Drawn to drawing classes

In between lockdown these classes restarted in Victoria Works studios. It was good to get back together but now alas we are back on Zoom. These are some of the works I produced.

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Most are coloured pencil with addition of pastel or watercolour. The top two are from photos, the bottom two from life.

This was my favourite work. A still life of a pot with some fairly dead plants. It’s drawn entirely in colour pencils, using mainly greys but just a little blue in places. No graphite at all. I was very pleased with the range of tones that came out

Drawing the little things in life

So we are back in covid lockdown. That will be the theme of life for a while I fear. Art gives us an outlet and purpose which I am thankful for. I’ve been doing little drawings. Partly so I can concentrate on detail, partly as it is quicker and mainly because I am running out of storage volume. One of the first things I’ve drawn small is a little lapis lazuli bead I wear around my neck on a leather thong.

Bread on the left, drawing, about 1.5 times life size, on the right.

I started with a watercolour wash and then lots of dense colour pencil work. It is always surprising how many colours are needed.

I mainly use Polychromos pencils, but I have started trying Luminance a well. Can’t seer any real difference.

The two sides of the bead are quite different, with many pyrites inclusions on one side, so I drew then both and then mounted them in a frame.

I’ve raised the paper to get a shadow edge. Not totally convinced.

I’m very fond of this little bead. Lapis was the source of original ultramarine and I think of it as the artist’s gemstone. I wear it all the time. When I go swimming in the sea it is usually all I wear to preserve my modesty. Seems to work.