Drawings: OCA Part 3: Assignment 3

Assignment Three - Drawing Outdoors Final Piece

Graphite and Chalk on Coloured Paper

 

First off I have to say that this assignment was hard, or more specifically finding the right view to work from was the hard part. I needed a view from a window or doorway that included natural objects (i.e. plants, trees etc) had a sense of depth to demonstrate some perspective as well as some straight-lined objects. I found looking out of any window covered a couple of these criteria but they all seemed a bit, well, bland. So when I finally found this view I knew that this was the one I was going to work from, it had a linear perspective in the buildings and some trees in the foreground and the church gave an interesting background.

 

So, having found my chosen view I set about playing around with the composition and decided on a portrait format that I felt showed the depth of the drawing well. I then experimented with the perspective of the buildings to ensure that I had it all right. After this I decided to eliminate one of the background buildings and I am glad I did this as it helps the church to be more dominant in the background.

I experimented with a watercolour and pen drawing that I decided not to pursue, it did not feel like the right media for the piece; I wanted to work with something that showed off the setting better. After a bit more exploration I decided I really liked the way chalk and graphite worked against each other, especially on the coloured paper as a mid-tone. The media manages to capture something of the feel of the place quite well.

I ended up spending a couple of hours creating the final piece and I am really satisfied with the result. My only concerns are that I may have lost some of the depth in the final drawing and that I should have explored some more choices of media that may have showed certain elements off better.

Experimenting with Composition

Biro on Paper

 

Pencil Sketch (left) and Working out Perspective (right)

Watercolour and Pen Piece (left) and Charcoal Sketch of the Same Tree (right)

 

First try with Chalk and Graphite on Coloured Paper

Drawings: OCA Part 3: Drawing Trees III - Study of Several Trees

Study of Several Trees

Ink on Paper - A3

 

Study of Several Trees - Silver Birches

Fine Liner on Paper - A4

Learning Log

 

How many different tree types have you drawn?

I am definitely no expert on trees but I’ve definitely had a go at drawing quite a few different types, oak, elm and birches at least.

What techniques did you use to distinguish each type?

I was not really focusing on analyzing the type of tree I was drawing but more on the individual tree itself and the way it had adapted to its own environment. To achieve this I concentrated on its own particular characteristics i.e. the shape and direction of its branches and sometimes detailing some of the leaves, this acts like a fingerprint to identify the type of tree it is.

What did you do to convey the mass of foliage?

Once I had plotted out the basic shape of the tree and all its elements, I would identify how the branches interact with the foliage, how bits clumped together and the direction they went in. I did a bit of experimentation but I found that being loose with the detail works best, just enough to give an impression of the foliage. I think this works best because when viewing a tree you do not register all the leaves and twigs individually, you tend to think of it as one united object.

I used very simple marks in the fine liner drawing of the birches, slightly messy marks because the foliage seemed to scribble its way around the trees.

How did you handle the light on the trees? Was it successful?

In the individual tree drawings once I had described enough of the rough details, I shaded with the intention of seeing the entire tree as one object. This allowed me to keep similar levels of light and dark continuing through the entire drawing, so the darkest points stayed as the darkest points without getting lost. I also attempted to capture the way the light shone through the clumps of foliage in places, almost glittering amongst the greenery, by concentrating on the details.

In the group of trees I produced in ink there is a much starker contrast because of the media, although less subtle this did allow me to maintain a consistent level easily. In the fine-liner drawing of the birches, the second colour of the green sort of acted as a mid-tone in places.

Did you manage to select and simplify? Look at your drawings and make notes on how you did this, and what could you do better?

After finishing this project I can conclude that knowing what to select and what to simplify is really quite tricky, include too much and it will make for an uncomfortable drawing, too little and the piece will seem unfinished, wanting more.

