I used my sketchbook to explore a variety of subjects and techniques using fluid media, sometimes in conjunction with dry media. This tree root caught my eye, and I thought it would be a good subject to draw using ink: .
30 X 12 ins. Brown paper. Top: charcoal, diluted ink, diluted white water- based paint. Bottom: Oil pastel, white spirit, black ink, diluted white paint.
A3 brown paper. Ink and compressed charcoal on damp paper. Interesting discoveries from these drawings were that compressed charcoal, when used on a damp surface, produces a very dark tone, and that charcoal dragged over a damp surface results in a rough texture.
A4 cartridge. The starting point for this drawing was a hole in a tree. Using a variety of different media, including acrylic paint, diluted black and white inks, oil pastel, white spirit, and marker pens resulted in an interesting image that inspired several interpretations, including 'a jellyfish', and 'a fire'. I like the feeling of movement created by the marks made with diluted ink.
A3 cartridge with a dark grey ink wash. Cushions and a throw over a chair. An experiment to see how diluted black ink and water based 'readymix' paint worked together to achieve tonal variation.
A4 cartridge. Ink, water soluble pencils. Experiments with fluid and dry media, combined with collage.
I started with the top drawing, using ink on damp paper. The apple was resting on newspaper, which I hadn't originally intended to be part of the drawing, but decided to cut out and collage part of it. This was interesting from the point of view that a composition can emerge from just putting two simple objects together. Inspired by this, I used water soluble pencils on damp paper to draw the apple in the bottom drawing, then cut the pear shape from a magazine and added it. I like this image because of the contrast between the different media, the apple being opaque, and the pear having a transparency.
2 X A3 cartridge. Ink, hard pastels, oil pastel. I noticed this subject whilst out on a walk; it was a cobweb, suspended in the undergrowth, which had been covered with husks of corn - an incredible natural sculpture!
I did the drawing above first, using ink to establish areas of tone, then, when the ink was dry, hard pastels to draw the undergrowth and the husks. I did the second drawing the other way round, using oil pastels first then brushed the drawing with diluted black ink. I was surprised to discover that the second drawing looked like a negative version of the first one, with the shape of the cobweb receding into the distance whereas in the first drawing it seems to come forwards.
20 X 15 ins cartridge. Ink, compressed charcoal, chalk pastel. This was an attempt to capture light shining through a wood. I used the ink and charcoal on wet paper, establishing the areas of tone first, using ink, then the charcoal, whilst the paper was still wet, and finally, chalk pastel, when it had almost dried out. The water and ink turned the compressed charcoal into a kind of painting stick. I discovered that willow charcoal wasn't very effective on this wet surface, and I had to push quite hard with it to make a mark. This was a very enjoyable drawing, and gave me a feeling of freedom from the more detailed work I'm used to doing.
A3 cartridge. Charcoal and water.
I was beginning to think about possible subjects for the first assignment, and decided this vase of buddleia would be good for using dynamic gestural drawing. I tried to keep my drawing loose and expressive.
Then I tried to push my dynamic gestural drawing further by using paint:
A1 flipchart paper. White emulsion house paint and acrylic.
It was difficult to use the emulsion and acrylic on the flipchart paper because it was quite thin, and wouldn't stay flat. I also misjudged the positioning of the vase, because I needed more room at the top. I think the charcoal drawing works better than this one in conveying an impression of the buddleia, but perhaps this one has different qualities? This drawing, like some of the work I did in Ex.1.3, raised the question of speed in dynamic gestural drawing; the word 'dynamic' implies speed, power, and energy, but to draw using these qualities means taking risks, and sometimes getting a different result from the one intended. Before I started this course, I would probably have thought this was a negative thing, but now I see it as a good, positive thing, because this is one way to discover and learn. I can see how using fluid media in this way can convey energy, strength, or passion, even if the end result doesn't really look like the original subject.
A3 cartridge. Seaweed, flint, and dead plant. Acrylic, compressed charcoal, oil pastel, white spirit.
