I suddenly recalled seeing a series of drawings of a bull by Picasso whereby he had gradually reduced its form from naturalistic to the barest of essential elements. Because I hadn’t seen that before, I’d had no real sense of … Continue reading Part 5, project 3, exercise 2 – abstract from manufactured forms
This task requires a review of previous work to consider the mood they may have conveyed, and then either a new painting focusing on mood, or a re-work of an earlier one. Since I almost always end up taking more … Continue reading Part 4, project 3, exercise 2 – expressive landscape
Aerial perspective has nothing to do with dangling from a hang glider to make sketches. It’s about how tone and saturation bleed away with distance. Take a look at Turner’s Woman with a Tambourine (1840-50) – everything, including definition, loses … Continue reading Part 4, project 2, exercise 2 – aerial perspective
Probably the most timely of projects and exercises, given the current situation! The exercise is about choosing a view from a window and, after making a number of sketches, painting a final composition that reflects a mood. At the moment … Continue reading Part 4, project 1, exercise 1 – from the inside looking out
Not for the first time, I find I’ve pre-empted an exercise with pieces of work that would qualify but were located elsewhere! I have a very hostile-looking self portrait in blue that would have served me well in the ‘character’ … Continue reading Part 3, project 3, exercise 2 – telling a story
There were several options for this exercise, from a self portrait in a known context, to a celebrity in one’s own home, through to a known person in a fictional background. My first step was to look through various photographs … Continue reading Part 3, project 3, exercise 1 – figure in an interior
In the absence of available sitters, I turned to some sketches I made for my own interest during the Drawing module and chose a very characterful image I had found on the internet. I had drawn this person once in … Continue reading Part 3, project 2, exercise 4 – conveying character
In the absence of any possibility of a live model, I looked through a number of art books with good colour plates to find a substitute. The one that drew my eye, largely because of the sullen expression of the … Continue reading Part 3, project 2, exercise 3 – mood and atmosphere
The exercise calls for a head and shoulders portrait of a sitter, but for the over-riding reason of social distancing, I’m resorting to myself again. I’m still angry at the avoidability of the position we’re in although very grateful for … Continue reading Part 3, project 2, exercise 2
This first exercise calls for a series of sketches, ideally of another person but under current circumstances this isn’t possible and so I am reliant on a mirror. The idea is to use line rather than tone but I seem … Continue reading Part 3, project 1, exercises 1&2 – drawing the human figure
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