15 May 2018
Focus on natural forms
Grass cut like circles – light plays in between and shadows and interesting form of these circles. My photo is taken in our garden – the circles remind me of using negative space to enhance the form and colour of the grass circles. I first did a quick graphite study, then changed the perspective to focus more on the circles, and create interest in the shades and trying to get a monochrome image. The colour study for detail and tone is with soft pastels. I tried to show light fall onto and through the grass and mark making to create grass was with different lines and in different directions. The background tonal values creates the negative space and makes the grass stand out and give structure and form to the subjects. I used a panel board (frothing) to help create a texture on the background as well as some stippling and harder mark making with the soft pastels.
Natural piece of rock, as study of detail and tone with ink and pastel
With the piece of rock I decided to also explore a composition with positive and negative space and used pastels for the final drawing of this exercise.
I understand the idea is to really observe natural forms before trying to draw them, as well as to place them as best possible to create a good composition. I was comfortable drawing with soft pastels – but did not achieve mark making and textures well. I think the light and tones in both the drawings were shown, but texture is not well presented. I need to use more marks as well as hatching to show variation in mark making as well as lights and darks.
My ideas to create more interesting compositions included to add the swing in the garden into the drawing of the grass circles. I would also like to add rocks when I draw trees.