Diane Wright Sketches & Tutorials

Blackwing Sketchbooks

2011-09-21T13:42:00.000-05:00

I am delighted to introduce a new Blackwing Sketchbook series created by www.pencils.com.

http://pencils.com/blog/sketchbook-preview/

This is so exciting to be featured on the cover of such a high quality product. Visit www.pencils.com to discover all the excellent products offered by California Cedar Products Company.

Drawing Techniques Packet

2011-02-01T16:59:00.000-06:00

Drawing Techniques Packet

by Diane Wright

Derived from Drawing Techniques Workshops conducted by Diane Wright, this packet includes simple, easy instructions, lots of hands-on exercises and a spattering of drawing samples for guidance. Artists of any level, beginner to advanced, will find lots of valuable tips and technique specific to landscapes. It's a perfect companion to Diane's book, “Drawing Made Easy: Beautiful Landscapes” and her on-line tutorials.

The best way to learn is to actually draw. That is what this packet is uniquely designed to do. The reference photos and exercises are printed on card stock that is smooth, durable and perfect to draw on. Extra drawing sheets and a transparency grid are included.

Techniques include:

Shading and Erasing
Pencil Strokes
Light and Shadows
Contour Drawing
Important of Sketching
Value Drawing
Negative Drawing
Blending
Textures
Good Drawing Techniques
Drawing Tools and On-line Resources

For an additional benefit, purchase the email assistance plan. This gives you the opportunity for one-on-one email support with Diane. Email her questions and scanned exercises for her advice and assistance on any technique included in the packet.

“It's like attending one of Diane's workshops without the costly travel expenses!”

For more information: visit http://www.dianewrightfineart.com/ or click here

Written, designed and published by Diane Wright

Inspiration

2011-01-20T15:45:00.001-06:00

I received an email from a young artist studying art and design in the UK. He asked me a question that challenged me to put in writing what I have been mulling around in my head for quite some time. I’d like to thank Lewis Treleaven for posing the following question and wish him the best in his studies.

What inspired you to base most of your art around natural beauty and the wonders of the natural world?

I started drawing again in 2002 after a 20+ year lapse. Life seemed to get in the way and my career path went in a different direction from my art. But I finally picked up my pencil again, rediscovered my love of graphite and also found a form of meditation. Drawing is relaxing and releases a lot of tensions and stress from my day job and life in general. The subject matter of nature enhances this meditative process. The following is what I have discovered while studying nature:

Nature holds the key to revitalizing our spirit and restoring balance into our lives. It’s as simple as taking a walk in the woods and open your senses to what surrounds you. Listen to the leaves rustling in the autumn breeze or watch the diamond crystals as the sun dances on the surface of the water. Time slows down to let us catch our breath from the craziness of our daily hustle.

Each drawing that I create is a snapshot of the simplicity and splendor that surrounds us. It’s the simple things that are often the most awe inspiring. It’s the serenity and strength of nature that I want to capture. This is the footprint I want to share for others to experience.

My motto from my website:

~live life with a quiet passion~

~seeing beauty in the simplest scenes~

~that is what makes life so rich~

Shaded Darkness

2011-01-11T20:41:00.000-06:00

I've been working on adding mood to my sketches. This is a sketch capturing the mood of shady darkness under a tree - respite from the stark sunshine. The composition is playing with contrast of sharp and diffused edges and placement of sky holes. There are impression of roots amongst the textured grass by bold lines.

Sketches can release artistic freedom to self expression and experimentation. Sometimes they hold the key to unlock creative avenues and glimpses of future possibilities. This sketch is bold in many ways that is new and exciting. The energy needs to be harnessed and nurtured.

Drawing from Line to Life by Mike Sibley

2010-12-31T14:08:00.000-06:00

This is THE Drawing Bible. There is not any other book available that covers drawing as completely as Mike's book. It reads like a novel, as each chapter builds upon the next, but it also is a great reference tool. AND it is a piece of artwork itself - beautifully illustrated. Mike is not only a talented artist but an excellent writer. He writes as though he is personally talking to you. I guarantee you will be inspired and captivated after the first chapter. (yes, it's that good...)

For a limited time, Mike is offering free shipping!! Don't miss out on this incredible offer and order your copy today: http://www.sibleyfineart.com/pencil-drawing-book.htm. Are you sure one copy is enough? I just bought a second copy today so I can share one with my drawing classes while preserving my original copy.

Drawing Techniques - Workshop

2010-12-26T07:48:00.000-06:00

Drawing Techniques Workshop

with Diane Wright

Professional artist and author of "Drawing Made Easy: Beautiful Landscapes", Diane Wright is now offering a local drawing workshop.

Diane covers drawing basics not taught in general drawing classes. She will share her techniques and in-depth information to get you on your way to making successful and realistic landscapes.

Day 1 We'll introduce ourselves and discover your goals for drawing. We will take an in-depth look at drawing pencils, paper and tools. There's more to graphite drawing than just a wooden pencil and paper. Lots of examples to be shown and explored.

Day 2 Through exercises we will explore techniques from pencil strokes to application of line and tone. Blending, layering and creative erasing will be covered as well as an introduction to Negative Drawing.

Day 3 Using these techniques we will apply what we've learned to drawing textures. Wood, rocks, leaves, etc. Understanding what to look for and how light interacts with surfaces will also be discussed.

During all these sessions, she will work with you personally to assist and demonstrate these techniques. No matter what your present ability, you will leave with new-found knowledge of how to draw and use textures to benefit your work. You'll discover that Drawing is Fun!

Where: Kreativ ent
306 1st Ave W
Newton, IA 50208

When: 9:00 - 11:00 am Saturdays, January 29, February 5 & 12 (6 hours total)

Cost: $50.00 Class size is limited to 6-8 for personalized attention!

Price includes minimum supplies of: sheets of paper as required, Staedtler pencils 4H, 2B, Staedtler kneadable eraser and chamois.

Please bring your own drawing board and other drawing tools you use.
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Drawing Techniques Workshop with Diane Wright

January 29, February 5 & 12

Name:___________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________ City: ______________________

Phone: __________________________ Cell Phone: ______________________

Email: __________________________________________________________

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-21T17:56:00.000-06:00

...and a Merry Christmas to you all!

Les and I spent an afternoon exploring the renovated Union Station in Kansas City. It is the second busiest freight railroad center in America. It has a rich and diverse history dating back to 1914. The architecture of this building is incredible and the ceiling is breathtaking.

