Drawing From... Rembrandt

The last artist I chose for this unit is Rembrandt (1606-1669).  In 1655, he did the brush drawing "A Girl Sleeping" using brown wash.

I really like the atmosphere created by the simplicity of this drawing and the style it was drawn with.

As I'm sure you know by now, I really like working in ink so again I really enjoyed experimenting with this medium.

For these drawings I used some wooden fruit that we have at home. I tried using lines to show the curves; a pale wash to show the smoothness of the polished wood; and less diluted ink to create darker tones for the shadows on the fruit. For the second page I combined the lines and wash to create the idea of a smooth 3D fruit.

I look forward to using more ink in the future and experimenting with the possibilities of this medium.

Drawing From... Matisse

The next artist I am looking at is Henri Matisse (1869-1954). I know a little bit about his work and style because I had to write an essay about him and the fauves when I was in third year at high school.

 In 1938, Matisse drew "A Seated Woman, Wearing a Taffeta Dress" using charcoal.

I love the way Matisse used the shading and direction of the lines to make the figure more 3D. I think the use of charcoal in this drawing is very impressive. I also really like the style of Matisse's work.

When I tried to replicate this drawing, I found it hard to get the scale right.

At first, I made her head way too big so I only managed to fit the top half of the drawing on the paper. My second attempt was more successful and I am quite pleased with it.

I quite like this sort of sketchy style of drawing and may use it again in the future.

Drawing From... Leonard McComb

The next artist is Leonard McComb (b 1930), who drew "Tulips" in 1975 using watercolour and pencil.

I really like this drawing, particularly the atmosphere created by the pencil marks especially in the shadows. I think there is something quite peaceful about this drawing and maybe something about the angle of the flowers that make me tilt my head in curiosity, with a slight sense of mystery which I love.


In 1983, he used pen and ink to draw "Portrait of Barbara".

Whilst I prefer the drawing of tulips, I really like the lines in these drawings. I think there is something about the eyes in the left study which makes the woman look quite sad.

When I experimented with this technique, I found it really made a difference to a normal pencil drawing with the blue watercolour wash in the background.

 

 

I am really pleased with this drawing and would like to continue this style of work in the future.

 

 

 

Drawing From... A. Waterloo

Aside from the title sounding like a bad joke, the next artist is Anthonie Waterloo (1610-1690) who used black chalk and grey wash to draw "View of Castle with Cottages Below".

I think this image is incredible and I really love the subtle variations in tone and shading. I love the detail in the buildings on the left of the drawing and in the trees and foliage throughout.

I tried using a grey wash of watercolour and then, when the paper was dry, I used black chalk to draw a candle with dripping wax and its stand.

This is obviously no where near as detailed as Waterloo's drawing but I don't use chalk very often so I found this quite challenging.

I like the idea of using a watercolour wash behind a drawing to give it slightly more interest and colour.

Drawing From... Jacques Callot

Jacques Callot (1592-1635) was a Baroque printmaker and draftsman.  He used pen and brown ink to draw "Horse Turned Left with Figure Studies".

 

I like the simple lines on the horse and the busy atmosphere created  by the figures around it.

 

 I tried using pen and brown ink for some of my drawings too.... 

 

 

I am pleased with these drawings and would enjoy using this medium again for other work in the future. I particularly like the shadow effects and lighter tones that this medium produces.

 

Perhaps I could try to create more of an atmosphere next time.

 

 

Drawing From... Alexander Cozens

Another artist I looked at is Alexander Cozens (1717-1786) who created the brush drawing "Landscape Composition" using black ink.

When I first saw this, I thought it was an awful scribbly mess. However, now I can see how it would be a helpful compositional sketch to show how the view would be placed on a canvas, etc.

I had fun trying to imitate this drawing and it was amazing how much ink I used in the process.

I think this is a useful technique for quickly sketching a composition without having to be particular about specific branches or other tiny details.

Drawing From... Gwen John

Gwen John (1876-1939) is the next artist whose work I am looking at. In 1903-04, she drew "Portrait of Dorelia" using red chalk (left) and pencil and ink (right).

I quite like these drawings, but the right-hand image has more impact with me than the left. Perhaps because the pen and ink gives a sharper image than the chalk.

When I tried these materials out for myself, they were harder to use than I thought they would be.

For the first drawing, I used pencil to sketch the object and then used orange ink to add colour and tone. However when I was adding the shadows, the edges bled and left a rough line instead of a clean one.

For the second drawing I added more water to the ink so that colour/tonal change would be more subtle. When it was completely dry, I then drew the lines and detail back on.

I then tried using some red chalk to draw a shell but it is quite a hard medium to use when you're not used to it.

I think I like the second drawing most because it is more simplified because I only drew the basic detail and didn't draw her facial features.

I enjoyed working with the pencil and ink, and now if I use them again, I know a good way to do so.

Drawing From... Millet

Another artist whose work I decided to look at is Jean-Francoise Millet (1814-1875). He used charcoal to draw "A Shepherd Showing Travellers on Their Way". The painting of this was done in 1857.

I like the lines and simplicity of this drawing. I think the shadows on the ground help bring the figures to life and make the image more 3D.

When I was trying out this style of drawing, I found it quite hard to get the angles right but the scribbly nature of it meant that I could easily hide any mistakes.

As I struggle to draw people, this was a bit of a challenge but maybe if I keep practising I might get better at it.

Drawing From... Van Gogh

The next artist I am looking at is Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), who drew "The Blue Cart" in 1888 using pencil, reed pen and ink.

I like this drawing and I am amazed at how much detail is actually present. I think the depth within the image is incredible.

I also really like the drawing he did for "Starry Night with Cypresses" in 1889 using pen and ink.

 

I think the subtle curves in the lines creates a feeling of movement, almost as if Van Gogh could feel the earth spinning.

The image I used for reference when I was trying out Van Gogh's style was "Sailing Boats" which was drawn using pen and ink in 1888.

 

I really like the use of different mark making techniques because I think it helps create depth within the image.

When I was trying this out, I found it quite hard to make the shell look 3D because I didn't really understand that the change of direction in a curved line could change the way the object appeared to curve.

 

I think the first two worked better than the third  because there was more attention to detail in the first two. The third is more like an experiment whilst doodling.

I enjoyed using this technique and would like to develop it further because I think it is very effective and I like using this medium.

Drawing From... Picasso

The first artist I decided to look at was Picasso (1881-1973) who drew "Head of a Man" in 1967 using india ink.

I thought the use of line in this drawing was interesting and I like how the darker, closer lines create shadow effects.

When I tried this myself, I quite liked the light, rounded flicks that I used to make the curved lines in the man's hair, beard and nose.

I then tried drawing a wooden boat ornament using the ink - here are the results...

 

 

I really enjoyed using the ink and brush to draw instead of the more usual pencil/charcoal/pen etc.

I hope to be able to use this medium again in the future.

Drawing From...

For one of our units, Drawing From Observation, we are asked to look at drawings by 10 artists and  to look at their technique and choice of media. This in itself was quite difficult as there are so many  artists to choose from.  We then have to try drawing in their style using , wherever possible, their materials. I decided to start with Picasso.

 

Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams (1902-1984) was an American photographer and environmentalist.

 

 

 

 

I really like these photos, particularly the strength of the images created by them not being in colour.

The last photo reminds me of a painted collage that I made last year for the Fine Art unit that we did.

 

 

I would be interested in experimenting with black and white landscape photographs myself to see if I could create a similar image using his technique.