Semester 2. Week 5, Life Drawing & 3 Dimensional Form.

I found this lesson challenging as I find creating tone and a 3D effect difficult. The 180 degree drawing (figure 1 and 2) was particularly challenging. I kept getting confused as to where I was drawing, how much and where; this made me feel insecure about the drawing I had created, something I have to work on as I know these tasks are not about being good - it is about experimentation and learning.

I find increasing freedom in the tasks we are doing this term which is great in the sense that I can create my own compositions, but I am also finding it difficult to discern how much we can differ from the task - I'm sure that after practice I will find a balance between what is expected of me and what I would like to create. 

I got a lot out of this lesson with regards to tone. I also learned about myself in the sense that I like to take my time with pieces rather than rush them, this is so I can work on my feedback from last semester; that I need to make my paintings/ drawings less scribbly so that one can see what is being depicted. I am very pleased with my last piece (figure 5) as I definitely took my time and created a composition, tone and overall piece I am proud of. 

(1)

Continuous line drawing, 180 degrees

Byro Pen

15 min

(2)

Continuous line drawing, 180 degrees

Byro Pen

15 min

I found these two pieces quite confusing and difficult to compose. I wasn't overly happy with the results but I was pleased with my commitment to take my time and not slip into the habit of using scribbly marks to cover my mistakes. 

(3)

Charcoal, Graphite & Chalk

30 min

This piece, I feel, is proportionally well executed, but I went wrong somewhere with tone. The legs are very dark whereas the upper body (where I think I did the tone quite well) is light. It is as if I was creating two separate drawings. I also feel as if the figure does not stand out from the background enough. 

(4a)

Charcoal, Graphite & Chalk

This was my first attempt at the composition below. I did not make the figure big enough and so flipped my paper over to start again.

(4b)

Charcoal, Graphite & Chalk

30 min

In the process of this piece, I received feedback from my tutor that the figure fades into the background; possibly because she is the same texture as it. I could have smudged the background to make the difference in ground more visible. I think stylistically this piece is interesting, and I do not dislike it, but it is a shame it is not as good as it could be.

(5)

Charcoal, Graphite & Chalk

1 hour

I am proud of this piece and it is my new favourite. I received feedback during its execution that the figure was beginning to blend into the background and get lost so i smudged the background and rubbed out the line on the top part of her body, showing just light. I feel the figure looks 3D, there is good proportion and tone, and that it is an interesting composition. My only gripe is that the leg on the left looks unfinished, letting the piece down slightly.