Shape and form directed study

This is a quick 10 minute study of the form and shape of an apple and a tomato using a graphite stick. It shows different methods of achieving forms of three dimensional objects.

The shapes of the objects are very well shown through simple lines in the first study. In the next study the form is brilliantly exposed, especially on the apple as it gives off a very nice three dimensional feeling. The shadows are very well created as they show different tone values, a lighter one and a darker one. Evidently, the third study was not successful for the grid lines were not placed correctly and instead of showing a 3D view it gives off a 2D view. The last study shows a better use of the grid and is a good example of a three dimension form. On the other hand, the circular like lines might not work so well for the tomato. The shading could have been better in the last study, for it does not show the form very well. Another good way of showing shape would have been by drawing the negative spaces around the objects.

Single point perspective

This is a quick 10 minute sketch of a hallway created by using a graphite stick, which shows the theory of single point perspective.

The lines of the corridor are directed towards the vanishing point giving it a good three dimensional view. When looking at the drawing the eye falls exactly on the wall where the vanishing point is. The shadows are nicely cast on the wall and in the entries where the bedroom doors are.

 It is not a perfect drawing, because the view appears to be leaning to the left and it does not give stability to the drawing. The lines on the fire doors that come towards the viewer are not straight and give off a somehow peculiar feeling. It is best seen at the bottom of the doors where the lines are bent, making it look very unrealistic. The panels with notes on them look unrealistic as well for they could have been worked in more detail and they also don’t look symmetrical, as they should be. The light in the back could have used better shading and more detail. The drawing would have benefited from more detailed shading for better depth.

Showing form using light and shadows

These two sketches of different still-life set-ups took 20 minutes to produce using charcoal. Both of them focus on showing the form of basic geometrical objects using light and shadows.

The first drawing shows great use of shadows, especially on the cloth and the black background contrasts the arrangement pretty well giving it a pretty good three dimensional feeling. A range of tonal values are shown, which create depth, especially on the drapery near the cone. At first the viewer’s eye falls on the cone and then it is drawn to the black shadow on the cloth in the right. The shadow makes beautiful line that leads the eye to the cube and finally to the cylinder. This forms an implied line that takes a snake like appearance.

It is not a perfect drawing, for the cube’s perspective seems to be wrong and the cylinders form seems to be curved where the light hits the object. The cones top should be more lighted for it doesn’t feel right as the two lighted spaces are disrupted by a bridge of shadow.

The second drawing displays a beautiful example of different tonal values giving excellent form to the geometrical objects. The light falls perfectly on the sphere and drags the viewer’s eye to the dark part reaching the light dot in the back, which points out the direction where the eye should go. Then the eye is drawn by the ray of light that falls on the cone and then it follows the dark arc to the tip of the cone. The cloth near the cone on the right gives a good sense of depth. It is clear that the perspective on the cube that’s hidden underneath the cloth is better than in the first drawing.

It is not perfect by any means for the drawing would have brought better depth if the cloth had more detail in it as it had in the first drawing. Furthermore, the cloth on the left of the cone is completely wrong as it shows no sign of depth whatsoever. 

Week 4&5: Form

This is a 20 minute sketch of a still life set-up using a graphite stick showing the form of the objects in a grid and trough hatched shading. 

The main area of interest is in the middle and the goat’s skull would be the focal point. The second area of interest is the bottle on the left with the circular iron bars. The drawing shows really good form trough the shading of the objects and the grid as it gives really good 3D view.

The drawing is not perfect by any means, for the form of the little jug seems to be off. The perspective of the inside part of the jug is wrong for it should be drawn from a different angle. Also the body of the jug does not seem round and the handle looks wrong and thus it gives the impression that the object is deformed.

Week 4&5: Shape

This is a 15 minute sketch of a still life set-up using a graphite stick showing the shape of the objects by drawing the Negative Spaces. 

The darkened outline and background intensifies the appearance of the objects and make this drawing a good example of showing shape. The focal point in this sketch is the big urn and there are two areas of interest. The first one is the skull and the jar and the vase and the second one is the glass in front. The viewer’s gaze is drawn from the urn to the skull through the horn and then to the little jug and then to the vase and finally the glass in the front. This forms an implied line which forms the shape of a circle.

The drawing would have been a success if the value of the background would have had a lower key. This might have been obtained by using a different kind of pencil or by using charcoal. 

Week 3: Planning a drawing directed study

These two sketches of different still-life set-ups took 40 minutes to complete each using a graphite stick. Both of these drawings focus on the arrangement of a still life set-up as well as controlling the lighting in the room.

In the first drawing there is one focal point, the big mug, which holds the viewer’s interest and an area of interest created by the remaining two objects, the orange and the glass. The shadow of the mug seems to show good value as it is supposed to be darker when it’s closer to the object and lighter when it’s distancing itself from the object. It is a good drawing because it has a background and the objects were placed on a surface and thus there are no floating objects.

It is not perfect by any means, as there seems to be a lot of different shadows and reflections were cast from the remaining two objects. The cause of this is that light was coming from different directions and therefore the lighting wasn’t controlled in the room. It seems that the reflection on the glass is a little off, probably because of poor observation. There seems to be an absence of depth when it comes to the glass in the back as it gives the impression that it merges with the mug.

In the second drawing the focal point seems to be the soda can and the area of interest would be the tomato on the left. The viewer’s eye falls on the can at first and then it is drawn by the can’s shadow that falls on the egg and finally the eye is drawn to the tomato. This forms an implied line which makes the shape of a semicircle. As opposed to the first drawing, it is proven that the light was controlled in the room for there are not a lot of shadows and reflection on the table’s surface. It is a good drawing because the composition is balanced as the can contrasts well with the tomato.

However the drawing is not perfect as it seems that the shape of the can is a little bit off. This may be because there seems to be no strong line to distinguish the base of the can from its shadow on the right. On a second look it may seem that the viewer’s eye is following the can’s shadow on the right and then it is lost until it is drawn by the other shadow that falls on the egg.