Introduction
Although at first glance this chapter seemed like a straight forward run through different mark making media, it took me quite a while to get the value of using a line in varying thickness, and seeing the use in drawing.
Please note that I have lost the charging lead for my quick snap camera and had to resort to the Nikon which is more light sensitive leading to darker, moodier pictures.
Activity 1: Using a range of mark making tool.
I got the usual suspects together, using A4 watercolour paper throughout.
Starting with pencils, and trying various things out:
Using Graphitone pencil. I bought these ages ago and have never used them, but they are marvellous to work with:
Using calligraphy pens/nibs and Ruling Pens with black ink. I have become very familiar with these after working on calligraphy and they can produce really exciting lines of very intense colour, which is satisfying, Ruling pens can be used for vigorous strokes with lots of accompanying splatter:
Using a mascara wand and an eyeliner tester thing I cadged from a cosmetic counter. These both produced excellent marks and I could see the mascara wand working for Chinese landscapes. The eyeliner thing held a surprisingly large amount of ink and proved a viable drawing tool:
Using a foundation spatula, filched as above. Again a really successful tool:
Charcoal I didn't much enjoy in this exercise, but did for the extra activity:
Brush pen was very good to try out:
Using a stick, good fun but limited:
Using paint brushes, didn't enjoy this so much. Although the fan headed brush made some lovely marks:
Using fine liner pens, of varying nib sizes, these were good to use
And Pipette and dropper. I love writing with pipettes and am so glad I covered this in the last module. Pipettes are at one and the same time controllable but unpreditcable:
Whilst doing this activity I had to spend some time in hospital with my son. Some concentrated time with a 6b sketching pencil was productive:
And putting a few things together to finish off and to make something of the tools I'd enjoyed the most:
Activity 2 Dropping Sticks
I used straws roughly cut in 3 inch lengths for this exercise.I worked VERY quickly on these drawings (changing the position of the straws each time).
Pencils:
Pipette and ruling pen:
Calligraphy nibs, wide and fine:
Charcoal and graphite stick:
Crayon and brush pen:
Extra Activity: Repeating the exercise with small pebbles.
This isn't the first time I've got the most benefit from the extra activity. Putting everything together, thick and thin lines, gave meaning to the whole first exercise.
Crayon and brush pen:
Sketching pencil and charcoal. I enjoyed using charcoal for this.
Pipette, I'm really please with this, splodges and all.
Activity 3 Using lines to represent mood or feeling:
I had a cold or hayfever doing most of this module, so it felt fitting to demonstrate the general woolly headed feeling:
Using horizontal lines to represent things getting on top and then same lines in lightening colours to show a sense of mood lifting / getting on top of things:
Spaced horizontal and vertical lines on a bright backgound to show feeling optimistic and organised, then dull colours and wobbly lines, in same pattern, to show falling apart:
Irritation and a sinking feeling:
The rhythm of the house on a Monday morning. We are all over the place but very different in character:
 |
| Pale blue: Peter, generally calm throughout Claire: green, up and down but evens out when everyone's gone Isobel: very up and down in red Abigail, a bit wobbly but generally good natured in purple David: darker blue, hard to rouse |
Moving on.....
I'll be sure to check out the work of the artists listed. Does Bridget Riley count?
