Figure Final

This piece was done in 20 minutes on A1 with conte crayon, while this drawing isn’t the most complete and finished within this portfolio, this piece is arguably the strongest piece of figure drawing in this blog. The vantage point allowed for an interesting body shape which displayed weight and posture of the model.

The strongest point focusing on the drawing quality, is the strength of the line and how it successfully describes the open and closed gesture of the body. This is used to create focal points around the head, shoulders and breasts as the lines are dark in value and the detail is high, while the surrounding lines of the body are faint and are used to simply describe the body shape. The pose of the body allowed for the proportion of the model to be mapped well due to the shape composing mostly of the figure's back however due to the simplicity the proportion was mostly correct. Finally another element that works well in this drawing is the composition, overall the picture is extremely balanced, comparable to a square in shape. While the table is there only to create a believable pose, it is also used to balance the composition.

Overall the quality of this drawing is high however it does have its faults, the perspective of the drawing is incorrect, while it does seem to work at first glance, closer inspection shows the tables perspective is incorrect in certain locations which doesn’t highly affect the quality of the observational drawing however is incorrect non the less.

Still Life Final

This drawing took around 1 hour and 30 minutes, on A3 paper using graphite. This is the final still life art piece, while it does not manage to facilitate everything developed throughout my still life studies, overall it is the drawing with the highest quality throughout the still life studies. The vantage point while simple, works well for the visuals, showing a strong shadow emitting behind the setup. This helps ground the image and develops the sense of depth.

The medium allowed for a variety of tonal depth, this helped the shadows work well describing the form and the shape of the objects and consolidating their location on the image avoiding the issue of floating objects. Shadows were used effectively yet subtly on the drapery being considerably the strongest use of shadow to express the form and flow of the cloth. The tone is also used along the background of the drawing to help bring forward the table of objects and create a sense of depth for the viewer.

Arguably there is a few problems apparent with the image such as, the objects lacking finer detail. While the visuals as a whole work well, the individual objects whether it be because the object was simple for example the boxes or due to the object being quite small in the composition for example the skull. There is a lack of detail on the focal points of the image but that doesn’t remove much quality from the overall drawing, considering if this piece was done larger more detail work have been necessary and would have overall improved the visual appeal of the piece of work.

Landscape Final

This is the final Landscape piece which was done in one hour and 30 minutes on A3 using brown and white conte. This piece follows on from the light on landscape study however takes it beyond to a higher quality and standard. The focal point being the hills in the distance, which slowly fade away, these also work as powerful line eventually leading into the foreground as implied line. The vantage point gave a nice view of the cityscape with varied height of buildings and depth with a strong sky helping balance the picture.

The strong points in this drawing consists of the depth and is mostly created due to the focal point discussed before, it allows for the viewer to begin following the implied line and gives a great sense of depth to the image, compared to the previous study this helped build upon the depth and is much more visibly apparent within this work. Another point to be discussed based on the previous study is the use of highlight. In this image highlight was used much more subtly however darker areas and shadow have been added bringing the white highlight to the forefront of the image contrasting well. The composition works well within this piece due to its strong line and detailed impressionism made possible due to the two point perspective used more noticeably on the buildings within the midground.

While the general presentation of the picture is well done with strong composition and depth, the weaker points stem from the line quality displayed. Using a sharper line with conte would have allowed for more believable and detailed man made structure. A few parts of the image also seem incorrectly observed such as the trees being seemingly too large and incorrectly shaped however this is due to the strange viewing angle of the object, while better observation would have improved it, the tree would have appeared rounder from this point of view.

Figure 4 - Colour in Skin

This piece was done in 1 hour on A3 with soft pastel, this work was done as a study on tone and value of the skin, the setup consisted of strong purple light contrasting strong orange light creating a clash of two colours on the skin. The vantage point was chosen due to its large focal point of the terminator line running down the models back.

Overall this drawing’s colour choice works well, limiting the colour choice between a few strong tonal pastels which complimented each other allowed the hue and contrast of the colours on the body work well together and describes the shape of the figure, an overlay of white pastel was used to emphasize the body shape due to the lack of shadows being in a highly lit situation.