I sincerely thank everyone who has followed my postings this year and wish the best of the Holiday Season to you all!

Diane

Sketches

2010-11-24T14:49:00.000-06:00

Here are a series of sketches created over the past few weeks. Some of these may be the start of an idea for a full-sized drawing, some are working out composition, some are just practicing and some are working out textures.

Enjoy!

Diane

Fading Light

2010-11-20T09:14:00.001-06:00

Fading Light

This is an attempt at creating a "moody landscape", working with light and dark composition to create a mood. The viewer is slowly led into the dark veil of the woods with just hints of the trees deep in the shadows.

Here is a detail of the water. There is a tendency to leave the water in light values. But to create both transparency and depth, the water streaming over the rocks must be darkened. I used 2H and H chisel point leads to create the smooth flowing water. The turbulence and splashes use negative drawing...working in the shadows and base of the waves.

Using Reference Photos

2010-11-14T12:49:00.000-06:00

Here are my responses to questions regarding the use of reference photos.

How do you use reference photos?

Inspiration?
to work out a story or idea?
to identify technical accuracy of an object?

Yes, yes and yes. I have thousands of photos that I have taken myself, photos taken by others and photos downloaded from the internet. I use them for inspiration ALOT!

Recently, my son hiked and took lots of photos of Yosemite. I have researched the area on the internet and while I might personally haven't visited the area, I feel like I've walked those trails. Can I make believable drawings of places I have never been to? Well, I think I can.

By drawing upon experiences of places I have visited and researching and understanding the terrain of the area, there is no reason why I can't produce just as dynamic and believable scene.

Now there is nothing that beats first hand experience, but in my situation, photos are an acceptable alternative. And I've been able to experience visiting beautiful landscapes through my pencil.

>>Has your use of photos changed over the years? Explain.<<

Absolutely. I was a slave to photos when I first started. If it wasn't in the photo, it didn't exist. If the angle was skewed in the photo, the angle was skewed in my drawing. This is an inherent flaw to using photos and when possible....to be avoided.

I'm now weening myself away from the dependency of photos being "the absolute". With deliberate and conscious decisions, I'm deviating from them. (With a mixture of good results and horrible results - but creative freedom none the less.)

“Reference and imagination are partners. It's important not be a slave to either.” Robert Genn

I really like Robert Genn's phrase. Here is my take on it. "Too much reference and the work is lifeless, too much imagination and the work is lifeless. A healthy combination of both....creates a work of art."

ArtgraphicA - Online Tutorial Resource

2010-11-13T11:59:00.001-06:00

Gavin has updated his website and is a resource for some of the best on-line tutorials available. http://www.artgraphica.net/.

He also has posted in full HTML format, one of my all time favorite classic books on trees Artistic Anatomy of Trees by Rex Vicat Cole along with other classics.

Take some time to visit his site....well worth the visit.

The WHY Factor

2010-11-13T11:30:00.002-06:00

The Why Factor – Motivation, Inspiration and Direction

The artist's journey

Before anything is ever put on paper, our artwork is born from an idea or thought. This may be something that suddenly springs into our mind, or it could lie dormant or brooding for years just under the radar - culminating, transforming and perhaps emerging once it finds an avenue or our skill/mindset is ready.

Sometimes we don't have an answer, but we should try to have some meaning to our creative endeavors. Understanding where we are, where we want to go and how we are going to get there gives us purpose and direction. When we find ourselves losing interest or wandering we should re-evaluate our artistic path, re-adjust and regroup. This is evident when we see artist's using themes, various mediums or periods of realism/abstraction. Their artwork seems to follow a path or evolve....this is the evolution of an artist's journey.

The artwork
Each individual piece of artwork should also have a purpose. Mike Sibley uses the term “the Why factor” in his book "Drawing from Line to Life" . He continues by asking the reader "Why are you about to begin this drawing? ...What are you going to say?"

All too often we hear an artist give a brush-off excuse of “it's just a commission” or “I like the picture”. We should challenge ourselves to so much more! Even if it is a commission, you can still push it to “SAY SOMETHING”.

If you don't take the time to understand the motivation behind your drawing, you are in danger of creating a lifeless, photocopy of an image.

So here are some questions to ask...

What is motivating me to draw this?
Is it following my overall goal?
Or is it a sideline or different path that I want to follow? (that's okay too)
What do I want to say?
How do I want to say it?
What do I want to emphasize, exaggerate, express?
What approach do I want to take? i.e. bold, subtle, realistic, dramatic, abstract.
What composition layout will best tell my story?

How do you approach your creative process? What do you ask yourself? Have you even thought of this? Where are you on your journey?

If you are interested in joining Mike and others in conversational topics such as this come join the Yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DrawingLinetoLife/

Diane

New Tutorial: How to Draw Grass & Weeds

2010-10-26T19:17:00.001-05:00

New Tutorial: How to draw Grass and Weeds

I am pleased announce that my newest tutorial is now available on my website - "How to draw Grass and Weeds". For your convenience, a downloadable .pdf is available at the bottom of the page.

The Chisel Point

2010-10-14T20:37:00.000-05:00

Drawing Tips and Techniques

The most versatile pencil point is the chisel point. The top sharp edge can be used for finer markings, details and creating fine lines. The flat angled plane can be used for shading.

To easily create the chisel point:
a) sharpen the pencil

b) hold the pencil at an angle

c) lightly scrub the tip on fine sandpaper

The Importance of Sketching

2010-09-26T09:44:00.000-05:00

When I'm not working on a 'full-sized' drawing, I am sketching. Sketching provides the opportunity to

explore your subject matter and medium
exercise and stretch your skills
test out new techniques
explore textures, compositions, lighting effects

Sometimes sketches are indeciferable to any one but the artist, nothing more than scribbles. Other times, they can become a finished artwork. But most of the time, sketches are just snippets of thoughts or an impression of an idea.

For an artist, sketching is the most uninhibited and free-est expressive moment possible. Sketching is an artform in itself and give the viewer insight into the soul of the artist.

Fern Sketch

2010-07-31T06:57:00.005-05:00

Ferns. I love them, they are rich in texture and would be a great addition to wooded scenes. They've been elluding my pencil though. In Mike's book "Drawing From Line to L ife", he suggests disengaging the subject by drawing the space around it, or what is called negative drawing.

So I ignored the leaves, focused on the dark spaces between the leaves. I also did not outline anything, again the focus on only tonal shapes "between the leaves".

