Drawing Prompt #2: Jean

Blue on blue

I think Jean has been indulging in a bit of Coronatini Time! 🍹

This is an evocotive work, the soft blue pencils giving a lovely velvet texture. There are no real sharp lines or hard definitions in this work - but I don't think they are needed. Looking at this drawing I certainly want to be reading that travel book and sipping on a blue martini somewhere other than my own back yard! 

There are a few construction issues regarding placement and perspective of the oval shapes, particularly the bottom of the glass. The right edge of the book is also looks a bit lopsided. I am not sure that the arrangement of the blueberries work as one appears to be floating. But overall this piece is more about a mood and feeling than precision drafting and as such it works very well.

Jean tells me found it difficult to get good coverage with her Prismacolour pencils on Arches 300gsm hot press paper.  I am not surprised - Prismas are difficult to work with on hot press, they prefer a slightly toothier type of paper. Prismcolours are all about building up layers of hues to get that final colour, so a paper with more grip is easier to work with.  That being said, Jean has achieved a good work that is a pleasure to look at.

Blue on Blue by Jean

Gardenia

Jean also tried the second challenge - well done! Here she has used a Canson Mi-Tientes indigo blue paper with Prismacolour pencils. She has allowed the blue of the background to show through on the leaves and in the flower, doing a creditable job of negative drawing. This is especially successful in the top leaf - she has only used colour on the outside of the leaf, letting the paper hue do the work for her on the inside of the curl. Because the Mi-Tientes is a rougher surface Jean was able to build more layers of Prismas than in the previous work. Her looser, expressive linework creates a real vibrancy to the shapes.

It seems that Jean may have tried to use a blending tool in a couple of spots, or else pressed hard with the final pencil. I don't think it was needed and these spots stand out a bit from the rest of the fluid linework. Blending or pressing too hard flattens the tooth of the paper so you lose a bit of that rough edged pencil feel.

Again, this is a good work and I think Jean has achieved a pleasing result.

Gardenia by Jean

Jean was wondering how to get a brighter white on this work - I don't think it is needed, but this is probably as white as you can get a Prismacolour to go. For brighter spots of white I would suggest trying a very soft pastel stick in bright white, something like a AS extra soft or Schmicke or Sennelier pastel. These are little more expensive than a Rembrant, but if you are only buying the one it isn't so onerous. The softness of these pastels can allow you to do some nice spot highlights of bright white if you feel it is needed.

Drawing Prompt #2: Jill

Jill's Blues

Jewllery Collection
Jill has taken on both challenges and produced two very effective works.
Her first is a collection of beads and tassels as she says loves blue and aqua jewellery . Created on Windsor Newton A4 200gsm heavyweight paper, she has used Faber Castell pencils in Turqouise/Colbalt Green/Phtholo Blue/Light Ultramarine and Helioblue reddish as well as some Derwent watercolour pencils in Kingfisher blue/Prussian blue and Spectrum blue.
Those blues really pack a punch!
To add tone, definition and shadow effects Jill has used HB and 2B Faber Castell.
The composition and balance is nice in this work. The different shapes and colours of the various types of beads compliment each other well. The roundness of the earrings is set off nicely with a pop of white highlight. The most outstanding part of this work IMO is Jill's handling of the threads - each stroke of colour creates a shadow or highlight forming a lush collection fibres. The few stray threads give the tassel a chaotic and natrual look. Nicely done.

Blue Jewllery Collection by Jill

Pine Cones 

The geometric Fibonacci spiral of a pinecone can be develishly tricky to draw. This didn't deter Jill who not only drew one, but two! She really needs to be congratulated on this work. The larger cone has the tightly packed polygon shapes at the base of the cone slowly opening up and flowering out revealing the interior. The smaller cone shows it full blown with well observed scalloped edges and shapes. I am really impressed with this work, Jill has studied the shapes and forms and drawn what she sees allowing the blue of the paper to work with her cones, creating depth and shadows. Highlights and contrast darks help give the shapes form and solidity. 