In the study of the oak tree and the elm tree in the second exercise I think I did this quite successfully, I spent a lot of time picking out the important details to include and eliminating those elements that seemed less important. In the group studies I think I may have simplified possibly too much in places, though I am very happy with the texture the ink was able to convey.

Overall I think I have done quite well in this project I am pleased with the results and I have definitely enjoyed working through it. Trees are still one of my favourite subjects and I shall no doubt return to them in the not too distant future.

 

Drawings: OCA Part 3: Drawing Trees II - Larger Study of an Individual Tree

 Larger Study of an Individual Tree - Oak Tree

Pencil on Paper - A3

 

'In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful.'

- Alice Walker

 

Elm Tree

Biro on Coloured Paper
 

I loved this exercise and the results of it. I started out with the drawing at the bottom of this post but had to abandon it after about fifteen minutes because it started to rain, the grey clouds should have given me an idea it would but I ignored them, fool that I am. Despite being unfinished I thought I would include it because I do quite like it, who knows, I may go back and try to complete it one day.

On a day with somewhat better weather I started the second piece in this post, the elm tree was within a mass of foliage so I thought the coloured paper might help to give an impression of this, I used biro because it would show up well against the green.

The last piece I completed was the large oak tree (first picture in this post) this particular tree caught my attention while I was in holiday in Cornwall because it had a wall built right up to it and because it dominated its surroundings but seemed calm and subdued at the same time.

I tried to concentrate on getting the ‘sense of directionality’ that the exercise asked for, letting the drawing grow mirroring the same way the tree itself has done, from a basic trunk and the extending its reach further and further. I tried to work fats and to keep up the tempo but I still spent at least an hour on the elm tree and probably more like three hours on the oak tree, I think the results have definitely been worth it though. I’m happy that I have managed to capture both the dominant presence of the oak as well as some of its intricate delicacy.

 

Abandoned Piece

Pencil on Paper

Drawings: OCA Part 3: Drawing Trees I - Sketching an Individual Tree

Sketching an Individual Tree - Small Sketches

'Like people, trees are all individuals.'

- David Hockney

 

Sketching an Individual Tree - St James Park

Pencil on Paper

 

Trees are a subject that I always love to draw, no two trees will ever be the same, and they are an infinite supply of inspiration. Indeed, no two drawings of the same tree will be the same either as they are always continuously changing colour and shape, through the seasons etc.

It is also the process of drawing trees that I find enjoyable, starting with the basic shape and building up the mass of the drawing, adding in details such as twigs and leaves that might catch my eye and lend a distinct character to the drawing and individual tree.

Quick Sketches of Trees

Ink and Biro (Left) . Charcoal (Right)

 

Tree in  Local Park

Pastel on Coloured Paper

 

Drawings: OCA Part 3: Townscapes IV - Drawing Statues

Statue of Peter Pan - Kensington Gardens

Pencil on Paper

Preliminary Sketch

Pencil on Paper

 

Learning Log

How did you use a limited colour palette to create a sense of depth?

Looking over my limited palette pieces I have to admit that creating a sense of depth was not something I concentrated on specifically, I tended to focus on the details of the buildings. However the buildings I chose to draw do have the feel of receding in places, but mostly due to the composition and the view I decided to draw from. I established the main focus and intensified the amount of colour and detail in these areas, causing other spaces to taper away into the background.

Did your preliminary sketches give you enough information for your final pieces of work?

I tended to include as much information as possible and then decide what to leave out later, so for the most part the answer is yes, however some pieces I had to abandon after reassessing sketches.

Would you approach this task differently another time?

I am quite proud and content with the pieces that I have produced, that’s not to say that all of them are great drawings, so I would not do it differently as such, only carry on exploring the subject more thoroughly.

Have you got the scale of the buildings right? Make notes on what worked and what didn’t.

I think the scale is correct for most of the buildings, establishing my eye line really helped this as well as plotting everything out first before filling in details. These definitely were not drawings that could be rushed, I had to maintain concentration and think about the angle and size of any structural line I put in.

