Lesson 5 - Three-dimensional drawing

This lesson's warming up exercises were drawing the space around us in a continuous line. I found it quite difficult because I couldn't stop drawing and measure distance, perspective and proportions of all objects in the classroom. However, I find my first sketch quite successful. The second one isn't as good as the first one. We exchanged places with my classmates, to draw it from another angle and the first angle was probably better for me. Maybe I shouldn't draw so much empty space on the left side, although there are those white blocks.



Then we continued with drawing Mel. This time we focused on space, three-dimensionality, light and shadow. We were drawing on sugar paper of much smaller size than we usually draw. I am not used to drawing on paper of different colour than white so it was interesting to try a new technique with white chalk. I think my drawings are all quite successful, although I can see my mistakes. I like how the model's body looks in the first drawing but the blocks behind her could have been shaded a bit differently because they aren't as three-dimensional as they should be. Tops of the blocks should be definitely darker on the furthest side. In the second picture, I think the model is too dark and shadows on the walls don't make so much sense. Especially the wall on right shouldn't be as white as it is. In the third picture Mel's body looks three-dimensional. This time I tried to smudge it together a bit and I quite like how it worked. I could work more in the background because it looks rushed and unfinished.








Homework - Animals

For the homework, we were supposed to create another composition with Mel and animals using textures from the lecture. I decided to be a bit playful with it and I created a picture with Mel sitting in the bottom corner in front of straight lines which represents today's strict world full of stereotypes. There is an owl sitting on a branch growing from the texture which means that there is a way, a connection from the mainstream, where you can find wisdom, which symbol is the owl. Flying birds show freedom from today's conservative society. I wasn't sure if it's exactly what we were supposed to do, so I tried to do my best and add the story behind it.


Lesson 4 - Digital Painting

For homework, we had to take 20 photos of Worcester make few quick drawings. I really enjoyed this, because taking photos is one of my hobbies, so I had a chance to take my camera for a walk again, after quite long time.





  










This lesson we were painting in photoshop using a graphic tablet. I am not very skilled in digital painting, I have done only a few pictures in the past (link here), but I used to work with a different technique - I draw everything in Photoshop, I don't use a sketchbook. But after all, I think it looks okay, although I would do the edges differently now. It was also the first time I was painting with other brush than a round one (except the last lesson). This time I used my own brush from the last lecture.













For the second task, we did a digital painting with tracing one of the photos we took for the homework. I am not really a fan of tracing photos for a painting, I always use photos only as a reference for the sketch. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to finish this painting.



Update: I finished the painting.


Lesson 4 - Life model and animals

Drawing animals is one of my biggest weaknesses, that's why I found this lesson quite stressful. We started with quick sketches of animals, where I already felt this isn't going to be easy. But I took it as a challenge, because if I struggle to draw something, I need to draw it until I get better so I was looking at shapes and composition of all animals around the model and also if the model herself. In every exercise we drew more animals around Mel which made it more difficult when it came to composition and measuring angles and distance between objects, animals and the model. In the end I was quite happy because I can see the progress I made from the first drawing to the last one, not only in proportions and the composition but also in the drawing style of the picture.







After drawing Mel with all animals we had to make cutouts of the animals and Mel from textures which we made before all exercises. It was very creative and playful task because we could change the spatial relationships between Mel, animals and objects. In the beginning I was struggling a bit, because I wasn't sure what I want to do, but after all it turned out okay in my opinion. Looking at the picture later, maybe it would look even better with a background.


Homework - Dramatic compositions

I really enjoyed this homework. I drew Worcester cathedral and then I walked through Worcester at night and drew compositions which I found interesting. The drawing from the cathedral is very detailed , that's why I chose to do more simple compositions for the last three drawings. Another difficult thing was the door made of glass with windows on the other side in the 3rd picture. The light and its reflections in the glass were tricky so I had to be very careful what I am drawing. Although they are all made with the same technique, I feel they have different atmospheres however they are all dramatic. The cathedral looks transcendentally, tre train is quite spooky for me, the glass door look calm and maybe empty and a bit abandoned and the road with the moon is a typical night scene which could be in a film. I think all four drawings turned out pretty good so I am satisfied with this homework.