Pairing the Contour with the Finished Gradation
June 11, 2015 § Leave a comment
In understanding the power of the contour to provide the framework for your finished work, it always helps to pair both. In seeing the lights and darks of the line drawing to inform you of the light source, point of focus, the layout of the composition and reveal your personality alongside the gradation based on that contour, it helps to clarify things. Here is the side view of Persephone in contour and gradation.
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.
From my Point of View
October 15, 2014 § Leave a comment
This is an older work of me completing a self portrait. You, as the viewer, see things from my point of view. My body becomes dramatically foreshortened and enlarged while my hands and image in the mirror are smaller and lighter in value. This difference allows you to see a steep drop from my eyes to the drawing surface.
Changing from Pencil to a Limited Color Drawing
October 2, 2014 § Leave a comment
A new frame was created for a pencil drawing of mine. It no longer worked as the frame held a similarity to brass. I added a limited palette of browns so that the entire piece could become integrated.
St Paul Cathedral
September 8, 2014 § Leave a comment
I am posting the contour and final drawing of the St Paul Cathedral in St Paul, MN. I was looking above the rectory at the dome and wanted to lead the viewer to that upper area. This was accomplished by allowing the focal point to contain all of the values including extreme lights and darks. The gradation scale became more restricted and encompassed only middle range lights and darks in the lower areas. 
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 