I used acrylic paint to draw the tonal areas first, then compressed charcoal on the wet paint, and oil pastel brushed with white spirit to draw the plant. I was trying to portray the different qualities of these three objects. I think this was reasonably successful with the flint and the plant, but think the seaweed needed to be a different colour, to make it softer than the flint. I like the marks made by the oil pastel on the dark acrylic, to portray the delicate quality of the plant.
I wanted to try some experiments with gouache paint, ink, and water, using a technique I remembered from a course I had done a few years ago:
The technique I used for these was to draw with the gouache paint, fairly quickly, before it dried too much, then to cover the image with indian ink, which is then washed off fairly quickly under running water. When day, I used dry media on nos 1 and 4. It was interesting to see how this technique worked with a variety of different papers. I think it produces some dramatic images, especially on the thick, textured acrylic paper, and has much potential for use with other media.
Having decided that the subject for assignment 1 is going to be 'undergrowth', or 'a hedge', these two drawings were media experiments. The one on the left is charcoal, acrylic and white chalk pastel on A4 brown paper, and the one on the right is charcoal and chalk pastel on A4 cartridge. I think the sketch on the right shows a better impression of the subject, and has more depth.
Part 2. Collage:
I am aware that I have always had an ongoing struggle with sketchbook work: what to draw?, why?, have I done enough? Is it 'good' enough? What belongs in sketchbook work, and what belongs in 'preparatory work'.....in short, sketchbook work has sometimes felt like an additional task which I have struggled to find the time to give as much attention to as the exercises and assignments. However, since the 'crit group' on Sketchbooks, run by Dr Brian Eccleshall on 15/11/20, I feel I have a clearer idea of how to use sketchbook work. Some of the most helpful points that arose from this group were:
Sketchbook work does not always have to lead to other work - although it may do.
Sketchbooks can be a way of collecting ideas, and capturing them quickly when you notice them.
Sketchbook work can be a way of working quickly through ideas, and seeing where it takes you. I do work in this way to an extent, but much of my work is more time consuming and more 'finished' than perhaps it needs to be.
New and good ideas aren't necessarily in your own head - they are sometimes 'out there', and playing with materials and techniques in your sketchbook work can help you uncover them. This point is especially important for me, because up until now, I've spent a lot of time trying to find new ideas from inside my head!
Allow yourself to go to unusual places.
My thinking towards sketchbook work changed following this group. I felt much more free, and less self conscious about it, which hopefully will be evident in some of the work.
Experiments with texture and colour: Bubble wrap & chalk pastel, textured packaging, tissue paper & pastel, tapestry fabric, crepe paper & pastel, corrugated cardboard & chalk pastel, metallic pill packet & ink.
A3. Compressed charcoal on damp newspaper. Inks added when dry. Inspired by patterns in wood.
Compressed charcoal on damp newspaper, acrylic, ink, monoprint. Inspired by patterns in stone.
Barbara Rae's work is characterised by blocks of vibrant or evocative colour, combined with abstract, expressive drawing. I took a second print of the fence to use in the first two of these experiments:
The ink covered more of the colour than I wanted in the first drawing, so for the second, I cut out the fence from the print when it was dry, and collaged it over the coloured papers. In the third, I printed the drawing directly onto the papers again, as in the first, but used newspaper to block out parts of the inked plate that I didn't want to print.
At this point I began to think more about what the drawing in these landscapes should represent, and looked for ideas in the environment around me that would fit:
A3. Collaged tissue paper and chalk pastel. Tractor tyres.
I thought these marks made by tractor tyres made a good subject. This reminded me of an Eric Ravilious (1903-1942) composition, entitled 'Downs in Winter', which gave me the idea of doing a 21st century version of this 1934 composition, also influenced by Barbara Rae:
I happened to see a tractor with this piece of machinery attached to the front, and thought it would make a good subject for this idea. In researching both Ravilious and also Peter Doig, I discovered a little about Magic Realism, and these two drawings would seem, in some ways, to fit into this definition; the machine has a menacing and strange appearance, and its silhouette against the abstract colours of the Southdowns landscape creates a distortion of space.
