Semester 2. Week 1. Class. Reflection & Tableaux.

For our first week back we presented our work from the last two weeks of independent study for group criticism. We did this not only to evaluate our own work but to see what we could learn from peers in our class. I found it to be a useful and educative exercise that allowed me to analyse techniques used by myself and others. At the end of this exercise, I reflected upon the progress I had made throughout semester 1; pinpointing good practices that I will continue to implement in semester 2 and areas in my work that need improvement.

The most valuable piece of feedback I received was that I needed to think about the emotions of my pieces more and that I need to focus on perspective. Secondly, I was praised for the range of media I used and my presentation, which I will continue to uphold and develop in semester 2. The most valuable thing I learned from a peer was his particular style in use of limited colour. In my work from week 11 using only two colours, I did simply that and drew in black and white; this student decided to use colour only in certain parts of his pieces and grey for the rest, the results were stunning. I hope to implement this technique in future pieces. 

(1)

Feedback from peers regarding work from week 11 and 12 of semester 1.

(2)

Grading criteria for the group; created in class.

After this exercise, we were introduced to the concept of 'tableaux', defined as "a picturesque grouping of persons or objects; a striking scene" (dictionary.com, 2017). We split the group in half and created and acted out freeze frames for the other group to draw. 

Firstly, I drew some thumbnail sketches based on the prompts given by our tutor (see figure 3). This got me inspired and got ideas going in my head, then with our ideas combined, the group and I came up with the idea of  "Gossip" as a theme and acted it out. I found this exercise really fun and different.

Acting out a scene gave me a new respect for life models; after a few minutes it was difficult to keep still and time seemed to go slowly, it also felt strange to be watched. I think it was an important exercise in understanding the whole process of life drawing.

(3)

Thumbnail Sketches

Byro

After acting out our scene, it was time to draw the other group. I really enjoyed this exercise. I had a great view regarding the use of foreshadowing and the scene had such life in it. It was also fun to draw people of different heights, shapes and genders in different positions in relation to each other.

In the first 10 minutes (see figure 4), I focused on shapes and outlines, getting the basics of each character in the scene. In the 10 minutes after that (see figure 5), I focused on shadow to add depth. Upon feedback, in the last two minutes, I tried to add detail to the gentlemen on the far right and the lady far left in the chair. This would be to accentuate the foreshortening and make for a more interesting image. In hindsight, I wish I had realised this earlier as it would have made for more of a finished piece.

I like the piece I've created but I found the proportions of the people difficult, e.g. the arms on the second figure from the right were originally too long and I could not rub the charcoal out. I also needed to focus on the environment more as they look slightly like they are floating, despite their shadows, especially the gentlemen far right who, was in fact, sat on a table.

(4)

"Birthday"

Tableaux Stage One

10 minutes

Charcoal

(5)

"Birthday"

Tableaux Stage Two

10 minutes

Charcoal

Upon reflection, I plan to focus specifically on these points for improvement:

- Proportion
- Clarity in my images
- Responding to the brief with originality
- Having emotion in my pieces

And carry these good habits forward:

- Organisation
- Time management
- Use of media
- Development and experimentation
- Regular extra-curricular practice

References:

Dictionary.com. (2017). the definition of tableau. [online] Available at: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/tableau [Accessed 31 Jan. 2017].

Part 2 - Worcester (Week 11 & Week 12 : Independent Drawing Assignments)

Banbury

Transcendent, Erotic, Muffled, Frightening, Fevered, Passive. 

For this task I created six drawings/paintings based on Douglas Huebler's, Location Piece (July 1969). I looked at what his location piece project was about and tried to emulate it in a way that made it my own.

I wanted to choose places that evoked the feelings listed - erotic, frightened, transcendent, passive, fevered and muffled - as well as use a medium that represented that feeling to bring it out more in the painting. What I found was that sometimes, the effect came across differently. For instance I have swapped 'muffled' and 'fevered' because after completion I saw that the colours on (2) were too vibrant to be muffled. It turned out to be a happy accident as I think both suit their label well.

The feeling I found most difficult to home was 'erotic'. I really tried to think about what was erotic about Banbury and I couldn't think of anything. So I decided to interpret the word in a different way and paint my favourite restaurant in the area, (5). The food there is delicious, and thus - bordering on erotic. The red berries are also symbolic as the colours are reminiscent of similar themes.

Although I found this task challenging I really enjoyed it. For the first time I used gouache, on (1), and I loved the medium. I also had fun trying to recreate reflection as over the two days I collected photographs to recreate, it was raining and made the paths wet. 

The hardest challenge for me was getting the image right. I got confused over windows, removed distant buildings accidentally, and generally found it difficult to get all the detail in depending on the medium. For instance, for (3) I loved the boat but when I drew in the background I saw I'd made flaws in my original sketch. I did not want to redo it so used some artistic license to try and make i work. In future I will make a more detailed sketch and double check it. 

