Drawing as a contemporary practice week 10

This week we spent the entire time critiquing the results of assignment #1, the visual diary.  I presented by book and it was quite well received.  Here are the pages, dismantled, beginning and ending with the covers.

Colour & Composition week 11

In class this week we began our last assignment -- chiaroscuro from our own photo.  I took several photos with me but the one the teacher suggested I do was only in contact sheet size!  Actually this turned out to be a help in getting shapes and values down with little detail.  This is what I did in class.

Then I went home and looked at the larger photo.  I also went out to take more pictures in daylight.  I've altered the painting to reflect the new information I see.  We'll work more during class next week and then critique -- and that's it!  End of term.

Drawing as a contemporary practice week 9

We did our final visual diary this week -- in which we see Toby's face!  I'm including a recent photo for comparison -- my drawing (with my left hand) is certainly not the greatest likeness.  Later we each spoke with the teacher about that project and the self-directed one.  Next week we'll critique the visual diary.  I'm going to turn mine into some kind of a book -- a work very much in progress.  And my self-directed project has evolved as well.  I'm excited for that one too.  It's due the final week which is during the make-up week.

Colour & Composition week 10

This week we critiqued our latest work.  I am so far behind in painting!  I have so much to learn.  The teacher asked me how I felt about mine and I said it looks unfinished.  Yes.  And such a limited palette.  This one was pretty much a failure.  Set it aside.  Our last project is chiaroscuro.  We did a still life at school.  We were also told how to put a glaze on top -- so I have mine before and after glazing.  (Didn't seem to make much difference.)  For next week the same again -- a photo to paint and then critique on the last week.

Drawing as a contemporary practice week 8

Our visual diary today was with our dominant hand.  We have one more week to do the diary and at the same time we need to be working on how to make one thing out of it all.  The teacher liked my wonky perspective today and like the drawing overall.  ("Wonky" seems to be my word for the day.)  I was struck this morning on our first walk by the towering building and how the red of Toby's coat matched the Rabba sign.

I also did my presentation on an experimental drawing practice.  My question was whether drawing needs to leave a mark.  Or how permanent must it be?  I illustrated this with sparklers and glow sticks.  I was the third person to use fire!  It seemed to be fun for everyone which is the main idea.

Colour & Composition week 9

During class this week we worked on our paintings.  They are to be ready next week for critique.  We'll also start a new project.  Here are two pictures showing the progression of my work.  The teacher suggested using chalk to improve the lines -- and it sure did!  Wonky is fun too and sometimes more like me.

Drawing as a contemporary practice week 7

We began with our visual diary using our non-dominant hand.  I found it much easier today with my left and really enjoyed it.  I used a larger piece of paper than I have so far.  Soon we'll be combining all the diaries to make something new in some way.  The teacher said that my drawing today was more expressive and gestural than ever before.

Before class started we all hung our Allan Gardens/artist drawing ready for critique.  Mine went over very well which was great, of course.  This drawing is bigger than anything I've done before.  It's maybe 3 feet square.

Colour & Composition week 8

Over the week we were to take photos that could be used for our next painting project.  They were to have contrast in lighting and some attention to composition.  I took some photos of my hall.  The teacher wondered what was the subject/where was the interest.  To remedy this lack, and seeing the box of cat -- dog! -- toys, she suggested I add the dog looking expectantly toward the far room.  This gives some action to the piece.  First I tried the composition in a line painting on paper.  Then I began again on canvas.  This canvas is bigger than I've done before -- 18 inches square -- which actually has made it fun.  We'll be painting again next week in class.  The palette is realistic colours but it's all about shape and value at first.