Lauren Reading; Gesture and Blind Contour
November 18, 2016 § Leave a comment
I haven’t posted for some time now and so I thought I’d throw in a drawing of my daughter, Lauren using a quick gestural and sometimes blind contour.
Three different Vantage Points of a Floral
April 14, 2016 § Leave a comment
In this series of a floral setting, I chose to frame in different areas. In the first, I chose to look at a fully bloomed flower and its relationship to its budding elements.
In the second I explored how the composition played out in a horizontal format highlighting its repetitive qualities and creating a sense of motion.
In the third, I centered on the relationship the floral elements had to the surrounding space.
Changing the Palette to Achieve Serial Imagery
March 31, 2016 § 3 Comments
Rather than portraying our subjects just once, it is always beneficial to take our story line further with serial imagery. One simple approach is to keep the subject the same and simply change the palette. Here I start with a fairly monochromatic drawing.
Bernard Chaet’s students’ work at Yale have always represented for me the beauty of diverse personalities’ approach to the same subject and how we can always learn from one another.
Next, I begin to add more color, yet keep the palette quite restricted.
The final drawing in this three drawing series enriches the color scheme even further.
All in all, quite a simple solution to creating serial imagery!
Area of Focus
January 24, 2016 § 2 Comments
In this drawing on colored paper, I centered the white around the head of Lauren, my sleeping child. Doing so helps create an area of focus and an element of drama. Chiaroscuro encompasses the style of drawing or painting which reveal an illuminated subject in a darkened environment. The contour line in the outer areas leads you in and out of the composition.
Using Contour as the Framework
January 24, 2016 § Leave a comment
I will be recommending books that I believe will help you along your journey of self discovery through drawing and will start with my book the Little Book of Drawing; a Friendly Approach. This book is unlike others in that it highlights the contour line as the framework for your personality and emotion, composition, and reveals form and depth. My drawing of Lauren illustrates the importance of the contour. Notice that my contour is unique with its curvilinear quality and quirkiness. Yours will be much different. By allowing your hand and pencil to become an extension of your eye, you lose your inhibitions and connect with the subject. This gradated pencil drawing allows that line or contour to show through.
Serial Imagery Based on the Theme of Relection
January 14, 2016 § 1 Comment
This still life drawing in pencil also speaks to the subject of reflection. Our big red tabby, Jake had to get in on the action and so I incorporated him into the composition.
Shift in Focus
September 22, 2015 § Leave a comment
This is the last of the series of black and white pencil drawings of my friend Hazel based upon the theme of reflection. Here the focus and clarity shifts from the person to the reflection in the mirror. One can see how sparse the small room was in the nursing home. This stands in stark contrast to her environment at home where she had fine china, her grand piano, and a spacious and lovely setting. Yet she was gracious to the end, accepting what life handed her
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Reflection
September 15, 2015 § Leave a comment
This is another drawing of Hazel; a dear friend. This was part of a series based upon the theme of the mirrored image. The focus shifted from the self to the mirror. It brings new meaning to subject of reflection as we ponder ourselves and our place in this world.
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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Gradated Pencil Drawing of Persephone
June 18, 2015 § Leave a comment
Here’s another vantage point of the gradated pencil drawing of Persephone
Dr. Mary McNaughton and Drawing 