Not having done any art for some time I decided to attend a class at the Mid Essex Adult Community College Summer School. This was a three day workshop called "The Art of Seeing" tutored by Michael Coote.
My first attempt was a dipper, I was attracted to this picture (saved from
an RSPB magazine) by the rush of water which I thought would be an
interesting challenge. Of course, being red-green colour blind, getting the
bird the right colours was even more difficult.
So I tried again in monochrome chalks, five shades from black through grey
to white. The bird looks more like a robin here than it should and the water
effect is not so good. I did a third one in charcoal but this was even worse,
it was not the sort of picture I like to do in charcoal.
I then dashed off a quick sketch of a humming bird in
charcoal, just to remind myself how nice it can be as a medium.
For me charcoal is ideal for capturing the essence and spirit rather
then to produce a "photographic" likeness, for which pencil
is better suited.
Reassured I then had a go at a black and white photograph that I
got from a woman's magazine. I always feel that charcoal is excellent
for this sort of subject.
I followed this with an Avocet, an ideal bird to draw in charcoal. At
the tutors suggestion I left the body to be filled in by the mind and
suggested the legs only by the shadows on them and the shadow on the
ground. I then cheated a bit by putting in a bit of colour on the legs
using pastels. I now think that was not a good idea, if adding colour
with pastels then I should have added some of the delicate tinges that
the Avocet has on the body.
My next picture was a kingfisher. The markings and colours didn't look right
to me but I tried to reproduce what was in the picture. I later realised that
it was not our native kingfisher but a foreign variety. Unfortunately I smudged
it a bit, always a risk with pastels and charcoal. I should have used a fixative
spray I suppose, but I have never got good results with it.
Next up was a return to charcoal, being a basically black and white study,
but since the other name for a lapwing is a green plover I chose to add
the green by water colour wash. Some interesting effects can be achieved
by mixing water colour with charcoal but I basically just drew over pale
washes once they had dried. It is surprising how long it takes to dry
enough for the charcoal to leave deep black marks again, even on a warm day.
On day three we had a visit from another class doing photography that wanted to
take snaps of us, "Studies in concentration".
We received print-outs of the results as a reward for our cooperation.
This is me at work on the second kingfisher.
I had found a box of pastels at home with a different range of colours so I took these along for day three.
I started on the head and laid down two colours for the background. When I came
to blend them with my finger, a common technique, I found to my surprise that
they had a waxy rather than chalky feel. After the tutor explained that these
were oil based rather than chalky ones and what techniques I needed to
use I settled down to it. I concentrated on the colours and texture a bit too
much I think to the detriment of the drawing so the proportions are a bit
haywire, rather stumpy in fact. However I think I will prefer this medium and
intend to do some more. It does however need a heavier paper than the
chalk-pastel paper I was using.
There was just time to start on this field mouse, but not enough time to
finish it. Still some people spent the whole three days on just one picture.
We all enjoyed ourselves though, which was one of the main objectives.
I could be back again next year.
I took one or two photos of the other work being done in the class but the camera played up and so I didn't get them all. I have included these below. The last picture is my lapwing in progress.