This is so exciting!!!! Ferns appeared for the first time on my paper! Very fresh, spontaneous and organic.

Here is the small incomplete sketch, but expresses a major milestone....one step closer to the negative world.

Sketchbooks

2010-07-25T10:46:00.003-05:00

What's your favorite sketchbook? Bound, spiral, hand made, hybrid?

I guess mine is a hybrid. I have tried hard bound, spiral, moleskins. The biggest problems I have with any of them is the paper quality. So I've created my own using Rollabind (see attached image of my sketchbooks.)

There are a number of advantages.

They lay flat.

I can interchange any kind of paper, writing, smooth, rough, watercolor paper.

I can remove a page, scan it, and put it back in.

I can archive them to another book. I can add my writings and sketches together in the same book.

The rollabinds keep the paper snug so there is little smearing like the spirals cause.

What is the size of your sketchbook?
I have two now...5x7 and 9x11 (holds 8-1/2 x 11" paper)

What's your favorite pencil/pen you use when sketching?

2B .5 mm mechanical pencil

Do you carry a sketchbook with you all the time?

Depends on what I'm working on. If I'm trying out an idea or technique, I'll carry it otherwise I can go weeks without carrying one.

Do you have a mobile sketch kit? What's included?

I've got one that I made about 3 years ago. The moleskin is about 1/2 full. When I feel like dabbling in color, I get it out. Then I remember how bad I am at color and it gets tucked away again!
http://dwrightsketches.blogspot.com/2007/07/sketch-journal.html

How often do you sketch? Daily, weekly, never?

A couple times a week. Usually when I'm too tired to focus on my drawing, I'll doodle or sketch.

Why do you sketch?

Work out ideas, techniques, compositions.

What do you put in your sketchbook?

Sketches of landscapes, rocks, parts of trees, notes about topics for this group, ideas, shopping lists, scribbles and ramblings....

Do you keep your sketchbooks?

I keep the best ones. The rest are pitched.

Do you keep doodles in your sketchbooks?

Way too many doodles!! But they seem to clear the wandering mind.

Do you ever throw away or erase sketches?

Yes....garbage gets full of them....

How about some scans of sketchbook work?

My sketchblog is full of them...

Mike Sibley Workshops

2010-07-17T10:54:00.001-05:00

I've been working this morning on the underside of the tree and grass using techniques that I learned during Mike Sibley's drawing workshop in Indiana.

It's been almost a year since the workshop and the improvement on my artwork has been incredible. And the revelations of "ah-ha"! are still happening!

To attend one of Mike's drawing workshops is an opportunity that any graphite artist should not miss. It doesn't matter what your subject matter preference is or your drawing style (from realism, sketches or abstract) the concepts and techniques Mike demonstrates can be applied to. Spending three days with one-to-one attention with a master is an experience that I will never forget.

Mike is coming back to the United States in September to conduct 4 more workshops! Visit his website http://www.sibleyfineart.com/ for workshop locations and information.

Here's the section of my current drawing. I've been pushing the branches on the underside of the tree back into the shadows. Using negative drawing techniques, I'm able to create the blackest areas between the leaves, allowing them to subtly appear deep in the shadows.

Gesture Drawing

2010-06-12T09:26:00.003-05:00

When I took life drawing class back in college, gesture drawing was used as a warm up exercise. That's a pretty short-sited approach to take. The definition of gesture drawing is to capture the energy and movement of the subject matter - or to capture the essence of the pose. While gesture drawing is typically used in figure drawing, I see no reason why I can't use the same approach with still lifes or landscapes.

I've been reading Walt Stanchfield' s book "Drawn to Life". He must have been a very enthusiastic and vibrant individual because it really comes across in his writings and his drawings. Here are a few gesture drawing tips I've gleamed from his book:

1. Use a fountain or pen & ink. Use cheap paper so you have no hesitancy to do lots of renderings.
2. Exaggerate the pose. if the body is leaning over, lean it "more". This creates more drama and 'essence' of the pose.
3. Try the pose yourself. Feel the shift of the shoulders, the weight on one leg, the position of the hips, the stretch of an arm. This will help you "feel" the pose and understand what the muscles are doing.
4. Always include the hands and feet in the gesture drawing. They are the most expressive parts!
5. Work to capture the weight of the body. (If the head is leaning against a hand, make sure the "weight" of the head is apparent in the hand. The position of the arm to head is important.)
6. Action, reaction. Squash and stretch. If the body is bent over, the back stretches and the stomach squashes. If the leg bends, the front of the knee stretches and the back of the knee squashes. In every movement there is an action/reaction.
5. Clothes will react in a like manner (squash and stretch) and will enhance the gesture. Manipulation of the wrinkles, lumps, bulges, folds, seams will enhance the gesture. "A real solid, expressive, sparkly drawing in one where the clothing is doing what the body is causing it to do."
6. A pose is always doing an action, even sitting.
7. Avoid tangents. (Lines meeting at the same point. It's the death to depth. (I'll address this later with examples)
8. Draw with verbs not nouns. Add adverbs for drama. (Example: Don't just draw the body part...arm, elbow, hair. Instead portray a woman "bending" over, "stretching" her arms to dry her "wet" hair.)
9. Gesture drawing will solidify your understanding of the pose. You can work out the pose, modify, elaborate, change it to 'tell' your story more effectively. Better planning before you start your portrait.

Gesture drawings can range from capturing the mass of the figure, to contours, to simple stick figures. The purpose is to capture the essence of the pose.

You can see in my drawings that I've repeated a pose several times. They go from fairly detailed gestures to simple stick figures. Each one trying to understand the pose.

So how can gesture drawing help you draw realistically?

Just think of the powerful impact of understanding anatomy and applying creative energy/essence of gesture drawing on your drawings. Your portraits will come 'alive' on the paper!

Figure Drawing

2010-05-31T14:35:00.002-05:00

The human figure is a complex form, combining skeletal and muscular components. By breaking the components down into simple geometrical shapes, it's easier to capture the general form. Arms and legs are cyclinders, the elbows, shoulders and knees spheres, the area between the shoulders are a triangle.

Drawing through the form helps to identify the 3-dimensionality of the body part.

The ideal figure proportion is approximately 8 heads tall. Balance, symetry, flow and movement should all be considered.

These sketches are studies derived from Robert Barrett's book "Life Drawing".

2010-05-16T10:45:00.004-05:00

Andrew Loomis is my instructor this morning. I've attached a couple of pages of sketches working through his illustrations.