Unfortunately even chose as the main focal point of the drawing, one of the lesser points of the drawing is the terminator line, due to it being a darker tone than the rest of the piece. This catches the eye immediately and looks out of place. The terminator also implies a line which can be mistaken as the back of the model which instinctively makes the body feel out of proportion.

Figure 3 - Cloth/Clothing

This drawing was done in 40 minutes on A3 with graphite. The session was done to develop a stronger understanding of drapery used on a figure. Hard light was used to create strong shadows on the figure. The vantage point allowed the weight of the model to be easily visible and displays a strong effect of gravity on the cloth.

The strongest element of this drawing is on the clothing and table drapery, the flow is described well and expresses the model's body curvature. This was achieved with the detailed shadows used within the piece. Due to the hard light, the shadows were powerful and allowed for an easy depiction of them within the drawing. This showed the form of the cloth and figure and is easily understandable to the viewer. The weight and posture of the model works well within this subject matter of cloth due to the overhanging drapery from the body while remaining tight on certain parts of the body such as the top of the leg.

Some elements of the drawing didn’t work as well or could have been executed to a higher standard for example, the use of Graphite and white paper within this piece was a lost opportunity due to the strong light on the figure. While the shadows were still done well with graphite, the highlights were required to be described by the background of the paper which could have been done to a greater effect in Conte or colour media. Another point which was weaker within this piece was the actual figure drawing, while the drapery works well and describes the body decently. The figure is poorly described, for example the legs and feet seem out of proportion.

Figure 2 - Foreshortening and Perspective

This drawing was done in 45 minutes on A1 with graphite, it focused on perspective and foreshortening within figure, the vantage point chosen displayed a strong example of foreshortening on the person.

The general location of the head and body are mapped well and display a decent sense of foreshortening however quite minimal throughout the body of the model. The pose works well to help enforce the idea of foreshortening. The pose is described by the strong perspective and shadows which depict the form of the body. The body shape is well done to create a visually pleasing drawing certain body parts have strong shape such as the left thigh and head. Another strong aspect is the composition of the piece with the head being within the rule of thirds and the figure being a strong implied line for the eye to follow.

However due to the difficult pose and the strong sense of foreshortening which was attempted, certain elements of the drawing are incorrect for example the legs seem very disproportionate for the rest of the body, with the right foot being smaller than the left, while the left is further away from the viewing position. Due to the mapping of the body parts and the specific way the image was drawn the gesture of the body seems tight, while the gesture could have flowed nicer using the same technique of boxing in the body parts overall it seems to have had a negative effect on the art. 

Figure 1 - Proportion Refresher

This drawing was done in 30 minutes on A1 with graphite, it focused on general figure drawing techniques such as proportion, posture and weight as an attempt to develop a stronger base to the fundamentals of figure. The pose featured a strong direction of weight towards one leg and posture that suited the pose. The vantage point of choice allowed for a strong implied curve to be visible throughout the body.

Overall there is quite strong proportion in some elements of the piece, these work well together such as the upper legs and body, while other sections are questionable for example the lower leg which seems to be slightly too short compared to some other parts of the drawing. The piece also has a good use of controlled line strength to express closed and open gesture of the body while this could have been used to greater effect, the faint lines used on features further back on the figure allowed for a more visually pleasing finished product and easier to read pose. The shading while quite minimal it still managed to express the curvature of the body well enough. In a longer study the piece could have benefitted with more detail to the shadows on the body to express even more curvature and give a stronger understanding to the depth of the image as it does look slightly flat.

Points which could have been stronger in this image consist of details such as the lack of detail in the drawing. While the time frame the piece took place in was short, it is strongly apparent that most of the time was spent developing the posture and proportion of the figure and much less spent on specific details, for example within the facial features and the right hand. Another distinct error is within the weak example of foreshortening apparent within the right arm showing a stronger need for observation.

