Persephone in the Eaves
April 10, 2016 § Leave a comment
Serial imagery can be created by depicting your subject withing its setting, stepping in more closely, and finally even more to examine its finer details.
Using Form as Framework
July 16, 2015 § 2 Comments
This is a watercolor of my Mother holding my sister, Karlin. My Mother’s form was not completed with detail, but instead was used a stabilizing and supporting element surrounding the baby. Notice how the arms and legs of the mother leads you into the area of focus; the child.
Dynamic Composition
June 25, 2015 § Leave a comment
This pencil drawing illustrates the creation of balance on the page. The fan like light leaves spread out over the dark foliage of leaves and stems. The light value of the leaves connects with the space and shadows around the plant providing a strong pathway from objects nearest to us and those furthest away. The result is a dynamic composition filled with dramatic movement
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The Importance of Contour Drawing
June 3, 2015 § Leave a comment
Here are a pair of contours or line drawings of the sculpture of Persephone. Contour drawing lies at the heart of my teaching of drawing. It allows you as the artist to envision your composition; thinking all the way out to the edges. It provides the sense of a light source giving your subjects form or a three dimensional nature, But most importantly, by drawing blind and not keeping one’s head buried in the paper and instead on the subject, it reveals your personality. The hand becomes a tool of the eye and the contour becomes truly unique to you!!
The Power of Telling our Stories
April 28, 2015 § 2 Comments
I am showing you a contour of a still life consisting of garlic. This tool does much of the work for you, It is revealing of form by demonstrating the light source, laying out your composition, and letting your personality pour out onto the page. This contour is part of a two drawing series that merely looks at a changing light source. Here are the gradations that were based on informative contour. We can begin to say more about our subject material when we examine ways to say something different about it. Here, we keep the placement of the still life the same and change the light source.
Garlic Still Life
April 8, 2015 § 2 Comments
I’m showing the informative nature of the contour as it provides the framework for the finished gradation of garlic and cloves. 
Notice how the contour allows you to reveal your thought process of compositional considerations, the light source, area of emphasis. Once you have determined those elements, you are free to keep your eye on the subject and allow your personality to flow out onto the page. At this point, I keep my eye on the subject, let my hand become an extension of the eye, and rarely look at the surface of the paper. The contour line moves from light to dark describing the three dimensional nature of the subject, the light source, and the storyline you have set forth. Notice how my contour is curvilinear in nature. Yours will be very different. You can find examples such as these in my book The Little Book of Drawing; a Friendly Approach. My teaching style is encouraging in nature and allows you to try different media, techniques, and to find your own personal style of story telling through drawing. 
Leaves in Space
January 28, 2015 § Leave a comment
Another example of using the negative space to create a sense of balance with the positive. Here the leaves fill the lower left area giving it density, yet the introduction of only a minimal portion of the subject anchors the upper right and works with the space to create harmony in the composition moving the viewers eye up and off the page.
Creating a Sense of Harmony and Balance Between Figure and Ground
January 21, 2015 § Leave a comment
Continuing in the series based on two dimensional design concepts, we look at allowing the spatial areas of our compositions to step forward and claim power on the page. Too often, we tend to try and fill our artwork with subjects that are figural. In order to create a sense of harmony and balance, we need to allow the negative passages to hold as much power as the positive. Here we see the leaves and berries enter the composition from the edges. They reach out to activate the surrounding space. Notice how important the small passages involving the interplay of space and form become.
Second in a Series of Anna and Clare at Play
October 28, 2014 § Leave a comment
This is the second of a three drawing series depicting Anna and Clare at play. The first drawing showed the two little ones thinking about their next moves and now they’re beginning to interact. The tunnel at the playground allows their imagination to run wild! The contour or line drawing does most of the work for you by laying out the framework of composition, form revealed through a light source, and your personality. Serial imagery allows your storyline to go further than what you see in just one work.
Hazel in the Mirror
December 16, 2013 § Leave a comment
Here is the last in a series of three drawings of my dear friend Hazel. It is based on the subject of reflection and in this portrayal we see the clarity in her mirrored image. At this point in her life, she was in the nursing home and her surroundings had been diminished to a few pieces of furniture in a small room. The once gracious hostess and teacher never lost her dignity and was always inviting and warm. I hope to be able to possess such strength and wisdom.
Dr. Mary McNaughton and Drawing 