Jill has used cobalt blue card (unknown brand, found in her art cupboard) and drawn with Faber Castell pencils White/Cadmium yellow/Dark Napels/ Ochre/Raw Umber/Walnut Brown/ Helioblue-reddish and Black.

Here I'd like to mention that I often tell my students to try and avoid using black if they can as it is a dead colour - unless they need it, and then use it sparingly. Just the right amount of black has been used here - this is a very good drawing of a difficult subject. Well done!

Drawing Prompt #2: MP

Blue Theme

MP tells me that she found this weeks prompt a little bit of a challenge, but goodness, she has risen to the challenge well! This would have been a tricky work, as it is built up from a series of ovals. All of those ovals needed to be put into correct perspective, from the top of the vases to the base, the first blue bead to the last. Apart from a little wonkiness on the right side of the miniature China vase, MP has done an excellent job with creating these difficult shapes. The highlights on the beads and eggcup give a good shine and reflective quality. A very good result!

MP has used A4 Art Spectrum 300gsm hot press paper and the following pencils:
Small vase - Prismacolour watercolour ultramarine blue
Egg cup - Prismacolour watercolour Copenhagen Blue and True Green
Necklace - Prismacolour watercolour Peacock Blue, True Green, Copenhagen Blue
Additional pencils for tone and texture - Prismacolour Cool Grey, French Grey, Derwent Graphitint Cool Grey, 2B and 4B Graphite

'Blue Theme' by MP

Drawing Prompt #2: Silke

Silke's Kitchen Blues

Silke is the first to show her Blue work for Prompt # 2.
She raided her kitchen for props as the colour scheme is blue and white. The vase belonged to her grandmother and the Paprika tin is a souvenir from Hungary. Drawn in the same Stillman + Bern sketchbook from week 1, she has used a variety of colour pencils ranging from Faber Castell, Caran D'arch and Derwent.

I really like this composition, the balance between vertical items contrasting with the horizontal spoons and teatowel. The framing links the items together in a pleasing graphic design. Nice contrasting texture effects as well, soft fabric, shiny metal, smooth painted porcelain and enamel tin.
The small touchs of red printing on the Paprika tin make this drawing sing!

Silke's Kitchen Blues

Drawing Prompt: Week 2 steps

Blue Spool

P.K. asked me how I created the spools of threads in the initial Week 2 post. Here is a step-by-step drawing showing how I approached this. I used Art Spectrum A4 300gsm Studio Watercolour pad, Staedler Mars 2mm clutch with blue lead and Staedler Karat Aqurelle colour pencils.

Drawing Prompt: Week 2 - May 4, 2020

Singin' the Blues

Prompt Theme: Blue

Has this lock-down got down and feeling the blues?
Don't be sad, be Indigo, turquoise, cyan, sapphire, ultramarine, cobalt, azure, sky blue, cerulean, perriwinkle, teal... blue is such a lovely colour with so many rich hues. Cool tones, ice blues, warming up to violets. It can be cheerful like a summer sky, or soulfull like a Billie Holliday song. So this week, let your pencils sing as everything you do will be blue!

The Challenge: Channel your inner Bower Bird
Have you ever seen the inside of a Bower Bird's nest? The male collects and displays as many different blue objects as he can to attract that special lady to come visit. Your task this week is to search your house and find between 3 to 12 different blue items, arrange them in a pleasing composition and then draw them from 'life'.
Your items can be anything you like, jewllery, glass, flowers, fruit (blueberries!), fabrics - whatever catches your eye. But try to have at least one shiny thing, one round thing and one soft thing if you can. Choose your favourite medium, as long as it is blue it doesn't matter. I have used watersoluble pencils in wash and dry technique for my example.
Suggested playlist while you work: Tammy Neilsen 'Chicka Boom', Nina Simon 'Nina's Blues', Roy Orbison 'Mean Woman Blues',  Billie Holiday 'Blue Moon', John Lee Hooker 'Frisco Blues', Willie Nelson 'Blue Skies, Blind Wille Johnson 'John the Revelator'. Enjoy!

