Part 2: Exploring Drawing and Painting

Exercise details:

The purpose of this exercise is to explore drawing and painting on different surface papers. Firstly, produce a mini sketchbook of different kinds of paper and bind them together.  Then draw an object on each sheet of paper using different media.

Explorations:

I think this is a very good, clever exercise.  I like the fact that it is about trying out different techniques, media and papers.  Most most of all I like that it is about experimenting and exploring "uncharted territories" (as the coursebook says).  Although I'm doing the exercises in order of the handbook, I think this is one to come back to time-and-time-again over the space of part 2 (and maybe even throughout this course).  I may take time to add to this blog post with more drawings later on.

I think it is very important to always keep experimenting with combinations of media, technique and paper.  I'd like to think that I can "stumble" upon a combination the catches my interest/eye.  It is immediately apparent to me that the bulldog clipped drawings act as a kind of "swatch" collection of different possible outcomes/aesthetics that I could use for particular drawings/illustrations/problem solving.

I've decided to keep my sheets of paper fairly compact, all at around 12 cm x 9 cm.  This is because it is easy to clip them together in a compact little format.  The subject for all my drawings will be an apple with a bite taken out.  I will always choose a red blushed apple so that there are pale greens and reds to draw (allowing me to experiment with different colours).   I'm generally going to try out mixed media in combinations - and on papers - that I've never tried before.  My intention is to push myself into unfamiliar areas and combinations:

Drawing 1 - Watercolour (pencil) and Indian Ink   ON   canvas sheet.

This was a great drawing to produce! I found that the application of the pencil on the canvas sheet was a little scratchy, but pleasant brushing out the colour with a paintbrush.  Also the watercolour and the Indian Ink didn't give solid block colour over the grain of the canvas, but I find this interesting: The weave of the canvas shows through, and I feel it gives somewhat of a 'digital' pixelated look.

Drawing 2 - Oil pastel and 6B graphite   ON   thin cheap paper bag.

First, I crumpled the bag for extra visual texture.  The paper of the bag is rather tissue like so I decided to go with oil pastels; the tips are blunt, slick and less likely to tear through the paper.  I've used oil pastels many times before, but the revelation here was using them on a totally different paper.  I was absolutely delighted with how the image looks digitised.  The texture of the crumpled paper looks tactile and has subtle variation of tone.  It is a background that looks rather fascinating to me.

Drawing 3 - Coloured pencil and Brown ink (pen)    ON    orange fibrous scrapbook paper.

Although it doesn't look it on the image above, the paper is quite fibrous and grainy.  Not a particularly nice surface to draw on for fine precise work.  In this drawing I was interested in how I could use the colour for lighter tonal areas and how it would combine with areas of colour blocked in with the coloured pencils.   This drawing seems a lot more pedestrian and dull compared to drawing 1 and drawing 2.  Perhaps not experimental enough and I was being too safe?  Next drawing, I will go wilder!  And perhaps try out a different drawing style too...

Drawing 4 - Gel pen and felt tip   ON  Bristol Board

I can't say I particularly like the outcome on this one. I started by some squrikling hatching with gel pen; it felt quite fun and childish (especially when I used the ones with glitter in the ink!). And going with the inner child, what better combination than felt tip?  Although I went a little mad and practically obliterated the squirkling in gel pen.
Overall, a little too imprecise. Simply - I don't like working with felt tip pens.

Drawing 5 - Watersoluble Graphite and White Goache    ON    Watercolour paper

Not particularly used watersoluble graphite before, and relatively unfamiliar with goache.  Overall, found this particular mix to be a very "painterly" style of outcome.  The white goache was interesting. Applied thick it provided good block white highlight, and it was also quite useful when added to water to achieve a thin sheen of white of the apple skin.

Drawing 6 - Conte    ON    Thick Brown (Envelope) Paper

I was reading another student's blog and she said that her and oil pastels don't get on. I can relate to this with chalky/dusty media. I could say that me and pastels don't seem to get on.  I sometimes think that the problem is drawing too small (such as here with this apple). Pastels and charcoal always seem to suit drawing big - big pieces of paper where perhaps it suits the looser and more flowing application.

Drawing 7 - Paper collage

I didn't feel particularly optimistic about the prospect of collaging to produce the apple. Producing a collage can sometimes feel a little too cerebral and too much (logical) left brain in choosing pieces, cutting them out, etc.  I find that the thinking process of collaging can distract me from the easy flow when drawing or painting.  However, in this case, I tried to loosen up into the process, think less, and just 'go with the flow' of producing something. I think I was pleasantly surprised. I actually found I was enjoying myself; probably because I wasn't worrying too much about having the outcome looking in a particular way or looking 'right'.  It felt like play time.  In the apple picture above, some pieces are glued to the paper to produce a stable base and some (mainly the yellow) are dropped on top.

Drawing 8 - Pyrography

This is a technique entirely new to me. I have a pyrography kit which I have been meaning to try out and experiment with. This exercise seemed a good opportunity.   I was surprised by the tool.  I was expecting it to be slightly unwieldy and lacking in precision.  In fact, the drawing was surprisingly easy.  With the tip I was using it was very easy to burn too dark, but that is due to my novice hand. This technique is certainly something I'm going to experiment with a little more.

Drawing 9 - Photoshop manipulation of Drawing 8

I wanted to see what I could achieve with a digital manipulation of the pyrography drawing. Promising is my conclusion.  I think that the digital manipulation of pyrography work could possibly provide some interesting outcomes.  In the image above, using Photoshop I converted to black/white and added a green tint. And then applied an effect from the filter gallery to give it a little more brush-stroked look. 

In summary / key learning points:

I think I've gained some valuable insights from this activity.  And it relates right back to tutor feedback from assignment 1: Experiment and try out different forms of expression - not just gravitating towards drawing.  I think an important learning point gained from this exercise is to try out unfamiliar papers and media - and in combination - when approaching exercises and assignments.  A process of trial and error, and experimentation is likely to produce interesting thoughts and avenues to explore.  I think a stage of broader visual experimentation is necessary - and interesting - for me. It should become part of my process of producing an illustration.


And finally...
My tutor recommended the book, Hand Job - A Catalog of Type by Michael Perry. I bought this book and I'm pleased to say that it is a source of fantastic hand-drawn lettering.  The introduction of the book states that hand rendered type is "great fun".  I wholeheartedly agree.  Great fun, adding the following to the top of my sketchbook page for this exercise.  I just went a bit mad with mixed media and played!