cat in coloured pencil in moleskine A3 folio sketchbook

The resident tiger, coloured pencil in A3 folio moleskine

A drawing of the resident tiger, looking down at her, done when himself was hogging the tv because golf was on, . She refused to pose, saying she had better things to do, so I'm afraid it's done from a photograph.

details to show the scribbling that makes the fur and the 'drawing' back in with an electric eraser for the light over dark sections:




As usual there are some subtle tones that aren't being picked up, bleached out by the scanner. The viewpoint is looking down a little at her and she's sitting slewed with her head at an angle and her body slightly twisted - thinking of moving off.

more sketches of cats here

Comments

Lunar Hine said…
A lovely sketch, and useful for me to see the close-up of eraser work. Erasers were once 'banned' by an art teacher and I still feel a bit guilty or cheaty when I use them.
Perhaps on a similar note, I'm curious about why you say, 'I'm afraid it's done from a photograph'. Do you feel the final piece is of a lesser quality because it's from a photo? Visually or in some other way? Or is it about the experience, the work, of creating the piece? Would love to hear what other people think, too.
3:26 pm
vivien said…
Hi :>) well I have friends who regularly work from photographs and do wonderful work

- but I like working from life so much better. Not possible with my cats though to get a more finished piece unless they were drugged!.

I do think it's important to work from your own photo though - so the whole vision/concept/composition is your own creation. I have occasionally broken this self made rule but only occasionally.

I think you 'feel' textures and shapes better when working from life. Little distortions that creep in can add to an image - perspective is also different in a photo. Zoom lenses close up space, wide angles expand the apparent distance between objects. Photographs also don't show all the information, having black holes of shadow sometimes or burnt out white highlights where you would actually see colours, colours aren't picked up as well as the human eye can with all the subtle changes.

I just find them a bit unsatisfactory as a source of information - it's just a personal thing.

In some ways it's easier as the object has already been made 2 dimensional for you - but in other ways it's harder simply because you can't see the 3D!

I don't use an eraser much to rub out in correcting - because I work in a scribbly way, revisions and corrections remain and are just incorporated into the finished piece - sometimes they add a sense of movement.

If you look at the biro sketch of the road that I did today you'll see lots of corrections that aren't erased! biro isn't forgiving.
6:23 pm
Lunar Hine said…
Thanks Vivien. Interesting. I'll take a look at that biro sketch presently. Really appreciate hearing your thoughts.
9:22 am
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Eye, Urban/Rural exhibition

Image
Vivien Blackburn's work in the Urban/Rural show We've just hung a group show at the The Eye Project, Urban/Rural show.  If you want to come and see it it's on for a month - well worth seeing, 11 lovely artists and some fabulous work. Those large canvasses are 40 inches square. There are rural landscapes, flowerscapes, intriguing textile work including a large knitted building, abstracts .... something for everyone. It's in the gallery below the cafe in the Adult Education Centre at the top of Wellington street, Leicester, opposite Fenwicks.  Meet the Arttists day is Saturday 1st April 10-2.  Come and have a chat with us?
Read more

Hedges silhouetted agains the snow, winter light: watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal pencils in Stillmand and Birn Beta Hardback sketchbook

Image
 Detail  I have always liked the calligraphic tangle of the hedges when they are sihouetted against the sky.   Recent snowfall meant even more opportunities with amazing light and the landscape simplified and hidden by the snow, throwing hedges into relief. Above is a detail of a double page sketch in the lovely Stillman and Birn Beta A4 hardback sketchbook.  This paper is so forgiving and the watercolour works beautifully with it.  It allowed me to work through wet washes with charcoal pencil - something that tears many papers, leaving holes.  Some of the hedge is paint, some tinted charcoal. First snow, more on the way, winter light: silhouetted hedges in watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal in a Stillman and Birn A4 beta hardback sketchbook The earlier warm golden glow of the low sun is covered by clouds, threatening more snow to come.   The spiky calligraphic marks of the hedge and the underlying form of the bank, with some of the taller dried grasses showing
Read more

looking at non traditional composition and quiet vs busy areas in paintings

Image
Paul Klee I thought I'd look at non-traditional composition - where the rule of thirds isn't the key but the painting relies on different compositional methods. in response to an excellent series of posts on the various ways of looking at composition by Katherine (link at end). These alternative considerations or breaking of rules - but making it work - appeal to me more than too heavy a reliance on the rule of thirds. The painting above, by Paul Klee is a 'field' painting' - the composition is overall, the eye travels around enjoying the glowing colour that he creates by juxtaposing complementary colours, subtle greyed greens enhancing the oranges/reds/pinks. Most of the image is composed of the various greens, greeny browns and khakis, with accents of the warm colours. When working this way it's important that the balance is unequal and that the accent colours are placed carefully to keep the eye moving in the way the artist wants. A couple of the brighter
Read more