getting better at using contour lines to create a realistic drawing. My first five-hour shell drawing did a good job of establishing the form of the shell, but there was practically no line weight variation or long axis. This caused the lines to sort of counteract themselves, flattening the drawing. This second drawing has better use of line weight and has a solid long axis, adding depth to the piece through perspective and the use of darker and lighter lines.

These two pieces are some gesture drawings from class. They're both from April 8th; the left was a 2-minute drawing, and the right was a 1-minute drawing.

I chose to include these in this post because I'm happy with the way they turned out. In the left drawing, my favorite part is the leg. While my midterm feedback included comments about staying away from drawing the outline of the figure in gesture drawings, I think that the use of cross-contour and axis does a good job in creating the feeling that I'm going for when drawing gesture. The darker line down the femur and those around the knee are also successful, demonstrating where most of the body weight lies in this pose.

I included the right drawing for similar reasons as the left. I'm steering clear of outlining the form and am doing better at referencing the axis of the surface. The darkening lines toward the bottom half of the drawing also show the distribution of the body weight in this position; the lighter lines of the ribs and spine take the weight off of them, while the darker lines of the leg give the feeling of the weight being applied. This is especially true around the joints (hip, knee and ankle, as well as the entire foot). Overall, I think these are two of my more successful gesture drawings from Life Drawing I so far.