My blue set up - I raided my sewing box, bag of marbles and ribbon drawer.

Staedler Karat Aquarelle pencil, Blue non-reproducing Staedler pencil, HB and 2B Staedler Clutch pencil. Shapes were lightly sketched with a light blue (not Aquarelle) pencil first. Aquarelle pencil in various blues was placed paying attention to shape and surface of each item. This layer was gently worked with water to move and slightly washed. Once dry, more colour pencil was added in the dry state and not washed. To finish, a touch of HB and 2B graphite added as required to add some tone to the hues.

Additional or alternative challenge
Draw anything you like, in any medium, on a blue background.

'A Bit of Old Rope' - Pastel Pencils on Art Spectrum Blue Suede paper.
(don't step on those shoes!)

Drawing Prompt #1: MP

MP has also taken on both challenges! 

Through MP's doorway

MP doesn't have a suitable kitchen window, so she has drawn the view from her doorway. For this drawing she has used Graphite on A4 Hot pressed paper. Although it is a Hot Press, it seems to have a bit of tooth to it giving the pencil work a nice grain effect. This is an excellent composition, the soaring tree captures our attention creating a good balance between positive and negative space. The height of the tree is made obvious by the size comparison to the house. MP has used a lot of linework in this drawing, but has managed to create a good tonal effect with the amount of overlapping and build up of the strokes. Perphaps there should be a few stronger darks in the shadows of the tree to create a bit more contrast but that is just me being nitpicky - this is a very good work!

'From my doorway' by MP

'Teatime'

Embracing the teacup challenge, MP worked with a tea wash, highlighting with Prismacolour pencils (Verge D'or and Nectar) on a  A4 200gsm cold press paper. The tonal constrasts in this work are very good, the darks creating the shapes, forms and shadows. This cup looks very 3D as a result. MP had a little difficulty with the oval of the top of the cup, this is a very tricky thing to do with a brush and tea wash, but the dark tone creating the depth still makes this work. And the handle is nicely done, you feel you could pick this cup up and take a sip. A lightly drawn floral pattern over the cup finishes off the work nicely!

'Teatime' by MP

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

MP let me know that she had some trouble contacting me via email. If you have sent something and not been posted it doesn't mean I am ignoring you - I just haven't recieved it! Please send me a message via the message form on the right and I will contact you. 

Drawing Prompt #1 - Don, Jean & Silke

Three more have come aboard!

I received a few more drawings for Prompt 1 yesterday/last night. Some of you have requested that they not be shown - that is fine, if you are not comfortable with display here - but remember, this is also your chance to show and then discuss with your friends and art collegues in the contact box below.

From Don's Kitchen

Don has done a detailed line drawing of the view from his kitchen. I really like the clever way he has used the just door frame on the left side rather than a full window, it leads us into his garden nicely. I can see pots full of gereniums, seedlings for the veggie patch and empty pots waiting to be filled or else the bulbs to rise in spring. Lots of well drawn ovals here - except maybe the birdbath top which is not quite the right perspective angle. The trees are starting to lose their leaves and Don has observed carefully all the different details even down to the lines of the fence boards and the water mask on the lattice work. Although I would have liked to have seen a little more tonal work and shading it is a great slice of view of his garden from the kitchen.

