Exercise - Fish on a plate

Fish of choice Mackerel, very distinctive tiger strip pattern along the spine against emerald blue colour.  First sketch drawn in acrylic ink with dip pen.

Mackerel drawn in oil pastel using  low odour thinners to blend the colours

Mackerel drawn using water-soluble pencils, using water in the colours on the back and to block in the shadows. light hatching used on the stomach of the fish to indicate the texture of the skin.

Two mackerel on a plate, with one of the fish positioned so that its back is facing the viewer making  the most of the surface with the most colour and detail.  The first study done using oil pastels and  thinners and the second study done using water-soluble coloured pencils.  In the second study I have spent more time on the drawing, focusing again on the pattern on the back of the fish which I think is a key indication of the type fish I am drawing.

As I have possibly mentioned in a previous section enjoying using the oil pastel and the effects that can be achieved when used in conjunction with thinners, such as drawing the black pattern on the fish into a slightly damp layer of thinners.  

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Exercise - Grabbing the chance

Various sketches of my parents Boxer, nice solid dog which I felt would make a better subject than my own dog, a Schnauzer, which needs a hair cut...wouldn't offer the same sense of form. Sketches  done using artist drawing pen (felt tip like) and a biro, last drawing of the dog done with Sanguine smooth sketching pencil.

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Whilst moving pots around in the garden looking for a flowers to draw in the previous exercise I found some newts which remained remarkable still...thought they were dead but did come round  after sometime in the sun.  Drawn in biro and sepia coloured acrylic ink using a bamboo dip pen.

Charcoal drawing of my dog, after a recent trim

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Exercise - Drawing with other colour media

In this drawing I have used the Cornflower plant as my subject matter, the flower heads has been drawn in ink with the pip-pet, the stems and leaves in conte crayon, the plant pot in marker pen and charcoal, the table in oil pastel and the background behind the plant in soft pastel.

Not sure if I have confused using mixed media with being more expressive, but feel effort involved in observing the plant probably more apparent in the coloured pencil study, that said I enjoyed creating this picture and prefer it to the coloured pencil study.

Exercise - Plants and flowers in coloured pencil

Sunflowers and agapanthus, in this drawing I have tried the technique of burnishing on the head of sunflowers,applying pressure and multiple layers to dark areas.

Cornflowers, in the drawing again the effort has been put into the flower heads with the burnishing method used here and on the flower pot.

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Exercise - Negative space in a plant

Here I have drawn the negative spaces of a vase lilies using a biro. Slight issue with negative space that defines the vase, sides not symmetrical.

Couple of days later now that more of the lilies are in bloom I have drawn the negatives spaces using a bamboo dip pen. I have chosen a slightly more elevated position to focus on the flower heads, excluding the vase.

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Exercise - Drawing using oil pastel

In this still life I have tried to include all the techniques associated with this medium; graffito on the the sweet corn and seeds of the pomegranate, blended using thinners on the worktop.

Exercise - Using markers or dip pens

Bamboo dip pen used producing strong linear marks, colour of the fruit also emphasised by linear marks.

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Exercise - Using hatching to create tone

In the following studies of peppers the main medium used is colour pencil with some details add a fine point pen and shadows added with a marker pen.

I have tried to shade the peppers in aways that best reflect the various plains of the form and as such leaving the marks visable.

In the following study I used only coloured pencil

Going back to a more traditional fruit arrangement not sure I am happy with the inclusion of the red grapefruit, but feel this study best demonstrates the use of cross hatching.

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Exercise - Still life group in tone

In this still life drawing of eggs, bagels and cherry tomatoes I have used soft pastels and have tried to render the form of the objects using mainly tone avoiding to heavy an outline which I tend to favour.  I think the my choice of lighting has helped to provide sufficient contrast been highlight and shadow to achieve a sense of depth and form that I am happy with in the finished study.

Possible issue the darkest tones are not consistent (eggs vs bagels),  and the shadow cast by the cherry tomatoes in the fore ground needs to be redefined (reduce the area in shadow)

Exercise Still life group using line

Still life drawing of fruit and veg using line only to describe the objects

In the following still life I have included cherry tomatoes, bagels and eggs.

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