Hands are not as intimidating as they look once you understand the basics. The hand is two units in length with the center being just above the knuckles. An arch or curved arrangement of the fingers and knuckles are key. (A common mistake is to draw the knuckles in a straight line.)

The palm of the hand is all pads with the center of the palm hollow. The back of the hand is all tendons.

I hope you all have a chance to practice!!! Everyday that I freehand sketch gets a little easier. Using guides of measurement and using basic shapes to block in an object is helpful. Once I get the proportions correct, then I start to work in the details.

Drawing the Head

2010-04-18T09:02:00.003-05:00

How do we put all these features - the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair, cheeks, chin, eyebrows, each so uniquely different - into a harmonious and unified "HEAD"?

Thank goodness the head can be reduced into general proportions to help us guide the placement of the features. I've attached a simplistic diagram to outline these guidelines.

Drawing the head at various angles adds interest to our composition. It also adds complexity as well. Understanding how to apply perspective can help you immensely in getting the head to look correctly.

Giovanni Civardi's "The Art of Drawing Portraits" has some very good exercises to try. I have attached my first attempts at drawing the head in various angles using his illustrations.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to actually put your pencil to paper and try these exercises! It is one thing to read and visually understand the concepts. By taking the time to practice brings a whole new level of understanding and solidifies these principles.

I've been wanting to get to this portion of our studies for a long time as the head/body have illuded me long enough! I have a very personal goal in mind and these are only the first of many tries and studies that I want to explore. My goal is to learn how to effectively draw the figure so I can start including them in my drawings and add urban landscapes to my collections.

Drawing Hair

2010-03-28T13:38:00.002-05:00

The best starting point to drawing hair - is to draw a lock of hair. And the best reference to learn how to draw hair is Mike Sibley's book "Drawing Line to Life".

Creating a natural highlight by lifting the pencil:

Use a sharp point of a harder lead (HB or harder) and smooth paper (with no texture). Practice creating strokes pressing hard on one end and lifting as you get to the center. This will create a 'natural highlight' in the center.

Creating a highlight using blu-tack eraser:

Roll a small piece of blu-tack into a cylinder. Roll the eraser over the center of the drawn hair. This will gently lift the graphite off, leaving the pencil strokes behind. (See the actual pencil lines of graphite on the eraser.)

Diane

Ear Sketches

2010-03-27T15:54:00.003-05:00

Here are some quick sketches of ears. The intent is to 'feel' the curves and capture the form of them.

Pencil Position

2010-03-21T12:48:00.005-05:00

If you find yourself using a 'death-grip' on your pencil or your pencil strokes are tight, try holding your pencil under-handed with the back of the pencil resting on your little finger. Do not flex at the wrist but create your pencil stroke using your whole arm. Also do not rest your hand on the paper.
It takes a bit practice to learn to control your pencil stroke, but it's much more fluid than the writing position. Anytime you find yourself tightening or using the death grip on your pencil, force yourself to change the position to under hand.

Email Subscription - NEW!

2010-03-19T20:24:00.002-05:00

I just added an email subscription to my sketches and drawing tutorial blog.

Now you can receive notifications of posts to both of my blogs.

Diane

Drawing the Ear

2010-03-14T10:17:00.004-05:00

The EAR.

In portraiture, the ear creates a sense a balance and overall continuity to the entire head. The placement and correct position of the ears seems to be more a challenge than rendering the actual details. The base of the nostrils should align with the base of the ear and the length of the nose should coincide with the length of the ear. When viewing the head on the side (profile) view, the ear is angled back and is about halfway between the back of the head the front of the facial plane.

The ears are very different from the rest of the facial features, not only are their shape different but the skin and texture are totally different as well. The ears are made of cartlidge and the structure is designed to channel sounds into the inner ear. The interlocking folds of the ear help to channel these waves. While these folds vary on each individual, learning the general parts of the ear will make identifying them much easier.

I like to think of parts of the ears as folds of satin or silk cloth. As you draw these folds, identify and apply the seven components of light and shade. Highlights, shadows, cast and contact shadows, core shadows, key highlights and reflected light.

I've attached an anatomical map of the ear along with a sketch and blended rendering of the ear.

Facial Feature - the Mouth

2010-02-28T17:19:00.006-06:00

The mouth is a close second to the eyes as the most expressive feature of the face. Learning from masters as Andrew Loomis and Giovanni Civardi really helps. Here are a number of sketches from their instruction references.

Stan Prokopenko has a wonderful tutorial on drawing lips.

http://www.stanprokopenko.com/blog/2009/07/draw-lips/

Here is my realistic attempt using his references.

Emphasizing the planes or curvatures of the lips will help with creating really 3-dimensionality. How light plays off the curves will bring more depth to them. You can "feel" the fullness of the form. The shadows under the bottom lip are as important as the lips themselves to create the illusion that the lip is not a flat surface.

One more item that I didn't understand or realize the importance of, the node. Stan's tutorial explains how the muscles of the face all connect to the corners of the mouth. This is called the node and he compares it to a bean. By emphasizing the wrapping of the muscles around the corners of the mouth can bring the smile to life and depth to the cheeks.

Drawing the Nose – Part Two

2010-02-21T07:14:00.003-06:00

In part one, we discussed the sub-structure, planes and general form of the nose. In this section we will explore the most important tool that will assist us in creating realism – depicting light and shadow.

There are 5 key components of light and shadow. By translating these components into tonal values of shading and highlights it will create realistic depth to the nose.

The light source has the strongest impact on the nose than on any other facial feature. If the light is too strong or harsh, it will create strong cast shadows and unusual shapes. If the light is flooded (using a flash in front of the person), the light diffuses shadows and the nose has no form. A natural (northern light) from above at a 45 degree angle creates soft subtle shadows and emphasizes the best features for portraits.

For more examples of portrait lighting and choosing a good photo reference:

Giovanni Civardi’s “The Art of Drawing Portraits” page 30
http://roshdygroup.com/books/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/drawing-book.jpg

Stan Prokopenko’s Blog Tutorial
http://www.stanprokopenko.com/blog/2009/04/choose-good-photo-reference/

Drawing the Nose

2010-02-13T18:24:00.003-06:00

The nose is the most undefined of all facial features. It relys on shadows, angles and planes to create it's form. So understanding the structure under the skin is important to really grasp how to draw the nose.

