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These fundamental studies that you are doing are great. I wish more artists would do the same. You’ll learn more focusing on learning to describe simple forms like these and faster than trying to handle the entire figure for example. Focus on the nature of the core and cast shadow. Where is it soft, where is it sharp? Is there a double shadow? More than two? Make them more distinct in character and it will help the illusion. Try to work more into the halftones as well on the light side. It’s difficult but that’s where a lot of the magic happens.
Thanks to both of you for the advice! I see what you mean by the shadows… it should be much more diffuse where the bananas are further from the table, and I for sure kept the half-tones too light. (Bananas aren’t white!) I’ll keep working on forms and shadows!
Day 42:
Quick composition study using charcoal that was much too dull and light for what I was trying to do. There’s a lesson to be learned here in picking the right tool for a job. The scene in the film is much darker but had about the same overall range of values as my sketch. It’s from the 1943 film Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man. I was watching it yesterday and thought it was so neat that the scene made me feel like an outsider listening in to a conversation. Moleva (Maria Ouspenskaya) is the only one really in focus during this scene, too, and the contrast between her and the grumpy eavesdropper is just great.
Day 43:
I wanted to try working on form and lighting in watercolour. It didn’t go very well – I can’t seem to control the medium and so the subtle forms are distorted and part of the cast shadow pulled away from warping. Lines are soft where they should be bard and hard when it should be gradual. A sad turnout today.
Hello Kelsey, I really like your watercolor sketch. It caught my attention right away. It’s such a lively, vibrant medium. I think that the spontaneous nature of the medium itself makes up for certain mistakes, especially in sketch style. I know that cotton paper plays a huge part in how much you can control the medium. I only use cotton paper for watercolor, which I prefer to get in sheets and stretch over a varnished wood panel. It’s more economical for me.
Kat, yes I was using my cheap mixed-media paper, which may have some cotton but I’m not sure. I am trying to use it up because I don’t really like it, but then this happens. I have a nicer paper that’s a cotton blend and I like it much better, so it will be fun to see what full cotton paper is like (it’s on my shopping list when I finish using up the mixed media paper).
Day 44:
Today I went through the first lesson of the new easy perspective course and then tried doing a one point sketch from a photo I took. I’m embarrassed to post it. Not only was I actually doing some two point perspective (since my point was to the left) but I was trying to freehand the lines and I’m not articulate enough to get good straight lines, and that threw everything off! I’ll try one-point again via construction another day, with a ruler.
Day 45:
Sketch with light shading for my next watercolour. I love pumpkins and this will get me some more practice with shading simple forms. I didn’t go much into shading because I’m going to erase most of it – I just wanted to get an idea of where things were.
I was thinking of a purple-brown wash in the background with flecks of green. Or maybe blue-purple (and brown to tone down) since that’s technically split complementary?
Day 46:
Didn’t finish work till after dusk, so no painting today. I did a one point perspective with a loose reference to my photo, rather than trying to copy it. I think I learned more because doing this allowed me to see the concept behind the pieces of architecture (ex how the points from the half circle made for the ceiling joints) and how different elements aligned together.
Your “unsuccessful” watercolor and perspective studies look quite good to me. Keep doing them, though you may never be satisfied. As you improve so do your goals.
Thanks Joshua. Sometimes I think I should be progressing faster and frustration occurs.
Day 47:
Work in progress – lots more to do! I really like adding red to mark the terminator. It’s made it easier to see the divide and adds a neat effect. Just from looking at it I see I need to adjust the terminator for the forefront pumpkin. For the background, this is the start and I’ll be layering greens on top.
Thank you Luna!
Day 48:
And more from the pumpkin watercolour. I’ve got some things to finish tomorrow but it’s mostly done. Not a fan of the background and I rather wish I had left it white. Ah well, it was good practice anyways.
Nice job on the pumpkins. I’m glad you didn’t leave the background white. You need that cool color in the background to make the pumpkins look warmer.
Good point, Erik!
Day 49:
Went through all of Lesson 2 from the new perspective course and took notes. Only did one page of sketches to go with it.
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