Week 6: Bristol Zoo Trip

31.10.2016

Today a group of us visited Bristol zoo to do some life drawing of the animals and their environments.

I had an amazing time drawing the animals, environments, and people in the zoo. As you can see from my sketches it took me time to get a technique where I could draw them properly but after practice, it became easier. 

I found the whole experience very valuable. I don't often draw animals and so I was nervous about how my sketches would turn out, but I'm really pleased with them. It was also nice to work outside and I received a few compliments while sketching (which gave me some confidence!) I would definitely repeat the exercise again in my own time.

 (1)

Quick byro pen sketches of drills and flamingos.

 (2)

Quick fine liner sketches of a little egret and some lions. I was really pleased with the face of the middle lion.

 (3)

Fine liner sketch of a yellow mongoose, Golden Manella frogs, and turkish spiney mice.

 (4)

Fine liner sketch of lemur leaf frog (in tadpole form), a child playing with a turtle shell, and a giant turtle. I was very happy with the giant turtle sketch.

 (5)

Fine liner sketch of kids playing on turtle shell again, fine liner of the 'bear pit pole' that is not in use anymore, but was once used for bears to climb in the mid 1800's, and lastly a sketch in fine liner and grey marker of a madascan hissing cockroach. I was pleased with the sketch of the cockroach as I managed to indicate his/her shiny shell.

 (6)

Here I have a fine liner sketch of a giant brazilian cockroach in fine liner, a starfish in grey marker and fine liner, and a sketch I started but did not finish.

 (7)

Here is the beginnings of a pencil sketch of a ring tailed lemur. I got the outline ready but then he/she jumped away.

 (8)

These pencil sketches were done in the gorilla enclosure. I have added a few sketches of them, of he rope, and of 'Jock' who is pictured bottom right. I was lucky to get a full view of his face and he stayed quite still! 

 (9)

Here I have drawn pencil sketches of two yellow footed rock wallabes. Their enclosure was quite surreal; a chest of drawers and other furniture. they were all a bit sleepy so perfect for drawing!

 (10)

Here I have done a pencil sketch of a golden headed lion tamarin (above) and some meerkats (below). Both animals were hard to draw as they moved constantly.

 (11)

I completed his drawing in the butterfly house and as the creature was so still I took my time on this drawing. I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

 (12)

This was a watercolour painting I did while sat for lunch in the 'Coral Cafe' on site at the zoo. I would have liked to use my paints to draw more animals but there wasn't much seating. I really like this piece because the trees are so pretty and the autumn weather comes across.

 (13)

This was a pencil and coloured pencil sketch of some penguins.

 (14)

This was a fine liner sketch of an apple under a bench in the cafe.

 (15)

I was particularly happy with this drawing. It is a pencil sketch of the penguin enclosure. It gives you the essence of what is there in a speedy yet tonal drawing.

 (16)

Here I was lucky enough to see a child try to pet a penguin! he sat there for a while so I was able to get a fairly detailed quick sketch. Below is a quick pencil sketch of a seal in motion as he/she moved as I was drawing. I like the effect of having he/she in movement.

 (17)

This seal was sleepy and so was fairly still for me. I spent a long time on this sketch and am really happy with it. I used a range of pencils (2B-6B) and a rubber.

 (18)

This is a byro pen sketch of the viewing area beneath the penguin enclosure. I have drawn the people looking at the penguins. I like this piece as it is quite fluid and has an atmosphere to it.

 (19)

Here I have done a pencil sketch of a Pygmy Hippo and her baby in the water.

 (20)

Here I have begun, and stopped, a sketch of a gorilla. She moved to another position and stayed still so I decided to start again on a new page and do a more detailed drawing.

 (21)

I used a range of pencils (2B-6B) to draw the mum and baby gorilla. I love this piece as it captures the content look on the mother gorilla's face. (We asked the zoo keeper and although this gorilla is not the baby's biological mother, she was given to her as her real mother was ill during and after pregnancy) I think it tells a story and is one of my favourite pieces.

