Thursday, 31 July 2014

Quick ink

View of the the square by the end of the canal and the distant hills from up on the crescent

 I was trying to frame the view with the tree and also contrast the deep shadow with the sun lit buildings. Didn't manage to capture the sense of depth from looking up at the underside of the branches. Too much white page. Need to do more ink experiments.

Sunday, 27 July 2014

More hands

Following my last post, I realised I've done a fair few different works based on hands in the past. The more interesting ones I thought I'd share here. I must have an underlying attraction to them, or perhaps it's just that they're always available to draw. Not so intimidating as a self portrait.

 Probably my favourite of all these. This is A3 - I enjoy working really large and bold, though often it doesn't quite work. Think this has. Also the monumentality of it. I've always been really interested in monumental art and architecture, statues and cathedrals. This was part of a college project on the human body (most of these are I think) and for a final piece I was thinking of making a big hand sculpture, thrusting upwards.
Didn't in the end, but I did make one or two clay pieces. This isn't a very good photo of it (old one) and one of the fingers snapped off. I'm not experienced with clay, although recently I've been trying out making small 3D pieces with air dry clay. Will post some soon.
Trying out monoprints. Works well with the effect of movement I was going for. Always trying to get a flow.


Oil pastel and graphite on the left , watercolour and graphite on the right, I think. Both sort of based on Egon Schiele's work. I was interested in his work generally but also his focus on hands. Found a good example below, from Wikiart.

All are a bit rough, as these were from my sketchbook. Hopefully might make a more finished 3D piece on this theme soon.

Saturday, 26 July 2014

Hand wringing

What I like about hands is that they reveal so much about the mood of the person, without needing to see any more of their body. They express so much. I guess that's what makes them so difficult to draw. I do enjoy drawing them, though.

The other was one of the quick sketches I did as part of a college project on cityscapes. I will do more in this style, as I love the sense of space with minimal line and blocks of bold colour. Both are A6.