(Note: While the drawing seems to have an error with missing a finger. This was infact an observation of the person who was missing their left ring finger.)

Still Life 4 - Environment in Still Life

This piece took around 1 hour on A4 using graphic markers and black ink pen, this was an attempt at giving surroundings to a still life formation, while the objects retain the ability to grasp the viewer's attention due to their unusual shape, the rest seems somewhat over the top, composition was important to keep the major objects in the scene focal points, rules of thirds is apparent within the image pointing towards both objects. The vantage point allowed for varied depth and interesting perspective.

The strongest element is the composition, the studies subject matter of environment helped create a composition something that is usually lost while dealing with still life. While this could be argued that it takes away from the concept of smaller detail on the objects as a focal point, it remains generally visually pleasing. The media of choice really worked well at creating a detailed weathered stone and other materials around the scene.

However the medium also played a part in the lack of quality which can be seen due to the lack of tonal variety, darker graphic markers would have helped darken the shadows and bring out more depth within the scene. This depth also seems to play a part in the strange sense of perspective which was achieved within this picture, more observational planning on the environment would help this image read easily to the viewer and remove the strange sense of perspective.

Still Life 3 - Reflections and Refractions

This study took around 30 minutes on A3 using conte crayon, this drawing was to facilitate the concept of using conte to display reflective surfaces and attempt using refractions within a scene. Each object is subjectively possible to be the focal point with the image, the bottle being the largest object in the scene, the magnifying glass being in the foreground and using the only type of refractive surface and the glass which is drawn to a higher standard than the others. The vantage point allowed for detailed visuals of the reflective surfaces and a good angle for the shadow.

The strong points in this work are the highlights used to express the detail of reflection on the glass type materials. One part in particular that works especially well is the light that shines through the bottle breaking the shadow on the other side. The use of highlight also allows for the ability to define the form and shape of objects within this still life study.

While this is a study based on reflection and refraction, the use of refraction is low in the scene while it is apparent in the distorted image that the magnifying glass produces, creating a stronger composition would have allowed for a more varied study and overall more pleasing visuals within the drawing.

Still Life 2 - Colour in Still Life

This drawing took around 30 minutes, on A3 paper using soft pastel. The study focused on the use of colour within still life, to demonstrate this, objects were chosen of various material and type for a multitude of colour techniques. The vantage point while simple, allowed for interesting shadows going onto the side of the table.

Overall the colour came out well however the proportions and drawing quality suffers. The shadows work well to describe the surface. By limiting my choice of pastels the image is able to keep a consistency through tonal and complimentary conditions. The use of green is apparent on all objects subconsciously linking them together, also the green which was used on the bottle worked well at depicting the reflective quality of glass.

However as stated before the weakest point comes from the lack of proportion and correct sizing while observational  techniques were used effectively in the colour, that cannot be said for the proportions. There is also a lack of detail to the table whether bringing more detail to the table would be beneficial or not due to losing the objects detail and possibly losing focal points in the drawing however at least shading would have help bring the table into the third dimension.

Still Life 1 - Still Life Refresher

This still life study was done in graphite on A3 and took around 30 minutes, this study was to refresh basic fundamentals within still life such as composition, proportion and lighting. While this drawing focused on the contour, shading was added to help define the shape of the objects in the work. The vantage point while somewhat straight forward and basic, allowed for more time to be spent detailing the objects in the drawing.

The general layout and composition the image is well balanced with strong visual lines that guide the eye between each object, excluding the vase which cuts the image in half however doesn’t have too much negative effect to the image. Lighting and shade is used simply yet to great effect to describe the round shape of the vases. The background is filled with a dark tone to help lift the still life forward and give the scene a sense of depth.

One lacking feature is the concept of perspective, certain objects such as the books are slightly out of proportion and perspective, this isn’t distinctly noticeable and doesn’t take away much from the overall piece however is definitely incorrect. Darker shadows would have benefitted the general shape of the objects as the drawing feels more like a contour piece than a shaded, complete drawing.