 (22)

These were quick byro pen sketches I drew in the armidillo enclosure (for above) of the back of an armidillo, and a dead mouse. Below was the start of a Capybara but it ran away so I only got a brief outline!

 (23)

This is a fine liner sketch of a tapir. I'm not massively pleased with this one and I think I could have added more detail.

(24)

This was my last sketch. I used a range of pencils (2B - 6B) and assorted erasers. I drew this while I was sat in the cafe at the end of the day after exploring the zoo. I really like this piece as it captures a moment in moving lives. When I was drawing I would add people as they came along. This is also one of my favourites.

Week 5: Life Drawing Session 4; Subtractive Tone

24.10.2016

For this session we focused on using subtractive tone and creating realistic light and shadow. I found it difficult to implement these techniques while making sure previous lessons were used. For instance, getting proportions and foreshortening correct while using this new technique was a struggle for me, but not an impossible one!

I found the entire lesson beneficial. Light and shadow is something I struggle with in my drawings generally and it is such an important part of any piece. It taught me to really focus on what was in front of me and I am pleased with the pieces I've created. E.g. In (2) i felt like I really understood where the light was coming from and that it translated to my drawing.

(3) is my favourite. This is because it is the drawing with most proportional accuracy, and because I managed to get some facial features in that gives the piece character. I was also experimenting with using a softer technique as I had seen a peer do this and admire their finished drawing. This worked well as by taking my time and being softer, not only could i correct mistakes easier, but it gives the piece an overall more realistic look.

I don't dislike the other drawings but they all have flaws regarding angles and proportion. Like I mentioned, I found that difficult using this technique. This was especially apparent in (4) where I have tried to rush it as we had less time. There is just something off about this piece. I've made the model look unbalanced and wobbly, but it's all part of learning. 

Overall I took a lot from the lesson and enjoyed using charcoal and experimenting with new techniques.

(1) 

40 min. Charcoal & Rubber.

(2) 

40 min. Charcoal & Rubber.

(3)

40 min. Charcoal & Rubber.

(4)

20 min. Charcoal & Rubber.

Week 4 Homework: Drawing Your Hand Holding Different Household Objects

22.10.16

This exercise has been my favourite so far. I planned to use a mix of mediums: Some I was comfortable with, and some that I was less familiar with. In doing this I learned how to use ink and watercolour pencil properly meaning in the future I can use these techniques. It was difficult using what I wasn't comfortable with, as it created the possibility of a drawing/ painting that I might not be proud of, but in challenging myself I made pieces I felt good about.

In using myself as a model, I had to keep my left hand quite still. I had moments where I had to get up and get more water, and times where I focused on drawing/painting the piece so much I was unintentionally letting my hand relax. This meant I had to try and recreate the position and so that was a challenge throughout.

I''m very proud of (1). It looks accurate and I think my use of shading and light creates a good 3D effect. Pencil is a medium I am very comfortable with, so this was not so much challenging but a good way to ease myself into the exercise. 

I am not a fan of (2). I don't generally like using soft pastels. I'm not sure whether I just don't have the knack for it, or I haven't learned to utilize they're potential yet. In future when I use this medium I will do a bit of research into how other artists achieve detail using it as I struggled with that. I feel the piece lacks character and is not as accurate as the other drawings/paintings. This could be because half way through the piece I lost confidence (It wasn't turning out how I wanted) and so inside possibly gave up a little and wanted to scrap it.

I decided to sit outside for (3) as I wanted to hold something from nature, contrasting with the objects I'd done so far (found in my kitchen). The dead leaf gave opportunity for good texture so I think I used the wrong medium in this case. It would have made more sense to do this pose using pencil and maybe used the watercolour palette for the pose depicted in (1). I don't dislike this image as I'm happy with the tones and colours of the hand, but I feel like It could be better.