Don's Kitchen

Jean took on BOTH challenges

Well done, you! Jean is the only one who embraced both challenges, and although she says she is not very happy with them I think she has done exceptionally well.;

Teacup

Jean's teacup is very evocotive, I can just see it filled with her morning cuppa while she looks out of her kitchen window (below). She has used an Arches 300gsm Hot Press Pad and says the paper buckled somewhat. That just indicates she possible got it a bit too wet to start with or didn't allow it to dry fully between coats. But the result is quite good - especially as she used a dagger brush to draw with the tea, something she is not overly famillar with. This cup has great form, the deep shadow showing the bowl well. The rim is possible a bit thick, but tea in a brush is a tricky thing to control. A very good handle - the most difficult part IMO and just a hint of surface design. 

Jean's Teacup

Kitchen View

Jean has again tried something new for her - she has used a Art Graf  watersoluble medium to create areas of grey tonal wash, defining areas with 2B and HB pencil. This has given a good tonal range, the white window sill standing out in the morning sun, dividing the image between the inside and the outside world. A good attempt at the perspective, a few issues but on the whole not too badly done. The back fence is a bit undefined - is it solid or can you see through it? But it is saved by the magpie standing on the rail caroling away. All the perspective lines lead to and point to the bird, drawing your eye to it. Clever!

Jean's Kitchen

Silke's View

This is a very inviting view from Silke's window. She has used a Stilman + Bern Alpha Sketchbook which is a lovely white 150gsm paper and takes her graphite pencils well. I love this viewpoint she has chosen, it accentuates a busy puzzle of lines and plans of the window frame, sill, outdoor pergola leading us to the very back fence feature wall. The pot plants in the foreground keep us inside while our eye is drawn by the perspective lines of the watertank, bbq, table and pool to that very end of the garden. This was a very tricky image to draw, so much going on here, but Silke has considered all the angles well to create a lovely drawing that draws you into her backyard through the window. Great work!

Silke's Kitchen window view

I really enjoy looking at your works - if you haven't done one yet, don't despair but sit down today and sketch for an hour in your kitchen. Send it to me by this evening and I will try and post tomorrow. Don't forget there will be a new prompt on Monday!

And don't forget to comment below and tell the artists your thoughts.

Drawing Prompt #1 - Jill

Kitchen Window

Jill has used Faber Castell graphite pencils 2H, HB, 2B & 4B to create this drawing of her view out the kitchen window in her Windsor Newton  A4 200gsm journal. She has done some pretty cool things in this work - first is her attention to perspective, the lines of the window sill and the outside lattice fence all receeding and meeting on the distant vanishing point. The two angles from both sides of the window (left and right) meet on that same horizon plane. That is tricky to do, so fantastic work Jill, all those persepective lessons last year show up here!  Another wonderful thing is her observation of details, from the curly window latch, to the shining teapot reflection - and I totally love the planter chicken! Even that chicken is in perspective. This is a great study Jill, well done.

Kitchen Window by Jill D.

Drawing Prompt #1 - Tina

 Tina's Tea

Tina has taken on the challenge and has done a lovely drawing  in tea stains and suporting mediums! Tina is one of our hero teachers, and in between running online classes, home schooling her own children and running a house she has found the time to create this lovely drawing. She says:

'I painted with teas (cranberry/pomegranate, earl grey, green and blueberry), then coloured pencil. I’ve also added a rubbing from an Indian block stamp. On Bockingford sample paper, 425gsm cold press. (In hindsight, should have just left it as a tea painting.) I think this may make a nice series.....in the future - tea cups painted with tea! (Cup, saucer and plate are French Limoges c1920 which we’re a gift for my 21st from my aunt!)

Limoges teacup by Tina R.

My comment: This is lovely work Tina. I especially love the dainty lace doily you have included.  The floral work in coloured pencils sets it off nicely. You have managed the tricky ovals very well - and I looked very closely and couldn't see  any pencil lines, so full marks for doing this free hand, and with a brush. And even the shadow of the handle falling across the saucer! That shadow gives it a real 3D feel.
I also really like how you have taken the brief and run with it - expanding and adding to it to create a very nice piece. And yes, a series would be great!

Please feel free to comment below and let Tina know what you think.