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Post by papillon on Jun 11, 2007 12:26:58 GMT -5
Drawing from pictures is fun and mostly because it makes life a little easier for us. A lot of decisions have already been taken - composition, lighting and a host of other things. Drawing from life requires more concentration...more interpreting and keeping up with what is going on and why. Think of life as you see it on the TV screen with all the best shots spotlighting the action chosen by the director and the way we experience real life. I think the analogy applies also to drawing from photos and drawing from life. When we draw from life we have to make the decisions, light the subject, examine it, measure it in our minds eye, see how all the parts relate to each other. Also, to keep with the entertainment analogy, drawing from life is trapeze without a safety net - no 2D images, no gridding etc. Have I provoked you enough? If I have, and you have an hour to spare, pick up pencil and paper and come join me in drawing something from life... at least once a week. Keep your wits sharpened together with your pencil points. Choose anything you might have in the house, in the office, outside your window... whatever... and interpret it. Yes that's what you would be doing - not only drawing but also interpreting it. To start us off I did this sketch of a little carved wooden elephant I have on my cabinet shelf... I think my husband brought it back with him from Angola or some other uncomfortable place like that. ... Oh, and just in case you think animals are in my comfort zone, well no, they are not, they never are my favourite subject to draw. But that is also part of the challenge with yourself (just yourself, no one else) ..... dare to do the hard thing the hard way - it's like going to the gym to keep yourself in tone !! My little black elephant:
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Post by Martina on Jun 11, 2007 16:57:05 GMT -5
Nice elephant Rose! Is drawing wood in your comfort zone? And thaaaaaank you for this challenge!!!! I love this "sketch from life" thing. Wouldn't it be good (for me it would! : to give some "homework" like a statue, knife, scissor (sisters LOL) or so? Or not? Or yes? However - I'll do this tomorrow.
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Post by papillon on Jun 11, 2007 17:03:00 GMT -5
I wanted to leave everyone the liberty to draw what they liked Martina. As long as you are honest with yourself and do draw from life I don't see why there should be a set list.
Just grab anything - put it in a good light and draw..... or maybe just go into your garden and find a ladybird! ;D
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Post by Martina on Jun 11, 2007 17:09:13 GMT -5
I don't see why there should be a set list. LOL Because I'm a lazybone..... We don'T have them at the moment, it is too hot here. They come later I hope. We have many bees and flies and some dragonflies too and maaaaaaany hover flies - but they are so fast.
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Post by papillon on Jun 25, 2007 12:46:13 GMT -5
I'm back to doing some free fall drawing gymnastics. What about you guys... are you joining me here?
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Post by jan on Jun 25, 2007 19:09:22 GMT -5
I will join you, Rose. This is a real quickie of the second tomato from our garden - the first one was eaten warm from the vine! This one was lying on the counter because it got picked a little too green. This was done with the Inktense pencils on Stonehenge and I actually think I like the scrapbook paper better! lol
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Post by Joanie on Jun 25, 2007 20:41:13 GMT -5
Oh, Jan, you are making my mouth water........homegrown tomatoes are one of my most favorite things! We won't get any until the end of July. Not the good ones that is. LOL
Nice picture - so you decided to use that Scrapbook Paper after all? It looks like a good picture. Did the paper stand up to the water okay?
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Post by jan on Jun 26, 2007 4:30:49 GMT -5
Joanie, the tomato is on Stonehenge. I did the coneflower on the scrapbook paper and really thought it did better. Of course I used more layers on the flower. The scrapbook paper stands up to the water just fine but the only paper you can really douse is regular watercolor paper. You have to just dampen anything else.
Normally we don't get tomatoes until after the 4th of July but this year they're quicker for some reason. But, they're way smaller than normal because of the lack of rain, I guess. We do water but it's not the same as rain. We're getting squash by the tons though and the green beans & cucumbers are just now beginning to come in. We didn't plant a large garden this year because it's right behind where the house is going up and we figured it would get trampled.
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Post by papillon on Jun 26, 2007 7:22:11 GMT -5
Glad you took up the challenge Jan! I love being in good company!
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Post by briandavid on Aug 8, 2007 19:40:21 GMT -5
Hi all, Wow , some great drawings Rose and Jan I tried this one earlier this year of a old cookie jar my Mom gave me. I used to reach for the cookies in this jar when I was a kid.....about 6 years ago....lol... ;D and the other I did today of my mouse in under 10 minutes.
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Post by jan on Aug 9, 2007 19:24:46 GMT -5
Well-done, Brian! Your mouse is really well done though I do like that cookie jar! Yabba Dabba Do!!!
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Post by papillon on Aug 10, 2007 7:48:06 GMT -5
So glad you took up this challenge Brian. Very good drawings!
