EDAM Term 3 Week 3 " Meanwhile..." Making Connections

 I'm still doing my daily drawing  in A6  sketchbooks  and am beginning to use it to 'capture'  ideas  for EDAM "Meanwhile …"  project  such as fold out maps using photocopies with drawings on the back  ( above )  and stitching on  acetate  using my sewing machine ( below) , in this case testing out the effect of the different  stitches. I may well use  a similar technique for  next CQ Journal  Quilt as   for the next 4 we're  encouraged to use  materials other than cotton .   

And while I had my  sewing machine out, I sewed copies of photos onto graph paper ( above)  and painted papers with maps on the back ( below)  to make into accordion  books.  

 Unlike last  week when we had photos of  different artists approaches etc,  this week , with a different tutor Annie Attridge  we were just doing our own work.  We have a 'WhatsApp' group and before the class started there were messages pouring in with apologies for absence  from various  members of the group.  Those of  us that had turned up were  discussing  our  feelings of panic and inadequacy   (  like  pre exam nerves when you think you haven't done enough)  but Lucinda reassured us  that was what it was like for artists, it's normal  !   With only half the group , we had plenty of room to spread out ( I had 2 tables and  a large section of wall) and  we talked more among ourselves about  what we were doing  and  there was time for each of us to have a  useful tutorial with Annie. 

 I made the most of the wall space and opportunity to make a mess  and  thinking of the large scale drawing  session with Tony did 3 simultaneous  A1 charcoal drawings.

      

  On each  sheet of paper I drew a quick sketch from a tiny photo of the view from the train, rubbed it down  and did a second  of a different  view over the top  and then a third . I then  drew the interior of the train carriage , the edge of the window or the seat . After talking with Annie, she suggested  using a much darker line in ink   and more use of eraser to introduce a lighter tone , to define the difference  between interior and exterior.  

Definately something to explore further even if  none of them are finished works in themselves there are elements I like , eg the use of eraser to introduce idea of reflections  in glass  or  the speed of lines of wires  rushing by, the contrast between static  interior and motion of exterior . And those curves  are becoming a bit of a signature for me !   

 I also had the space to put up the  work I produced last week which I discussed  with Annie.  We agreed  the quick collage with  charcoal drawing over the top  ( below)   definately has potential   so I'll be doing more of those next week  ( minus the timetable, that element didn't work so well)  

 

 On a different scale , we discussed   the accordion  book structures I'd made with my stitched papers  ( above) ( and also the idea  of using the Moleskine planner)  but  she thought they were  bit  obvious, what she really liked was  the simplicity  of the  ink  drawings I'd been doing  based on drawings from maps.   

 So I've brought these home, cut them into  thinner strips and pleated them , ready to take on the train to  write in , draw on, stitch into.  There's obviously  something about the  strip  format    that I can't let go of at the moment , from 'Wind Me In the Sea"   to  my 'Grasmere Cloths'   ( below)  so I'm going with the flow ! 

Large Scale Sketchbook: week 1

Yesterday was the first session of ' Large Scale Sketchbook'  with Tony Hull  at City Lit . I got a lot out of ' Reading the Paint Surface' I did with him a couple of years ago and the Contemporary Drawing Sketchbook course  with Amanda Knight  so it seemed the logical next step particularly as 'scaling up' is something I want to tackle. 

From experiences of others who'd done the course before I was expecting an A3 softback sketchbook  but the course should really be called  Very Large Scale Sketchbook  as we were given a  Seawhite A2 wire-o hardback! 

 We were all seated around a big table ( with extra tables added to extend it when we opened our sketchbooks)  which was a lovely way of starting. After  introductions , a still life was set up  in the centre of the table of some of the usual random selection of objects: bottles, tools, a teapot, a  large metal 'P' (above); a creepy looking doll.  Starting several pages into our sketchbooks we then  drew with charcoal  over a double page  A1 spread ( bit tricky with the wire in the middle). Lots of rubbings out which  gives a lot of lovely ghostly marks then  measuring, trying to make it a more accurate drawing.   

We then made up a very light ink wash and painted all the darkest areas with it, letting it dry during a teabreak  while we filled in the  admin forms. 

On our return we turned our sketchbooks upside down so more aware of shapes rather than objects  and started  cutting into the pages with a  Stanley knife

Initially the shapes cut out were glued  to the page beneath so that superficially the upper page still looked the same but then we became braver and stuck pieces on different places/pages. 

Every so often we  walked round the table to see what other people were doing - considering it was the same materials and objects being drawn , the approaches used were very different and  inspired by others  we started  cutting right through the pages, creating flaps  and holes. 