As you can see below the cartlidge bulges and wraps itself around the nasal bone. This is what creates the shape of the nose. Looking at these images is not enough....every artist should take some time to sketch and practice these shapes.

Drawing different angles of the nose allows the artist to experience how lighting and perspective impacts the presentation. Here are a few sketches:

Shading - Techniques

2010-02-11T19:02:00.006-06:00

Let's talk about shading....

By using various pencil strokes and varying the pressure and grade (hard to soft) of the pencil lead, you can create a variety of effects in your drawings. One of the most important aspects is creating smooth, gradient shading. Here are a few exercises and techniques that can help.

Exercise 1 (Shading - left half of image below)
Use a 4B, 2B, HB, 2H and 4H and shade from dark to light - keep your shading as consistent and even to create a smooth gradient or transition.

Exercise 2 (Shading - right half of image below)
Start with a 4B and shade one third of the way down, then use HB and shade two-thirds of the way down (shading over the 4B). Then finally shade with 4H over both the 4B, HB and the rest of the section.

Exercise 3 (GrayScale)
Start with the softest lead you have (4B) and shade the blocks into smooth gradient from darkest to lightest. See how many blocks of distinct grays you can make. This shows 18 but the average used in a drawing are between 4-8 shades.

Exercise 4 (Pencil Strokes)
You can create gradient tones by varying the type of pencil stroke you use. This sample shows 4 different pencil strokes:

Circular - small irregular circular strokes, layered over each other. This is especially effective if you don't want visible directional strokes.

Crosshatching - most commonly used - layering closely spaced hatch marks with each layer in a different direction. The more layers, the darker the value.

Scribbling - Make small, controlled scribbles. Increasing the pressure produces darker values. Layers of scribbles result in an even texture.

Additional techniques to create smooth even tones:

Blending - for a smooth blended texture, create light cross-hatch layers, then wrap a tissue around your finger or use a tortillon (rolled paper) and use a light circular motion to blend the lines together.

Burnishing - For a smooth even tone, apply a harder lead over a softer lead. Apply an even layer of 2B and then use a chisel pointed lead of a harder grade (4H or 2H) and "burnish" over the 2B. This creates a beautiful middle tone that smooths out the graininess of the softer lead.

Drawing Eyes

2010-02-07T11:43:00.006-06:00

Portraiture is not my strong point, so over the next few weeks I will be studying each feature of the face. The eyes demand attention in portraiture and capturing the key elements is crucial. The pupils and iris' need to be round, the highlights positioned just right, the eye needs to sit in the eye socket and the lids enveloping the spherical round shape.

Human Portraiture

2010-02-07T10:33:00.002-06:00

There is a small group of artists who belong to a yahoo group called "Drawing Line to Life". We started the group to study Mike Sibley's book of the same title. I am the moderator and over the last few months have started to review Mike's book again. We have reached Chapter 8 where Mike demonstrates drawing his granddaughter Charlotte. We have decided to expand the topic to encompass human portraiture.

This is such a big topic that we have decided to it break down into smaller segments. As we finish up on our first topic, eyes, I thought it might be beneficial to layout the schedule for the next few weeks. I would like to welcome anyone interested in exploring the topic of drawing human portraiture to join us in our discussions, step-by-steps and sharing of our progress.

Feb 1-13 Eyes
Feb 14-27 Nose
Feb 28 - Mar 13 Mouth
Mar 14-27 Ears
Mar 28 - Apr 10 Hair
Apr 11-24 Head
Apr 25 - May 8 Hands
May 9-22 Clothed Figure Drawing

I am the first to admit that I am not a portrait artist, but I am using this opportunity to stretch my skills and I hope you all join me in this journey into human portraits. After we have exhausted this segment on portraiture, we will resume our study of Mike's book with Chapter 9.

I would like to invite you to join us.......

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DrawingLinetoLife/

Diane

IA Landscape

2009-12-31T13:26:00.003-06:00

Iowa has beautiful, graceful valleys that let you see into the distance forever.

Tree & Rock Study

2009-11-28T09:48:00.012-06:00

This one is completed.....

I have started another nature study. This one is based on a reference photo from my son's trip to Yosemite. My son knows how much I love trees, so he made sure to take some photos just for me. The image to the right is the original photo.

By cropping the image, the viewer's focus is locked into the area under the tree. There is so much amazing detail hidden deep in the shadows.. There are so many textures to explore - the pine needles, the rough bark, the rocks and ground - then add splashes of sunlight peaking through. Since most of the area is in shadows, it is also giving me the opportunity to work in mid to darker tones.

The paper is Fabriano watercolor hot press. It has a unique texture that takes a bit to get use to. The softer grades of 2B-4B leave a grainy texture, but when layered with HB then 2H on top, the texture becomes a rich mid-tone. The paper seems to dictate building up lots of layers of graphite to get the right texture and values. The size is 9x12.

Here is an up-close section:

Beautiful Fall Day

2009-10-31T11:37:00.002-05:00

After 2 weeks of crummy weather (cold, dreary and rainy....did I mention lots of rain?), today is a beautiful fall day! I bundled up in a winter coat since it is only 35 degrees out and the wind is chilling to the bone, and took my camera out and about.

Along with a cold nose, nettles all over my jacket, a little mud on my shoes....I've got pictures of milkweed pods, fence posts, pine cones, tree roots and a stream, an old barn, rusty hinges and hooks.

It's great to take a break from the day to day grind and take a walk in a park or by a pasture stream (or even a road-side ditch) and get rejuvenated.

Portland Head - Stormy

2009-10-17T17:54:00.003-05:00

This is a small sketch - 4x4" experimenting with graphite powder. It's messy but can be controlled to a point. I used a paint brush and paper towel to apply the powder. I then used my blu-tack eraser, white plastic eraser and battery operated eraser to pull out the whites.

Definitely some possibilities as it gives a very painterly feel to the graphite medium.

Rocky Creek

2009-09-03T21:18:00.006-05:00

Here is the finished work. I've added a bit more shadow to the eroded bank and adjusted some of the tones through out the drawing.

This is located in Yellowstone Canyon, Wyoming - Seven Mile Creek.

Here is my latest update.

Here is a glimpse of the next challenge I have imposed on myself.

A co-worker's son went hiking this spring in Wyoming and shared some of his photos with me. The reference photo is not the best so my first challenge is to just try to make sense of the scene.

I like most of the placement of rocks, water and the tree to the left but I wanted to change the composition from portrait to landscape. I've done some preliminary sketches to work out the general layout.