(1)

Passive

1 hour 40 mins

(HB Pencil, Gouache)

(2)

Fevered

1 hour

(HB Pencil, Oil Pastels)

(3)

Transcendent 

2 hours

(HB Pencil, Watercolour Paints, Watercolour Pencils)

(4)

Frightening

1 hour 40 mins

(HB Pencil, Charcoal)

(5)

Erotic

1 hour 20 mins

(HB Pencil, Acrylic Paint)

(6)

Muffled

1 hour 14 mins

(HB Pencil, Watercolour Pencils)

Part 1B - Worcester (Week 11 & Week 12 : Independent Drawing Assignments)

11/01/17

I spent the day in Worcester completing the second half of Drawing Reporter Part One. I walked around the city drawing parts that I thought contrasted with the drawings I did in Banbury, but maintaining the same style and colour, as the brief requested.

I found this task difficult to enjoy due to the weather. It was fairly windy and cold during the day and it made it difficult to draw. My favourite pieces are the inside of Worcester Cathedral, (4), and my evening drawing of The Sabrina Bridge, (8).

I really like (1). I found it difficult and would have liked to spend more time on it, but it was getting quite windy and my paper was flipping up as I drew. I feel like I chose a good medium to get across the dimensions and the detail but maybe could have gone with a more detailed approach to suit the building I was drawing. It is part of the city so thematically, it goes well with the task.

I am not a fan of (2). When I began with that medium and started my timer, I immediately made the decision to make it one of the pieces I spent less time on. In hindsight, I should have started again with a different medium and taken my time as I was inside and not affected by the weather.

(3) was an interesting one. Usually, I don't like working with pastels. I find it hard to create detail and rarely like the results I get after use but I feel it works well here. Using just the black and white made me focus more than I usually would with oil pastels. Although it is not my favourite piece, it was a lesson in using mediums you might not like, just in case a different subject is needed to bring it out.

A similar lesson was learnt with (4). I went inside The Worcester Cathedral to draw and chose to use charcoal. Usually, I really don't like charcoal. This is because it is messy and smudgy and I prefer something more controlled. However, I used my charcoal pencil carefully and really took my time in a quiet, inside environment and I really enjoyed it. The members of staff there were encouraging and happy for me to draw even through their daily service, I will definitely be going back to do more drawing.

Afterwards, for (5), I decided to draw the scaffolding on the outside of the cathedral. This is because I think it represents the theme of the big city against small city well, with regards to development and scale. I don't like this drawing very much. I found it difficult to get depth and lost confidence almost immediately when I began to draw, which I think made me not draw very well.

(6) was more successful. I feel like I exercised angles and proportions well here by trying to focus on the windows and where they were. I was also pleased with the composition I'd made with the scaffolding, it brings something to the piece as a whole.

I thought it would be good to include the apartments at city campus, (7), because I was close by and because they look very modern. It works well as a contrast to the older buildings in Banbury.

(8) is definitely my favourite piece. I love drawing the light on dark paper and using negative space to create a good drawing. There's so much more life in this drawing compared to the other pieces. This may be to do with enjoying it more.

I drew (9) because it is a hill I go down almost every day to walk to lectures. It is good in comparison to my drawing of the road near my house in Part 1A in that you can see the city skyline partly. Because of my position drawing, I chose to make it a quick draw, but unfortunately this left the quality lacking and so I feel the piece isn't great.

(10) was another piece where I regretted the medium I chose. In future I may plan my route and my locations better, choosing mediums before I go. This way I can avoid disliking pictures as much after I have painted/ drawn them.

In conclusion, this was a valuable and task where I learnt a lot but I did not enjoy it as much as previous tasks we've had. I enjoy drawing people and nature and so I can easily get into the flow of it. However, when drawing architecture I was hesitant in the sense that it was just less fun. What I did find interesting was that to contrast two places, you don't necessarily have to pick two places all that different from each other - just cherry pick what you draw. For instance, Banbury is a town; It has a train station, large flats and a high street. Worcester is a city and it has old buildings and local cafes. If I wanted to, I could do a comparative drawing task between them.

It was also a shame I didn't use any wet media in these pieces, although this was purely down to it being windy and thus impractical.

(1)

The Hive, Worcester. 20 Min. Byro and Fine Liner.

(2)

View of Bridge From Cafe, The Hive, Worcester. 7 min. Felt-Tip Pen and Byro.

(3)

Train Station Bridge, Worcester. 10 Min. Oil Pastel. 

(4)

Cathedral View From Pew, Worcester Cathedral, Worcester. 33 Min. Charcoal.