(4) is my favourite. I have never actually used watercolour pencils and added water. I've used them as they are but never dared to paint over in water in case I ruin a piece. I decided to do some research into technique first and found a Youtube tutorial about watercolour pencils (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZocEZEYDdc). It was helpful in understanding the basics and different techniques. I decided to use the technique in which you do a drawing then add water afterward. The only mistake I made was using the pencils to draw the text in the crisp packet I was holding. In hindsight, I would sketch, paint with water, let it dry, then use the pencils again to create text. Overall I think it has a good 3D effect and I really enjoyed the whole process. 

(5) was the most challenging. I've never used ink or a dipping pen. Again I took to Youtube to see how other people approached using this technique so that I could create a good Image. I found a video that described how to use ink and how to look after dipping pens and used that as a guide (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqriVBVNLnk). It was helpful to establish a base technique. I went for black only because I am not as experienced yet and I wanted to create a graphic look. This was out of my comfort zone in style and medium so I'm please that it came out so well. It has a kind of comic book style which looks interesting.

(1)

45 min. 3B/4B/6B Pencils/ Assorted Rubbers/ Tissue.

(2)

45 min. B Pencil/ Soft Coloured Pastels.

(3)

45 min. 3B Pencil/ Byro Pen/ Watercolour Palette, 

Black & White Acrylic

(4)

1 hour 2 min. Watercolour Pencils/ Water/ White Acrylic.

(5)

49 min. B Pencil/ Black Indian Ink/ Dipping Pen.

Week 4 Life Drawing Session 3: Foreshortening

17.10.2016

Today our lesson was focused again on planning, but mainly on foreshortening. I found it very difficult to achieve and accurate image and found it hard to see where I was going wrong at points. Upon feedback, I can see that I need to really check my angles in future, as that was one of my main downfalls. I've also found it useful to look at the images I've created on this blog after I've drawn them, as I can see more clearly than when standing in front of the image. For instance, I was disappointed with most of the drawings in class, as I was finding it hard, but looking now I actually did quite well and I'm proud of what I've produced. Despite difficulty, I did really enjoy the whole process of fine tuning my work as I know I'm getting better with every session.

For (1) I was just getting into using the method of measuring with my pencil how many heads the model measured. I checked regularly and made adjustments when needed. At first I made the shoulders lower than they were and the torso longer, so I ended up moving the entire image upward. From the angle I was drawing the model's foot was closest to me, foreshortening here was difficult and as you can see, I redrew the legs many times and they still did not end up perfect.

(2) is one of the pieces I am most proud of. I was nervous at first when the model got into position because I measured her to be just over two heads high, meaning there was a lot of foreshortening. Through constant checking I think I created a quite successful image.

(3) was interesting. I used the foot as a measurement to go by as I did not have a full view of the models head. It went really well from the feet to the hips, then I got the angle wrong on the torso. I kept looking at the model and at my page not knowing how I'd gone wrong. Then when I received feedback I could see that I had made her torso horizontal rather than slanted. I rubbed out the torso and the head and moved it upwards/ adjusted the angle. This changed the image dramatically and I'm really pleased with how it came out. I think it is the best example of foreshortening out of the drawings I did in this session.

The most difficult drawing was the last, the model was laying down ahead of me and as you can see, I restarted my drawing completely after thirteen minutes (4A) - (4B). I kept getting confused about the legs and redoing them, then trying to compensate by redoing the torso, and muddling myself up. I honestly wasn't very pleased with the result, but I feel like I learned a lot from the session and so over time I know I will improve.

Throughout the tasks I used a 2B/3B pencil, assorted rubbers and a sharpener.

(1) 45 min. 

(2) 45 min.

(3) 45 min.

(4A) 30 min.

(4B)

Week 3 Homework: The Still Life 'Self Portrait'

Task One
19 mins. Byro.

I chose to do a continuous line drawing with byro because it flows easily. I found that by picking such a tall view point, and being sat below,  I skewed my perspective and so I got things wrong. For instance, I have tried to correct that the top of the image as it  needs to be the roof of my windowsill, not the curtains. I can also see that the proportion generally is a little off, though I think the piece has character. I especially like the photo line and am proud of that part.