My second challenge is to create a pleasing tonal composition by ignoring the diffused lighting in the ref photo but making my own composition. I've started working on 'testing' out the tonal relationships but I'm a bit stuck on the eroded dirt bank. I'm not sure if I should go darker or lighter as this area is in the center of scene. The rocks are a bit too round and I think a few more sharper edges/planes will add more interest.

Yellowstone - Winter

2009-06-28T15:25:00.002-05:00

A co-worker's son went hiking this spring. He shared some of his photos with me. This is a preliminary sketch from one of them. I really liked how the white snow contrasted against the gray sky. The silhouette of the foreground trees will add contrasting stark detail. The placement of the foreground trees will be critical.

Yosemite - New Growth

2009-06-27T13:49:00.002-05:00

This study is about layering and how each layer relates to each other. The clouds and the mountain ridge are lighter with just a bit of misty clouds between them and the foreground trees.

Edges

2009-06-06T11:37:00.007-05:00

I think this is as far as I will go with this sketch.

It definitely has some great potential for further exploration and variations of theme...moving the rocks and driftwood around a bit and stronger shadows.

This is Red Rock Lake in Iowa. The eroded bluffs are (30-50 feet high) due to the floods we had last summer.

Here is and close-up of the driftwood. The paper is 300 Series Bristol Vellum. It has a rougher texture than the smooth. I probably won't get much more detailed than this. Pencils used are 4B, 2B and HB leads. Size of the image is approximately 8" x 12".

Here is an update. I've been smoothing out some of the rough marks and developing volume in the rocks and the grain patterns into the driftwood.

EDGES - They are the artist's dream and nightmare rolled into one. If done correctly they add interest and tension to the artwork. Done poorly and the whole drawing can fall apart.

I would like to get your thoughts and input about handling EDGES.

I started this sketch of driftwood amongst rocks on a lakeshore. The center holds the juxtaposition and overlapping of three planes, the driftwood, the rocks and the background trees.

The way these three different objects interrelate are so important. The textures, shadows, placement and level of focus (details) are all things that need to considered.

I haven't successfully pulled this together yet in this drawing. Perhaps as I put these ideas down on paper it might help.

How do you handle edges?

When two objects are similar in tone, how do you differentiate between them without outlining?

What role does negative space play?

Diane

Experimenting

2009-06-03T19:25:00.004-05:00

I have been wanting to experiment with watercolor pencils and ink for quick sketches. This is my first attempt. I quickly applied color and used a water brush. Then I let it dry and used a very fine ink pen to sketch in the details. Time: 1/2 hour

This is a landscape from Red Rock Canyon just west of Las Vegas.

Backbone State Park

2009-05-29T14:53:00.011-05:00

Wip 8 - I decided to tone down the ground and I have fixed the left bottom rocks.

Wip 7 - Well after 3 horrendous attempts at drawing plants (broad leaf and ferns) in the foreground, I settled for a patch of ground instead. Now I have to figure out if the ground needs to be darker or lighter or... looks like I need to do some more on the bottom left rocks as well...

Note for future subject matter to learn to draw...ferns and broad leaf plants!

Wip 6 - From experienced advice provided (thanks Mike), I have removed the sapling from the top of the bluff. Looks better already. Now I have this stringy twig behind the tree that needs a bit of attention...

Wip 5 - Continuing down the front of the bluff...

Wip 4 - Darkening in the background of leaves.

Wip 3 - I've started working in the darkest area on the bluff.

Wip 2 - Working out the shadows to develop a strong and consistent value throughout the scene.

Wip 1 - I've quickly sketched out the placement of the rocks and trees.

This has to be one of the most challenging nature drawings I have attempted. With so much to see in this scene, it's rich textures and shadowing challenges....

Backbone State Park - the oldest park in Iowa and is located 3 miles south of Strawberry Point, Iowa. Growing up so close to this park we were able to visit several times every summer and was our favorite swimming area.

Last summer, my husband and I took the trail and explored anew. The old cedar trees, the 'backbone' of bluffs and rocks are as I remembered them.

Here is a link with more information:
http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/Browse/backbone/backbone.htm

It's a geological wonder - here is what wiki says about backbone:

Measuring 2,001 acres (8.10 km2), the region is heavily forested, mainly in species of oak and maple. The geology of the area is particularly noteworthy. As part of the Driftless Area, it was left unglaciated during the last Ice Age, with very ancient dolomite formations dating from the Silurian Era. A large ridge of rock divides the park, resembling a spine, and lends its name to the park and adjacent forest. The area is characterized by active springs, caves, sinkholes and karsts. With cliffs measuring over 80 feet in places, climbing and rappelling are popular, but both require a permit.

Tehachapi Mountain Park

2009-05-24T17:35:00.005-05:00

Tehachapi, California is a wonderland of different landscapes. This is a scene from the Tehachapi Mountain park just south of Tehachapi. There is a grouping of rocks and valley oaks that are difficult to take pictures of because of the strong dappling of light. The rocks are a mirad of lichen, moss and cratered so are highly textured.

My son, Matthew, captured this view this spring and just knew I would enjoy drawing it. He was right. This particular spot had a hidden path through the stones. I opened it up just a bit....

Enjoy!

Here is the drawing about 1/2 done. Most of the work on the rocks are complete.

Sketching - Thumbnails

2009-05-23T12:09:00.003-05:00

Sketching is an excellent way to work out compositions and test out imaginary landscapes. Here are a few thumbnail sketches.
Sketching small 1" to 3" at the most allows me to quickly get an idea down and preventing me from getting too caught up in details. These are quite a bit more sketchy than previous posts.

Just a few pencil strokes can create a grove of trees...

Some are just brief marks - trying to work out placement of rocks or spacial issues.

Some seem to be no more than scribbles...

Chocolate Covered Cherries

2009-04-02T18:49:00.003-05:00

Chocolate covered cherries. With a few modifications in Photoshop, I was able to make some interesting variations....

Country Lane Fog

2009-03-08T20:33:00.004-05:00

This is in honor of a very dreary, wet and cold weekend in Iowa! Down in the creek bottoms, fog hangs heavy and dense.

I'm not quite sure how much farther to go with this drawing. I think I have a bit more work on the foreground tree to make a bit more form to it....

