Monthly Archives: January 2012

Check and log: Basic shapes and fundamental form

Are the objects in your drawings the correct size and shape in relation to each other? I found it difficult to get the angles of the rectangular shapes of the books and boxes correct, and I had some difficulties with the elliptic shapes of cylindrical objects though, I think there are some distortions in my […]

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Supermarket shop

The task was to use about six objects from a supermarket shopping list to create a still life group, and draw the group using some colour. The task description caused immediate confusion by asking me to not forget “to compare one thing with another” and I couldn’t imagine what was meant my this. I ended […]

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Jars and jugs

The task was to select at least six cylindrical objects, and arrange them in a way that I could look slightly down on them. Then with a soft pencil, draw what I see without rubbing out mistakes, as an indicator of where difficulties are. Then make a second drawing from a slightly different angle and […]

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Boxes and books

The task was to arrange at least six boxes and books of different sizes,  placing them close together or even on top of each other, and then use only line to describe the rectangular surfaces. I made four drawings of slightly different arrangements and exchanging some objects to add some variety. First page I began […]

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Research point: Eric Ravilious

Eric Ravilous, Vase of Flowers in a garden Eric Ravilious (1903-1942) was an English painter, designer, book illustrator and wood engraver. He became an official war artist in World War II and was killed while accompanying a Royal Air Force air sea rescue mission. He became one of the best known artists in the 1930s. […]

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Check and log: Making marks

Check and log How did holding your pen or pencil in a different way affect your drawing? Different hand helds were helpful for inventing new types of marks, and in exploring the possibilities of each drawing medium. A typical effect was less control over the effect of the marks I made. In some cases, the […]

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Trying new media

I enjoyed searching for new drawing tools, because it made me look in a novel way at my household items – not interested in their usual function, but whether they could be used as a drawing tool. I selected what I had from those suggested (wooden stick, bamboo stick) and some more out of curiosity […]

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Line and other marks

Again I was a bit confused by instructions and not sure whether the focus was on varying lines or mark making in general. I decided to do a bit of both on interpreted this exercise as trying out the variability of lines for making marks in different media. Page 1: HB pencil The first page […]

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Using charcoal

More and more I realized that I like charcoal a lot. I’m attracted by the irregularity of the marks, which I find inspiring. I did use eraser in some squares to make some highlights, but did not like the idea to take bread instead of putty rubber, not wanting to waste food. Page 1: Thick […]

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Mark-making techniques

This exercise focused on techniques like hatching and stippling to create shades of tone from light to dark, to be explored with lots of different media. It also asked to work out shapes and form. The instructions confused me, because initially I did not know what I was expected to do – exploring mark-making ok, […]

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