A4 Ink, charcoal and collage. A3 Ink, charcoal and collage.
From this point onwards, I was more influenced by the points above, which arose from the Sketchbook crit group:
Collaged tissue and newspaper.
Photo of marks in sand, which inspired the next four drawings:
A4. Ink, water soluble pencils, water.
A4. Monoprint.
21 X 11 in. Charcoal, oil pastel and ink on lining paper.
A4. Monoprint and collage.
Monoprint, with collaged monoprint of same subject.
Monoprint and water soluble pencils.
I like these two images, because the juxtaposition of collage and print in the first one, and collage and drawing with pencils in the second both have a feeling of depth, with some marks appearing in front of others. The second is inspired by a piece of twisted iron.
I liked the image produced by the monoprint of net, which I used in assignment 2. In the second of these two I have used both newspaper and crepe paper to print on, and experimented with colour and the idea of breaking into the boundary of the frame.
(L) A5 monoprint and chalk pastel over coloured newspaper. (R), the same drawing mounted on cuttings from a magazine, continuing the idea of creating asymmetry.
Part 3: Drawing in three dimensions.
For part 3 I used my sketchbook mainly to explore ideas for the exercises and the assignment. I found that making drawings of the 3 dimensional construction I made for exercise 3.1 initiated a lot of experimentation with media and techniques:
A4. Ink, acrylic, white gesso.
10 X 8.5 in. Ink, charcoal, gesso.
These were two of my first experiments using ink, paint and charcoal to denote main tonal areas, painted with gesso, then drawn into with a palette knife before the gesso dried. The second was more successful than the first because I worked more quickly, and didn't allow the gesso to dry as much before using the palette knife, which resulted in more tonal contrast.
A4. Ink, ready mix paint, gesso.
This is using the same media, but used in a different order. The cartridge paper was covered with gesso first, then I used ink and paint to draw over this. When it dried, I used more gesso to add some very light tones. Whereas the first two drawings are quite atmospheric and ethereal, this one seems a stronger image.
A4. Collaged newspaper, graphite, gesso.
I painted over the collaged square of newspaper with gesso, then used a palette knife to draw into the gesso. When it had dried I added graphite and charcoal. This technique needed great care, because the newspaper was easily torn, but I like the delicacy and subtlety of this drawing.
In my reflection of Ex 3.2, I acknowledged that I needed to explore the 3D structure more from different angles. I am also aware that I am inclined to avoid working on a small scale, because I invariably run out of space, so I felt it would be a good discipline to try these next three drawings in A5:
8B graphite.
Water soluble pencils, water.
Damp cartridge paper. Ink, fine liner pen, white chalk pastel.
The next three drawings are attempts to find creative solutions to the problem of drawing the lamp for Ex 3.4. I felt it needed to be an expressive drawing, to fit with the rest of the composition:
A4. Tissue paper painted with acrylic, and stuck onto sugar paper. White ready mix paint.
A4. Ink wash, Compressed charcoal, ink.
A3. Gouache, indian ink, water.
I felt the third drawing worked well, and achieved the qualities I was hoping for. This technique of covering gouache with ink, then washing it off before it dries is very dependent on timing, and different results are obtained depending on how dry both the paint and the ink are before being washed. I liked this, but preferred the other A3 drawing I did, which I used in Ex 3.4, because it achieved slightly more tonal contrast.
I decided to use this piece of dead ivy for assignment 3, and did some exploratory drawings of it:
A2. compressed charcoal on damp newspaper.
A1. Ink, charcoal, diluted PVA, white ready-mix paint.