Have you captured the colour and atmosphere in your studies? How did you do this?

Some of the architecture I chose to draw was quite imposing and powerfully prominent and I think I managed to replicate this impression in my drawings by intensifying it.

The statues were also very striking and prominent so I decided on a very close view to gain the sense of awe when looking up at them from below. This can be seen clearly in my sketch of G. F. Watts’ Physical Energy where I was sitting on the ground to draw.

When I was drawing Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais the atmosphere was quite different, though none the less impressive or prominent that the other statues I have drawn, the sense was focused more towards the solemnity and the feelings of the individuals it portrayed, all with a different emotion. I chose one figure hidden behind the others that cowers away clasping his head, wanting desperately not to be seen. To try and get the same atmosphere in my drawing was a challenge, I decided to try and almost hide him away in the drawing.

Rodin's Burghers of Calais - Victoria Tower Gardens

Charcoal on Green Paper

G. F. Watt's Physical Energy - Kensington Gardens

Graphite and Coloured Pencil on Paper

Drawings: OCA Part 3: Townscapes III - A Limited Palette Study from your Sketches

The Wellington - Strand

Pen and Pencil on Orange Paper

National Portrait Gallery

Graphite and Coloured Pencil on Pastel Paper

 

I really enjoyed this exercise and drawing townscapes in general, it is not a subject that I have previously explored all that widely until now. I ended up completing several pieces for this particular exercise, partly because I was having fun with it but I also had an afternoon to waste in London after visiting the Picasso exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery.

I have found sketching the London architecture is great fun anyway, with all different styles juxtaposed together in such close proximity but producing drawings with a limited palette meant a challenge and generated some interesting results. I really like the piece I did of the Wellington in the Strand; its elongated architecture suited a portrait configuration very satisfyingly.

Coach and Horses - Bruton Street

Black and White Ink on Brown Paper

View Down Jermyn Street

Marker Pen on Orange Paper

Drawings: OCA Part 3: Townscapes II - A Sketchbook of Townscape Drawings

 St James St and National Portrait Gallery

Pencil on Paper

 

It really is surprisingly difficult just to stand at the side of the road in the middle of London and sketch; it is so different from any other kind of drawing situation with all the noise and distractions going on constantly all around me. I began to feel very self conscious at times, not embarrassed but hyperaware of being a hindrance to other people, worried that cars were going to stop expecting me to cross and such. Once I got more involved in the drawings though I began to ignore any niggling insecurities.

 





Drawings: OCA Part 3: Townscapes I - Study of a Townscape Using Line

Rooftops

Marker Pen on Paper

It is always hard when producing these line drawings to resist the urge to start shading; it seems the natural thing to do, especially when you have recognised a foreground, middle ground and background in the piece. It is also tricky to include all the details at just the right scale for it all to fit in without looking awkward. Whereas you can tweak still lives and landscapes, with a building, if the windows are all different sizes, it will definitely be noticeable. I quite like the result though and it was actually a rather enjoyable process.

Drawings: OCA Part 3: Perspective

South Corner of Berkeley Square - Angular Perspective

Pen on Paper

Learning Log

What Problems did you find in executing perspective drawings?

Perspective drawings tend to be very precise and so any details of the drawing which are slightly off the mark stand out like a sore thumb. Getting all the features to match up is very difficult, especially when drawing on the spot.

Make notes on the merits of using or not using rulers to guide you.

 

Using a ruler helps to get over the problem mentioned before but relying on it results in a drawing that looks very rigid and characterless in my opinion. I prefer to map out a perspective drawing using the ruler before going over these marks freehand, allowing a touch of spontaneity, and details that may not come through otherwise.  Also there are inevitably buildings or objects at a slightly different angle to the rest that will not conform to exactly the same vanishing point, these turn out better when judging them against ones done by ruler.

Parallel Perspective - An Interior View

Pencil on Paper