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Post by Joanie on Aug 10, 2007 11:07:09 GMT -5
Very Nice Brian!
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Post by briandavid on Aug 10, 2007 20:15:33 GMT -5
:)Thanks very much Joanie , Rose and.....Jan, I always seem to find a way to draw Fred...lol...
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Post by grampybone on Aug 13, 2007 12:18:53 GMT -5
Did this drawing from life (my life )last night. Looking in the mirror in the bathroom by candlelight (since I couldn't find a portable lamp to use). My eyes are not that sunken in normally, but the candlelight made them look that way, so thats the way it ended up on paper. I put a tone of graphite on the paper first, then used the pencil for shadow, and eraser for highlights. This exercise was from the book, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" which has an excellent section on drawing faces.
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Post by Tim on Aug 13, 2007 13:03:30 GMT -5
I like what you have done Graham...nice thing about graphite is you can edit out sunken eyes and sags ...without having to got to the cosmetic surgeon. The last self portrait I do of myself should have been hung up in The Post Office with a wanted sign above it I think yours is great ...nice job
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Post by SweetSilverBird on Aug 13, 2007 13:43:22 GMT -5
Nice job! I really like the expression on the face. There is sort of a look of spooky confrontation, while looking a little self protective. At least that is the feeling that your drawing evokes in me.
Drawing by candlelight! What a great idea!
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Post by Martina on Aug 13, 2007 15:18:34 GMT -5
I love it, Graham! Birdie is right - it has a little spooky touch. But more than this it shows your great ability to draw and create mood.
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Post by Joanie on Aug 13, 2007 17:52:32 GMT -5
Nice one, Grampybone. I don't think I could attempt that with low light - my eyes are too "mature" (LOL) to be able to see well enough in low light. Interesting concept though.
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Post by jan on Aug 13, 2007 19:13:31 GMT -5
I always wonder why self-portraits always portray the artist as a grumpy old man/woman?!!!! Is there a law against smiling in a sp or is it just because one is concentrating so hard that you forget to smile?
I don't know what you look like in rl, Graham, but this is an excellent portrait! I think candlelight would be the only flattering light for me & only if it were in the next room & the lights were off in the room I occupied! lol
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Post by andrea on Aug 13, 2007 20:42:06 GMT -5
It is a lovely drawing Graham. The candlelight created a lovely haunted expression. Sounds like an interesting way to draw, I've seen that technique done in charcoal but not using graphite. I must try it!
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Post by grampybone on Aug 13, 2007 23:34:17 GMT -5
Jan, I know what you mean about the frowning, old look. Maybe its because its hard to hold a smile for 90 minutes. I actually prefer the non-smiling portraits, though. I like the ones that show a person in a normal everyday content mood. It sounds strange, but I feel that the non smiling portraits show more about a person than the smiling ones. Seems like its easy to tell when a smile is forced. Here's another I did tonight, where hopefully I don't look so spooky (I'm still no Tom Cruise though). This one is overhead bathroom lighted. I didn't have as much time to finish the portrait highlights due to kids that keep getting out of bed
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Post by paulette on Aug 14, 2007 10:19:12 GMT -5
Good job on both!
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Post by Martina on Aug 14, 2007 15:05:25 GMT -5
I know why: Because we look very concentrated into the mirror - we had a strange angle because we want to see the mirror and the sketchblock at the same time. And we don't want to move our head - so it always look like staring. And if we would not be in a very good mood.
Graham, what if a person is a "living smiley" ;D ? I mean what if there is a person who smiles most of the day? If this is her/his normal every day content mood then such a person looks not normal if not smiling.
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Post by grampybone on Aug 14, 2007 16:11:46 GMT -5
I know why: Because we look very concentrated into the mirror - we had a strange angle because we want to see the mirror and the sketchblock at the same time. And we don't want to move our head - so it always look like staring. And if we would not be in a very good mood. Graham, what if a person is a "living smiley" ;D ? I mean what if there is a person who smiles most of the day? If this is her/his normal every day content mood then such a person looks not normal if not smiling. Thats a good point and this is an interesting discussion! My wife actually is one of those people who smiles most of the time. I guess what I'm getting at with "non-smiling" is the big grin people force onto their face when they get photographed, do you know what I mean? When I view the masters portraits like Rembrandt, Renior, etc, I usually don't see a big ear to ear smile with teeth showing. Sometimes you'll see a smirk (like the Mona Lisa). I am not saying that people shouldn't draw portraits with big smiles, It's just not my preference. When I see a portrait of someone that appears to be laughing, or showing emotion other just normal content, I think to myself that the portrait was done from a photograph rather than from life. While we're on the subject, here is a portrait of my wife I did a few months ago, and I think it shows the smirk she always has.
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