Life Drawing

These are a series of 10 minute studies showing the human form. The first image is created using charcoal and effectively shows the high contrast light on the model using dark and light tones with few mid-tones. The two pencil drawings are more effective as they have a better quality of line and can more accurately show muscle definition on the model. Form is created through the use of line to create areas of shadow to give each sketch a more three dimensional feel. The proportions on the third image with the model on the chair feel off with the body seeming to be slightly elongated, this might be partially due to the stance feeling very rigid; a greater range in tonal value would more accurately show the posture of the model by giving the image more depth and short the foreshortening on the bent legs.

Still Life - Attention to detail

This is a graphite pencil study of the inside of a pepper. The dark tones create depth separating the inside of the pepper from the outer layer in front of it. Contrasting tone is also used to create detail in the form of the seeds. The image would be more successful on a larger scale as the top of the pepper is touching the top of the page, whilst some of the background is shown using a variety of tones to prevent the pepper from floating on the page, it would be improved with a slightly greater space shown around it. However, as the object does take up most of the page, it holds the viewer’s attention and the high detailed area of seeds sits in the top left corner of the rule of thirds, making it aesthetically pleasing.

Still Life - Scarf

This is a charcoal study of an arrangement of scarves on a table. The vantage point shows the arrangement in such a way that creates a line from the top of the scarves and curves around the table. A range of tonal values is used to show light and shadow, which creates depth, however this is preventing the textures of the scarves to be apparent; the scarf at the front seems to have a smooth shiny texture rather than a woollen one, this is less of an issue with the scarf at the back which is more textured. This was not helped by the choice of media; charcoal smudges easily and so texture was lost throughout the process, had the scale been a lot larger, it would have been possible to focus on accurately showing the texture of the scarf using charcoal, but on a smaller scale the texture was lost in exchange for tone.

Still Life - Vehicle

This is a 2 hour study of a vintage car created using an 8B graphite stick. The chosen vantage point shows 3 sides of the vehicle and so three-point perspective was used to accurately portray the dimensions of the vehicle. There are some issues with the perspective where the back of the car seem too thin and doesn’t quite line up with the interior, the front headlamp on the right doesn’t seem to be big enough, and the line showing the car door is at a slightly off angle, so greater care could be taken in future to prevent this as these problem areas distract from the rest of the image. 

High contrasting tone is used to show the shiny elements of the black metal trim. Light is also shown through the use of tone, and the dark shadow under the vehicle and to its side creates depth and helps show the vehicle in relation to its surroundings.

Landscape - Morning Sky

This is a 20 minute colour study of an early morning sky. The contrast between the blue and orangey yellow complement each other as they are opposite each other on the colour wheel and so are aesthetically pleasing together. The change in colour diagonally across the sky shows perspective, and creates depth. The direction of the colour being consistent across the sky, alongside the direction of the lightly implied clouds, also creates an implied line which forces the viewer’s eye to look from the top right corner diagonally cross to the left rooftop and then along the silhouetted skyline.

Landscape - Atrium Exterior

This is a 1 hour soft pastille study of a building exterior with a vantage point that shows more than one side of the building to show two-point perspective. The study is on coloured paper to provide a mid-tone, so only highlights and shadows need to be added; this was done unsuccessfully as the colours used try to closely match their real life colour, and the chosen mid-tone colour is wrong in most cases, causing some areas to be overloaded with colour to try correct this.

Colour is used to show the reflective properties of the roof that is visible; however this was only partially successful as the long time frame the image was created over meant that the sky changed over time, and the colours used to create the overcast sky do not quite match up with the colours of the roof, put down when the sky was clear, and end up making the roof look too blue. The harsh shadows on the roof also appear off as the colouring is not right; the area seems detached from the rest of the roof, this could have been prevented by highlights carrying on through the shadow rather than missing at the edges of the shadow, and by working over the lighter coloured guidelines that show where the shadow ends.

Landscape - Church Interior

This is a 1 hour charcoal pencil study of a church interior. The chosen vantage point creates a sense of depth by showing the varying perspectives on each arch. Depth is also created through the range of tonal variation to show the change in light, with under the arch being in shadow, but bright light coming from the other side of each of them.  Changes in texture are implied through the use of line and tone to create the impression of brickwork in some places that can be assumed continues along adjacent and similar areas, and also show the change in material from the brickwork to the fabric curtain by implying the folds, and the wood on the ceiling by using line to follow the grain.