Still Life Sketches with Natural Objects

In the first sketch I used a charcoal pencil over a HB pencil  and I used conte crayon on the stems of the grapes.  I like the depth of colour you can achieve with the charcoal.

The second sketch has been enhanced by the computor to make it a little darker.  I think just using HB pencil for me is not enough to give me a build up of darker colours.  I am not very good a cross hatching to make an area darker, and I tend to start colouring in.  I like both compositions with the roundness of the grapes and the checked cloth.

Still Life Sketches of Man Made Objects

The first sketch I did took my a few hours, I found it very difficult to get the perspectives correct.  But the second I did quite fast and was quite happy with the results... shows me that the more I do the better I get as with everything else in life!!

I do not think it is any easier to suggest three dimensions on man-made or natural objects, they are both equal and difficult to sketch in relationship to each other.  I do think that having a combination of both man made and natural objects in a drawing or painting is much more interesting than just on or the other.  I tried to create a sense of solidity in all the compositions by placing the items close to each other and by using the checked cloth in the natural objects.  I think by using something similar in sketches of the man made objects that it could have enhanced the drawing somewhat.  I do not think that by changing the arrangement of the composition makes a difference to the approach and the way I create a sense of form.  I try to measure and draw with my pencil taking careful measurements to try to get everything in the correct place.  This takes practice and I do not see that anything is easier to draw than anything else and for me the composition makes no difference.   I can only draw sitting and looking directly at the object.  I think personally for me I prefer a medium such as charcoal to make darker marks on the paper as I am not happy with the light mark a HB pencil even with a build up of cross hatching.  I do feel however during these exercises that I have gained more pencil confidence.

Reflected light and shade using Charcoal

Check and Log

I did not experience difficulty in separating cast shadow because of the blackness of the charcoal.  I would think that on a painting with very soft light and shadows that it would be very difficult and a great deal of care would be needed to show the subtle differences.  I think I have adequately shown the reflected shadows and light following the contours of the objects in this drawing.  I really enjoyed drawing with the charcoal.

Total Excercises

This colour study was made from the tonal drawing of a vine leaf

CHECK AND LOG

It was no more difficult to distinguish between light from the primary light source and the secondary reflected light because the more you look the more you see.  And now after just a few exercises I find myself seeing things that I never really looked at before such as primary and secondary light on an object.  The new awareness has made it more possible to draw a form with the correct amount of light and shade.  

Supermarket shop

Check and Log

The objects in the drawing are the correct size and shape in relationship to each other.  The initial drawing was quite correct but by adding the black line I have destroyed the drawing.  Any slight variation from the original pencil meant a large error such as the lid on the jar of beans.  I think the items look solid enough  and I have created a feeling of depth, however, being firstly a painter and secondly a drawer, sadly, I could perhaps admit I was more interested in the colour than the drawing.  Which is not why I am doing this course.  I was happy with the over-all result and can see lots of scope for improvement

Using tonal study to add colour