This was an old drawing from part 1. I used compressed charcoal to draw over it, covered this with a mix of diluted PVA and ready-mix paint, then, as in exercise 3.2, where I used a palette knife to draw into the surface before it was dry, with this drawing I used a plastic ruler to draw into it. Unfortunately the paper began to tear in places, because it was thin newsprint, so I used blue/black ink to paint over these areas, but in the areas where the technique worked well, it produced some interesting textures and a feeling of transparency:
Continuing with this technique, I began to experiment more with colour for the next drawing.
A2. Ink, gesso.
Newsprint covered with a blue/black ink wash. Ink drawing, covered with gesso when dry and drawn into with a palette knife before the gesso dried.
21 X 6in. Acrylic, gesso (L). Acrylic over white acrylic, gesso (R).
I used the palette knife before the gesso dried to draw these again, as in the drawing above. I wanted to see what effect this technique produced if I applied white acrylic to the paper first, before applying colour, and discovered that it produces an image much lighter in tone.
A3. Cutting from a magazine, covered with yellow gouache. Ink and white acrylic.
I was pleasantly surprised at the feeling of distance and depth this small drawing has. The faint image of the magazine cutting projects the ink drawing into the foreground.
A3 brown paper. 8B graphite.
I had done quite a lot of exploration, trying to capture the feeling and movement of the wood, so this was an attempt to capture a more structurally accurate twist in one section of it, which required being able to capture the foreshortening in its form. I could see, when it was finished, where I hadn't drawn the correct angles, and attempted to put corrected lines in the right place over the drawing.
A3. Charcoal, diluted ready-mix paint.
I divided the paper into four sections, did a charcoal drawing of the wood in each section, then sprayed it with fixative. When it had dried, I painted over it. I found it interesting that the end result didn't look like four separate drawings, but held together as a cohesive whole abstract drawing.
9 X 12in. Fine liner pen, and black acrylic pen.
Two blind drawings, concentrating on the lines made by the wood. I like the movement of these drawings, and they were really enjoyable to do.
I wanted to do some sketchbook work that wasn't related to the course exercises or the assignment, but found I was struggling for inspiration and ideas. I had some acrylic paint left over from previous work, so decided to use a long strip of paper, divide it into four, and use the paint to make four blind drawings. These were done quickly, without looking at the paper, trying to eliminate conscious thought.
After I finished them, I decided that I would work on each one, and try to introduce some depth and layers. I added some marks to the first three, but stopped at the fourth. Unfortunately I didn't photograph them first. I regretted this, because I felt the drawings worked much better in their original state, before I started to add to them. It's difficult to say why I felt this, but I think the abstract acrylic marks were more powerful on their own before other media arrived to detract from their clarity, which can perhaps be seen in the fourth one.
23.5 X 8in. Acrylic, oil pastel, chalk pastel, charcoal, black acrylic pen.
I attempted two more drawings in the same way, without adding to them, but don't think they worked as well as the first four.
12 X 8in. Acrylic.
12 X 8in. Acrylic on newsprint and newspaper.
I took a print of the drawing on the left on newspaper.
I am always looking out for interesting objects and materials to use, and found this old piece of sacking in a field, which I took home and washed. I thought it contained some interesting textures which might work well for monoprints.
A3. Newsprint. This print is made by placing the piece of sack onto an inked-up plate, and taking a print, which resulted in a white silhouette. Then I inked the sack with a lighter colour, and placed it onto the white silhouette and took a print.
A3 white tissue paper.
I used the same plate as for the first print for this, but applied more black ink to the sack, placed it on the plate inked side up, then placed the tissue paper over it and took a print.
A3 black tissue paper.
I mixed a lighter colour, rolled it out on a different plate, but didn't completely cover the plate, then placed the sack on the plate, and applied ink to it. I then placed the tissue paper over the plate and took a print.
A3 black tissue paper.
The same technique as the print above, with a different colours.
A3 tracing paper.
This print on tracing paper has resulted in much clearer fine detail of the textures.
A3 newspaper.
More ink applied to the sack, and printed onto newspaper.
These monoprints resemble something organic - a plant, or a sea creature. I like the flowing marks and textures achieved in them, and feel they would have worked well in the previous assignment.