Task Two 
1 hour. 1 min. 6B, 4B, 3B, 2B pencil, assorted rubbers.

I enjoyed this one but found it difficult. I decided to zoom in from the previous drawing to get a better quality image and I think I achieved that. The plush sheep and the flowers took a long time to draw. I'm happy with the fur effect on the sheep and the wood effect on the ukulele. Taking time and really looking at the image has payed off and in my opinion, it is definitely the most successful of the three.

Task Three.
36 min. Coloured pencils, 2B pencil.

I really enjoyed this last task. I haven't worked with colour pencil in a while and it was interesting to go straight into tonal work rather than outlining. I had to concentrate a lot on what was in front of me to keep the image fairly accurate. I also changed up some of the colours as a lot of my scene was grey. It gives the drawing a different energy. I think I could improve this by focusing more on negative space, as you can see the flower pot is further away from the rest of the image, it should not be.

Week 3 Life Drawing session 2 : Proportion

11.10.16

Yesterday our life drawing class was focused on proportion and planning. This was the most challenging class yet. I had to really focus in order to measure correctly and use negative space to create a more accurate depiction of the model. I really enjoyed the exercise because I felt like I learned a lot from it, even if it was frustrating when I found it hard.

I found it difficult not to go in to drawing and to just try and plan. A habit I seemed to have was focusing on one area e.g the leg on (2) and rubbing it out then redrawing it and doing the same thing that made it wrong to begin with! This is a habit I will try to avoid in future by lessening the harshness of the lines i draw in the plan so that it is easier to change mistakes.

I also need to improve on making sure the angles I'm drawing at are correct, e.g you can see on (4a) and (4b) the angle of the leg makes the model look unbalanced. I had to redo the legs lots of times and upon receiving feedback could see where the issue was: angles.

On the last drawing, (5), I had took a photo of my initial sketch (5a) and then when I had made improvements (5b). You can see that I have made the hairline lower, changed the angle of the shoulders, and overall improved the image. This was also after feedback.

My favourite is (3) because its the one where I think I've done the most accurate proportions and planned well. I also just like it as a drawing, it seems more finished than the others, although I know that is not the point of the exercise.

Throughout these tasks I used a 2B pencil, a rubber and a sharpener

(When images have a or b by the number it shows the stages of the drawing)

(1) 30 mins.

(2) 30 mins.

(3) 30 mins.

(4a) 

(4b) 30 mins.

(5a) 

(5b) 50 mins.

Week 2 Homework: Negative Space

07.10.16

I found using the technique of focusing on negative quite difficult at first. My instinct was to draw rough outlines and then go from there, but I stuck to the brief and I'm really pleased with the results. I also enjoyed the exercise as I haven't practiced with light and shadow as much, as it's out of my comfort zone, and feel more confident in that now.

I found that my proportions were better than usual. I've also always had trouble with light and dark and making an image have depth, but because by the time I was into the flow of the drawing I was looking mostly at what was in front of me rather than my paper, they were much more accurate.

The only thing I would like to do in future is maybe sit down and spend more time on the drawings. I put a timer on myself so that I drew for at least 20 minutes, but in fact I went over that by double almost every time. I maybe need to look at what is in front of me and plan how I'm going to tackle it before I get straight into it, and that hopefully will make me more efficient. I also am not very pleased with (D) and that is because I did it in the evening and there was less light, so in future I will make sure I am in a well lit area before beginning a drawing.

I've labelled the drawings in stages so that you can see my initial use of negative space. I think (C) is the most successful piece, purely because it was where I got to really utilize the technique, and create a lot of texture. I think the reflection of the iron comes across well.

Materials used: A rubber, an electric rubber, a sharpener, some kitchen roll, a 2B pencil and a 4B pencil.

(A) stage 1. 

(A) stage 2.

(A) stage 3. 

38 mins total.

(B) stage 1. 

(B) stage 2. 

43 mins total.

(C) stage 1. 

(C) stage 3. 

39 mins total.

(D) stage 1. 

(D) stage 2.

36 mins total.