Value and Graphite

2009-01-04T12:56:00.000-08:00

Homework:
-please continue to do some blind contour and several drawings using the viewfinder. Push yourself a little and make it challenging.
-Play with value scales. Practice, practice to learn how much pressure you need to get the value you want. Remember, building up value is a S-L-O-W process. My demo was a speed demo!
-Find a picture in black and white that has good clean values. Use your grid to transfer the drawing to your paper, and then pick a section to "shade".

Graphite Artists and Tutorials:

1. Great Tutorial on using the grid method by Mike Silbey.

2. Great Video by artist Linda Huber drawing an eye. Scroll down the page to Eye Tutorial and click to watch the video. She uses mechanical pencils with the different degrees of graphite just like that in your drawing pencils.

3. Understanding the Art of Shading by Rebekah Lynn.

4. Try following along in this eye tutorial from onlypencil.com.

5. Eye Tutorial by Brian Duey.

Drawing With Negative Space

2008-12-27T17:53:00.000-08:00

You are all doing so wonderfully, and I am impressed with your work ethic. Continue to do a "warm-up" and some blind contour drawing before you begin your homework.

For a recap on negative space drawing, you might want to look at the following links:

1. Negative Space Tutorial

2. From Empty Easel-A demonstration of using a viewfinder to see negative space when drawing a still life.

Homework Redux

1. Van Gogh Drawing of Man in Chair Reading-Remember, begin with an anchoring shape that will help you align the other shapes. When you have completed the "outside" negative shapes, look for the "interior" negative shapes to help you with your drawing. If you get confused, turn the picture upside down.

2. If you did not do the peeled orange assignment, or feel you can do better, please do it again.

3. Try to do at least two drawings of a still life with the View Finder. If you did not do a plate with cup or glass, knife and fork, please consider doing one. Think of the wonderful examples you saw from other students today.

4. Choose some photos from magazines that have good negative space. Remember to place a border around the image so that an "element" from the picture is adjacent to each side of the format. This helps to form the negative shapes. I have included some possible photos you will find below. Click on the image so it will be larger and then save the picture to print out. Remember the format of your paper must be the same as the format of the image.
5. Try doing a negative space drawing using a quadrant from you viewfinder. TRY A PLANT, like Linda's Christmas cactus.

Beginning Drawing at Tucson Art Colony

Value and Graphite

Drawing With Negative Space