Landscape 4 - Light with Landscape

This drawing took 30 minutes on A3 with conte crayon on coloured paper. The study was to focus on the light on the landscape, the focal point within the picture is questionably the foreground due to its high quality compared to the impressionistic technique used throughout the rest of the drawing. The composition while unfortunately framed by the surrounding building delivers a strong sense of foreground, midground and background with a nice sense of depth. The two point perspective while difficult to work out, keeps the impressionism correct.

The white highlight while possibly used excessively, successfully describes the detail within the impressionistic landscape. The use of brown and white conte compliment each other in tone to deliver a nice contrast, while the white highlight worked with the papers base colour, the brown conte did not work well with the choice of coloured paper being difficult to see and not complimenting each other.

One of the lacking features of the picture is lack of focal point or in this case too many focal points, viewing the rule of thirds we see a wall, tree and two points on the horizon line. With the foreground being the consistent focal point due to its quality beyond the rest of the image, however the glaring white which was used for the clouds within the scene clash with the highlights through the drawing.

Landscape 3 - Skies

This image was completed within an hour and 10 minutes on A3 using grayscale graphic markers. The idea was to capture the clouds above a cityscape, impressionistic techniques were used to describe the land while the clouds remained highly detailed. Long powerful wild strokes allowed to grasp the form of the unpredictable clouds while sharp careful lines described the structures and land. This gave a strong contrast between land and sky and worked as contrasting elements.

Initially viewing the picture the concept of composition is brought forth while the image doesn’t have a specific focal point, the entire sky is used as the focus. Bringing the horizon line low allowed for more coverage of clouds and finally a visually pleasing composition. While something of similar effect could have been achieved by soft media such as charcoal, the choice of graphic markers worked well in this situation, the limited choice of tone, allowed for tones to both be mixed and contrast amongst themselves creating a nice dynamic between the rough clouds and shadow. One of the strongest points of the image and actually could be questioned to be the focus point is the dividing light between the clouds and land. This allowed the land and sky to stand out on their own, giving a nice emphasis to the depth of the picture and the tower separating the light while it may be arguably too white and delivers too much impact, the general idea of depth separation is there.

Landscape 2 - Interior Rendering

This picture was done in 1 hour on A3 using grayscale graphic markers and a black ink pen the idea was to capture the architectural detail of the interior of a cathedral. The focal point spans across the center of the picture being the large arching structures. Impressionistic techniques were used to add the seating as the main concept of the drawing focuses on the pillars of the interior. A nice sense of depth is achieved using the inner roof under the archways. Two point perspective was used and displays a sense of foreshortening to the structure the further down the building.

The strongest point within this image is the use of media, the graphic markers worked well building shadow and a sense of depth while the pen was used to strengthen lines and give the drawing more intricate detail. This works well together and compliment the scene. Using both mediums allowed for varied techniques to allow for more details to be shown within the drawing.

The impressionistic techniques for the chairs didn’t give the expected result, as an attempt to give larger interest to the points of detail, the image didn’t achieve this and the lack of detail seems to distract the viewer's eye more than anything. Stronger observational skills would have benefitted these impressionistic attempts.

Landscape 1 - Architectural rendering

This piece was done in 45 minutes on A3 with graphite and white pastel, the study was based on man made architectural buildings with the main focal point being the reflective roof surface. The vantage point of choice gave a decent overview of the main building while the composition wasn’t too successful being slightly too large for the paper, the general point is shown with a strong line along the top of the main building.

The main focal point of the reflective material of the building's roof was achieved using a white pastel to highlight the sections this highly contrasted with the use of graphite for the contour and shading. Depth is shown well with the foreshortening apparent on the beams as roof panels and with the buildings behind the main architectural focal point while the buildings in the background seem somewhat over encumbered and dark they work well to bring forward the main building creating a well formed sense of depth.

A large portion of the incorrect elements are formed due to the composition, if changed the focal point would have been smaller however the idea of perspective would have been greatly improved and the addition of sky would have brought the scene to another level of depth.