Finally we did a tour around the table again , opening and closing folds , revealing different combinations , before putting them away in a drawer until next week ( they're definately not very portable...)

So many possibilities  and ways of looking in just 3 hours! We have another session of exploration  next week  before the site visit to V&A Cast Courts in week 3. Unfortunately I'll be away for that  so will have to make a visit  under my own steam. My current sketchbooks ( A5 and A4) suddenly seem very small.

BM Drawing from the Collections: Volume and Mass

 

3rd session 'Drawing from the Collections' at the  British Museum was focused on  volume and mass using the pots in the African Gallery ( and the addition of burnt sienna pastel to charcoal and white chalk of last week).  I just love these pots and have drawn them before 





 I remembered this time to take photos as I  went along both to record the process but also to spot where things start to go wrong .

  After practising mark-making and 'swooshes' with the side of the burnt sienna pastel and  a wrm up with a quick drawing in charcoal, we sketched the outline of the structure in charcoal

 Next step was filling in mass with the pastel   then adding  darkest areas in charcoal.

There was a lot of small adjustments between these 2 stages, gradually adding tone, marks and textures. I thought I was ready for the white chalk  but wasn't allowed it until I'd properly defined the dark areas. Good advice,  along with showing where I hadn't quite described the shape, how to hint at texture without putting every last mark in, areas where I needed to work into more to balance more finished areas  ( bottom right still need attention)  

 Overall, I was really pleased with what I achieved  - unfortunately I won't be going next weekend as  bus replacement  service for rail  would double the journey. But as I'm heading up to Rydal tomorrow, I won't be short  of inspiration ( my packing mainly consists of art materials and thermals!)

 

On the way home, the reflected evening light over the marshes between Stratford and Ebbsfleet  was  lovely despite  being a bit out of practice taking photos at speed from the train.

 

BM Drawing from the Collections: Power and Presence

 2nd session Drawing from the Collections  at  British Museum  was on Power and Presence,  trying to capture those qualities in this housepost from Papua New Guinea using  charcoal. Reminded me of the barkcloth spirit masks but then they're from the same part of the Pacific
After markmaking  we filled a sheet with side of charcoal stick then 'carved' into it with rubber and added the major forms.

 

 We then  built up the texture of the wood, adding and taking away ( above).  I should have left it at this point! I liked the liveliness of it, by the time  I'd worked into too much and added  white chalk and  marker pen it was ruined  ( though I like quieter  marks remaining on the arm and body below).

  I made a second attempt  below  but it doesn't have the vitality of the first's early stages

 Next week (  bus replacement services permitting) we will be in the African gallery looking at the pots . I know I work faster than many   so I must remind myself  not to keep drawing just  to fill in the time while waiting for the next step but stop  before ( or maybe start another drawing)

Self Portraits and Chiaroscura

Imagine a school classroom with 10 women trying to draw themselves in a mirror by candlelight - my drawing class yesterday. It started out with the light on but not looking at the paper while we drew a continuous line . I'll spare you the full picture, just a fragment will suffice. What struck me ( apart from how like my mother I looked) was how lively the drawings were.
Then (with due consideration to the Gods of Health and Safety) with candle stuck in some self hardening clay, we drew with chalk on black paper (above) and then charcoal on buff (much easier, apart from anything else could see a bit better). A very vivid exploration of 'chiaroscura' '

The shadows cast by my glasses frames were pretty scary ( as were the students artwork of ghouls behind me reflected in the mirror!) . But once again my tutor has found an interesting exercise from (for me anyway) art materials and subject matter I'm not very keen on.
The next 2 weeks are dedicated to our own project work - I missed these sessions last term as I was either interviewing or unwell. Deciding what I want to work on is actually very difficult - something where the tutors input could help is probably the most useful.

Motion Pictures

In most recent drawing class we were looking at the figure in motion. First of all trying to very quickly draw someone in multiple sketches (but without taking pencil off paper) as they walked towards you; then taking it turns to pose for each other - again all sketches on the same piece of paper; finally drawing the tutor in 3 different positions, all on top of each other in charcoal on a large piece of paper. It's a long time since I did any life drawing so it's just as well the objective wasn't accuracy! I lost where I was doing the 3rd sketch , realising I'd made the very svelte tutor ginormous , so I'm not going to share that with you!!
However one the ideas behind the 3 overlapping sketches was to crop it and find pleasing abstractions - definately more up my street


Next week it's portraits in charcoal and pastels - not my favourite subject or materials but I'm sure there will be an interesting twist. Then it's 'own project' for 2 weeks. What to choose?