Pictured Left - (5) Scaffolding Outside Cathedral, Worcester Cathedral, Worcester. 5 Min 51 Sec. Chalk.

Pictured Right - (6) City Campus Building, Worcester, Watercolour Pencil. 10 Min.

 

(7)

City Campus Apartments, Worcester. Byro. 5 Min.

(8)

Sabrina Bridge in the Dark, Worcester. Watercolour Pencil. 10 Min.

(9)

Hollywell Hill, Worcester. 4B Pencil. 5 Min.

(10)

Gate Opposite Costa, Worcester Town Centre. Assorted Fine-Liners. 5 Min.

Part 1A - Banbury/ Brackley (Week 11 & Week 12 : Independent Drawing Assignments)

06/01/17

I spent the day in Banbury (one drawing completed in Brackley on my way back) completing the first half of Drawing Reporter Part One. I chose to do this in two parts because I wanted to compare my hometown against Worcester - small-town against city-scape. 

I explored parts of it that I saw as specific to a small-town and that I saw as archetypal to Banbury. I started with the canal, (1), and really enjoyed using chalk as a medium. I haven't used it in a long time and it took me a moment to get the hang of it. After fifteen minutes it started to rain and as I had no shelter I had to leave the piece as it was. I feel like this drawing did not reach it's potential, though I am proud of it and received a compliment from a passer-by.

Next, I drew the bus station (2). I don't like this drawing, I can't pinpoint why but I think maybe I should have used different mediums e.g. oil pastel for the background. That may have made the piece more interesting.

I did (3) on a small piece of black paper I ripped and stuck in my book. I drew the closed down pasty shop with watercolour but it didn't come off well on the paper, so I added acrylic and it worked more. Although the image lacks detail, I like it and feel like the message of the drawing comes across; broken.

(4) went terribly. I bought a Tipex pen to experiment and thought it would be like painting acrylic with a pen. Unfortunately, I found it terribly difficult to use and so only did a five-minute drawing. I don't regret it because it's always good to experiment. 

I'm fond of (5), it looks delicate and pretty which is how I see the gazebo in town. 

I am not a fan of (6). I don't enjoy using oil pastels but in wanting to use a range of mediums I chose to bring them with me. It's not awful but it's not very clear. In hindsight I would have used oil pastels on a bigger piece, not a smaller one - then it would have been more detailed.

I drew (7) near my house when I walked home from the bus. The lights were bright against the dark sky and so I thought it would look great. I should not have stuck the black paper at an angle though because however nice, compositionally, it looks; it made perspective and angles confusing. This is not something I foresaw and so will learn from this in future e.g. doing the drawing then mounting it at an angle. 

(8) was drawn from the viewpoint I had at the back of the bus. Luckily there weren't any people, except for at the front of the bus, so I had a clear view to draw the architecture of the transport many people use to get from place to place where I live. I like it but I wish I'd spent longer on it, however, I did not start the drawing until well into my journey and I needed to prepare to get off the bus. 

(9) is my favourite drawing. It is the potato van outside my place of work. I enjoyed this as I incorporated the tree and I love drawing nature. I've done something with the angle that I didn't see until looking at the piece later, this is a lesson in really looking at what I'm drawing and also to possibly get an easel/ choosing my viewpoint better.

(10) is my second favourite. By using the felt tip and the byro I created depth. I also like the way I've mounted it (done previous to drawing). The combination of nature and architecture is pleasing, so is the perspective.

Overall I enjoyed this exercise, though not as much as I enjoyed e.g. the cafe drawings exercise where we drew people moving. I thought that the lack of people in my drawings would take away from them, but actually, they don't always need that. I enjoyed experimenting with only two colours (black and white) and using white on black paper. I need to work on really looking at what I'm drawing and assesing angles and viewpoints more, but apart from that I'm pleased with what I produced.,

(1)

The Canal, Banbury. 15 min. White Chalk on Black Card.

(2)

The Bus Station. Banbury. 20 min.White Watercolour Pencil. 

(3)

The Cornish Pasty & Tea Shop (Closed Down), Banbury.7 min. Watercolour/ Acrylic Paint.

(4)

Bench and Wall in Castle Quay Shopping Centre, Banbury. 5 min. Tipex Pen.

(5)

Town Centre Gazebo, Banbury. 5 min. Black/White Coloured Pencil.

(6)

Street by The Fleur Pub, Banbury. 10 min. Black/White Oil Pastel.

(7)

Street Lights, Brackley. 7 min. White Watercolour Pencil & Chalk.

(8)

500 Bus From Banbury to Brackley, Commute. 10 min. Black Byro.

(9)

Curly's Potato Van, Banbury. 20 min. Black Watercolour Pencil.

(10)

David's Flowers, Banbury. 10 min. Black Felt Tip Pen & Black Byro.