I’m sorry to say I feel very much like a bad parent where this exercise is concerned. Life got very much in the way and my efforts where sporadic to say the least. Working with marks and lines to create tone is something I have done a lot of in the past. This type of drawing is what I do the most when out and about. I find I work fast and don’t tend to over think my mark making. Here are a few sketchbook pages I’ve done in this style since starting the course.
In response to the brief, I firstly set about creating a tone map to remind myself of what is achievable when using traditional cross hatching.
Next, I did a similar exercise but with a three dimensional object: a ball. This allowed me to be a little more experimental with my mark making. In some I would follow the perceived shape with my marks and in others I would ignore that and stick to vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines.
Because of other commitments, I found it very difficult to find time at my desk. So I resorted to doing sketches whenever I could grab a few minutes.
These tin cans where drawn a couple of days apart, the first one was done trying to be very precise with the mark making. I spent much longer than I usually would for a sketch like this, considering every mark.
The second was done as a response to the first. This time I went at a much higher pace and just allowed my hand to move as I looked at the object in front of me. Although the proportions and perspective are better in the first, I feel the second has more energy and is a more interesting drawing to look at.
These drawing are taken from my downstairs sketchbook, they were done whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. I’ve tried in each to vary the type of marks I made as well as the type of pen I used. I feel the salt & pepper grinders are successful, they feel solid and real to me. Although I feel I could have given this exercise more attention, I still feel I learnt some valuable lessons along the way. Both about me as an artist and me as a student. Artist wise, just allowing myself to draw whenever I’ve got a spare second, free from a desire to produce a ‘beautiful’ finished artwork. Just because I don’t have unlimited time, my best pens and nicest sketchbook, doesn’t mean I can’t do something worthwhile. I have also started to give myself a break mentally, allowing myself to fail in order to improve. Understanding that repeating yourself isn’t a bad thing, having another go at a subject allows you to reflect on the positives and negatives of the previous attempt. As a student I’m beginning to get to grips with the logistics of study. Finding time each day to achieve something, however small, is better for continuity and momentum, than waiting and putting it off until I think there is more ‘appropriate’ time resource available. Doing that meant I put a lot of pressure on myself to do big blocks of work, at a point where I didn’t always have the mental or physical resources available to do it credit, and this could often result in feelings of failure.
The doctor has me on a strict diet at the moment so I’m off for a dry cracker and some clear
fluids.
Happy scribbling.
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