Lingering Winter

2009-02-28T10:56:00.000-06:00

Our winter has been a long one in Iowa. We've had snow on the ground since November. Spring is just around the corner but winter is lingering. This is a small stream that snakes it's way across a field just west of Mitchellville. It's visible if you look just between the trees from the road and after a heavy snow, it really made a beautiful scene.

Summer Shade

2009-02-07T15:16:00.004-06:00

This is more of a study than a finished piece. I was intrigued by the dark shadows of this tree and wanted to see how dark I could go in the branches and bring depth to the tree. Since the focus is on the tree, I thought I would keep it there by cropping the barn. The image size is 5.5" x 7.5". I used 4B, 2B and F lead hardness.

2009-01-04T11:44:00.000-06:00

Woods:

Mini-Scapes

2009-01-04T11:23:00.000-06:00

Small thumbnails

More Sketches

2009-01-04T11:10:00.006-06:00

Cloud Studies:

Tree Sketches:

Rock Scapes:

Pines in Clouds:

Mini-Scapes

2008-12-27T11:34:00.005-06:00

Here are a series of sketches that I have done over the past couple of weeks. They are small (3x5 to 5x7) sketches and time ranged from 20 minutes to 2 hours.

Snowy Sunset:
Rock Scape:

Rock Study:

Rock Study with Ferns:

Pine Scapes:

Pine Scapes II:

Pine Scape III:

Bark Study:

Abstraction Through Nature

2008-12-13T15:57:00.003-06:00

I have been reading the book "Abstraction in Art & Nature" by Nathan Cabot Hale. This has to be the best book I've read that explains the meaning and evolution of abstraction. He approaches abstraction through identifying the most fundamental and simplification of nature. I have a curiosity and great interest in this type of approach. There is only a sliver of abstract art that appeals to me and most of it derives from nature studies. I have a belief that a landscape in it's purest abstraction needs only one line drawn to express itself.

It's interesting that the elements of drawing does not differ whether you are drawing realistic scenes or pure abstract. All of the elements apply. He identifies 7 elements:
1. Line
2. Form, Shape & Mass
3. Pattern
4. Space, Propostion, Scale and Perspective
5. Analysis - Dissection
6. Light and Darkness, Black & White
7. Color

I haven't much on my drawing board at the moment, so I have been experimenting with a bit of abstraction. I think this is an excellent exercise to strenghten any composition. By reducing the scene to it's elementary shapes and forms, the artist can strengthen their overall understanding of their subject matter. Here is a three step exercise I did of a very complex waterfall landscape. I didn't want to get lost in all the minute textures of the rocks, so I started with identifying the basic shapes (Interesting enough, I created an abstract piece that could be explored further.) The second one, I am trying to get a feel for the flow of the lines. The final one is a final sketch of the waterfall and rocks.

I recently purchased a Cachet by Daler Rowney sketchbook that has recycled brown paper. It's interesting to use this paper as it forces me to concentrate on shapes and values and prevents me from getting into much detail. I use a white pencil to identify the highlights. I'm not sure how much I will use this paper but here are a number of sketches I have done over the last few days.

I have trouble with rocks. I can't seem to get the flow and volume of them. They vary in textures, size, shape, volume....in fact, no two rocks are the same, rocks vary from region to region, state to state and I'm sure country by country. There is sandy, soft, shale, limestone, granite, volcanic...well you get the picture.

This one is a good start of an abstract approach. Concentrating on the weight of the lines and edges to create an interesting composition. These are found in the Valley of Fire just NE of Las Vegas.

Big boulders in the midst of a heavy wooded forest. We have a few of these in Iowa. Backbone State park is the home to a few of these. Iowa has more limestone. While surfing the web, I've discovered that many areas in the New England area (New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts) are home to these big boulders in heavily wooded ares. These rocks are more angular and really show volume their more dramatic shadows.

Exposed tree roots dipping their fingers in streams. These are part of every Iowa small creek. This one I am more interested in playing with the composition. I've also realized I need to study and practice the texture of dirt under the roots. Also more study is needed in understanding where the ground meets the water and how to handle that convergence.

More roots with a few rocks....and grass draping over eroded areas of the creek bed.

We don't have any oceans or large waves in Iowa. This was a study for the light house drawing I did working with a big splash amongst the rocks.

Sea Creatures

2008-11-29T13:57:00.004-06:00

Here are a set of 6 sea creatures for Royal Brush sketch sets for 3-5th grade levels. I hope these are what they are looking for! Each sketch are 5" x 7 ".

Last Drawing for Series

2008-11-29T13:55:00.004-06:00

This is the last of the 5 drawings for the Royal Brush Series. This is a remake of one I did for my book. I simplified many of the features and I think it actually looks more atmospheric. Each of these drawings are 8" x 11.5".

Special Project

2008-11-22T15:03:00.002-06:00

These drawings are for a special project for the company Royal Brush. They will be using these to create 'Sketch by Number Kits'. I will be creating outline sketches of each of these and the finished drawing. They will make a kit that includes an outline, and the finished drawing, instructions, pencils, an eraser and sharpener. The target market are teens and beginners.

Knobby Knees

2008-10-29T19:54:00.001-05:00

It was suggested that I add an extra leg and make some serious knobby knees....so here is an update:

Ruffled Feathers

2008-10-29T17:48:00.004-05:00

This drawing was done on Canson Smooth Bristol Board. The surface is very smooth and does not have the plate finish that Strathmore 500 Series on it.

"Ruffled Feathers", graphite on paper 8.5 x 11

Dance of a Cedar Tree

2008-08-30T12:17:00.004-05:00

I am calling this one finished by leaving it unfinished. The center of attention is the tree with the light atmospheric dancing of the roots. I have given it some ground, but not much allowing the roots to "dance" on the surface.

Here is my latest nature study. This is from a photo my sister, Mary, took while on vacation to Oregan this summer.

My goal in this drawing is to work on dimensionality. I really want the roots to look rounded and create strong depth.

One thing I haven't figured out yet is how to do the ground and getting those roots to really feel solid in place.

Free Range

2008-08-23T19:30:00.004-05:00

Just as I was finishing my drawing...this cow just popped in and wanted attention....

And who says I don't take my artwork seriously? What do you think? A much improvement....

Just for fun...

2 Barns & Cows

2008-08-05T19:40:00.008-05:00

The grass was really bugging me...so I chopped it all up. Instead of creating long wispy grass, I figured short choppy stuff might be better. It's looking better, but still needs some work.

Here is an update on the barns. I think I'm almost done. I've really attempted to develop strong tonal values through out the scene. I think it's working to bring everything together. Now if I can just figure out the clumpy grass and rough ground...it's just not quite right yet.

Well, the cows are in place. It seemed that I was losing the spacial depth between the two barns, so I have sketched in some fence. Hopefully this will put some distance between the two barns and put the cows in better perspective.

I have more details to put on the barns and the roof needs to be shingled yet. The grass needs to be clumpy and the ground roughened up. I'm pushing the darks further as well.

Moo...

2008-07-20T09:44:00.001-05:00

2 Barns

2008-07-20T06:08:00.002-05:00

The drawing

The original photo:

The cropped version:

The cows:

Poppy

2008-05-14T17:39:00.004-05:00

Sometimes a subject matter just begs for color. Here is a quick study of a poppy. Mixed media - watercolor pencils and graphite....
Reference photo was taken by my son in California. He has them growing in his back yard.....

End of Day

2008-04-09T18:00:00.007-05:00

I've gone as far as I plan to on this drawing. Don't look too close for details because you won't find them. I really worked to keep this a values study with very little detail.

Just a bit more work done on the shoe and darkening of the wall. The floor is a hard wood floor so just a bit of wood grain is being laid in as well....

The scene is simple with just the bottom of the chair being seen. I have started to work on the shoes. There are cast shadows, highlights, shadows and reflected light being used on both the shoes as well as the chair leg.

I started by working on the background. I am attempting to create a very textured old wall....

This is an exercise we are working on in the yahoo group Drawing Line to Life. Our subject matter is shoes and we are to apply the 7 components of light and shadow. Here is my reference photo....it's pretty lousy but I mainly wanted to capture natural lighting and placement of the shoes. I really want to work more 'open minded' and not be a slave the reference photo. I have a vision in mind of how I want this to look....let's see if I can accomplish this.....

March 3, 2008 - Sphere

2008-03-02T09:48:00.002-06:00

This is a practice of drawing a sphere in 3-dimensionality using the 7 components of light and shade.

Greens

2007-07-14T16:54:00.000-05:00

I played hooky from Sketch Club today. Instead I spent a relaxing morning at Thomas Mitchell Park.

I also played with some watercolor in my sketch journal. How can there be so many shades of green in one small section of woods???? Holy smokes...and everytime I looked up they changed! lol

The weeds were a beautiful silver blue but changed as often as the trees! First they would be back lit, then they would silhouette as the clouds played with the sun....

Here is a snippet from my journal.

Sketch Journal

2007-07-07T08:23:00.000-05:00

A Sketch Journal
Can a moleskin journal make a difference?

I understand the importance of drawing every day. And there are many times I get stuck on a concept that I want to write down and find I don't have paper with me. I keep a writing journal but it has lined paper in it and doesn't feel like a place to sketch in. I have tried many different varieties and flavors of sketch books; large, small, thick, thin. I haven't seemed to find the right combination of a portable writing & sketching book that let's me play....until now.

I finally broke down and purchased my first moleskin journal. http://www.moleskines.com/klmbl13.html I purchased the large sketchbook style 5.25x8.25.

The size is wonderful and the paper is thick.

Here are just a couple of pages from my journal. Most of what I've been doing is experimental yet - but I've been more successful than in any previous attempt. Is it the size? Is it the paper? Is it the medium? Or the combination of the three?

New materials are always fun and can lead to great experimentation and creativity. Here are the materials that I currently have in my little black carry bag:

I stumbled upon a new technical pen by Staedtler that uses a permanent ink and flows very smoothly. Much better than the Kohinoor pens I have been trying. http://www.artstuff.net/staedtler_technical_pens.htm

Watercolor pencils seem to work much better than watercolor paints. I use Primacolor Watercolor pencils with a Niji Water Brush. It is a pen barrel that holds water. Perfect for travel and just enough water on the brush to bring the colors out.

http://www.cheapjoes.com/art-supplies/5239_niji-water-brushes.asp

A carpenter pencil. The big flat pencils that carpenter's use. It is great to do fast sketches with. http://www.victorystore.com/business/pencils/carpenter.htm

A .7mm mechanical pencil with HB lead. I can't be without a mechanical pencil!

2007-05-10T19:31:00.000-05:00

This one I did while sitting in the airport this morning. About 2-1/2 hours of work....

2007-05-10T19:27:00.000-05:00

I spent the past week in Anaheim California at a programming conference. My evenings were free, so I spent my time doing what I like doing the best...drawing.

I'm calling this one Autumn Breezes. This old tree is on a farm just west of Mitchellville and was just beggin' to be drawn. After scanning it, I'm not quite sure if I'm done....

Tree Study 2

2007-04-24T19:39:00.000-05:00

Here is another tree study. This one I am working on getting the feel of the tree, good form and 3-dimensionality to the trunk.

2 Point Perspective - with Multiple Buildings

2007-04-24T06:46:00.001-05:00

There will only be one horizon line (eye level). All the buildings will meet at the same 2 convergence "X's" on the horizon line.

The green line is the horizon line. The red lines are for the foreground building. The blue lines are for the building in the background.

Tree Study

2007-04-23T20:21:00.000-05:00

Here is a tree study. I'm working on dramatic light and shadows....

2 Point Perspective

2007-04-23T18:48:00.000-05:00

Here is my version of 2-point perspective.

Step one. Identify the three main vertical lines of the building. I use a t-square ruler to make sure my lines are straight. The line in the center will be the longest. If you get the placement of these three lines on the paper....you've got it!

Step two: The green line through the center is considered the horizon line. This is your view (eye level) of the scene. When you connect the vertical lines, the green line should be in the center of the angled lines. The angled lines will eventually converge in a "X" through the green line. This convergence is usually off the paper as in this example.

I do not try to follow perspective perfectly. But the rules do need to be consistently followed - on every window, siding board and roof line.

The rule of thumb is if it looks right, then you've probably got it right!!!

Diane

Saturday Sketch Club

2007-04-22T06:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I was bound and determined to do a full landscape drawing. We ended up going to a flower stand at the local Hy-Vee store! A watercolorist's candy store.

But I still managed to do a full scene instead of picking out just a flower to two. I also managed to forget the power of the sun, forgot sunscreen and got my first burn of the year!

A book I've been reading recommended using 500 Series Bristol Plate Finish paper and chisel-edged pencils for broad strokes. This allows quick sketches and value studies. So pretty gutsy on my part, I used the Plate paper.....and here is my result....

Diane