Sem 2 Week 9 Shadow and Tonal Values

This is a 1 hour drawing of an exhibition in a hallway drawn from a balcony.  It was made using graphite stick and the piece studies shadows and tonal values. This landscape uses layers of depth, for example the midground is formed by the statue and the balcony, the foreground is made out of the glass barrier and the wall on the right and the background is composed of the wall with the windows and the roof.

This piece is successful in showing good observation through perspective and succeeds when it comes to showing depth using tonal values and showing detail. This is evident from the area beneath the statue and the window area. The point of interest in this piece is the exhibition in the middle and the areas of interest would be the space beneath the statue and the area that’s in the back of the exhibition in the upper right corner. Depth is given by shadows with different tonal values from light ones to dark ones that were created using the technique of hatching. From the position of the shadow close to the roof it seems like the light source is coming from where the piece was drawn. The drawing also benefits from impressionistic techniques for conveying detail, like on the statue.

The drawing is not perfect, because the perspective of the exhibition is a little bit off and the windows should’ve been parallel with the roof lines.

Sem 2 Week 8 Scenic Comopsition

These are two scenic landscapes of two different natural compositions made with graphite that took about 40 minutes each to complete. In the first drawing the foreground is the grass arcs, the midground is the stairs and the background is the building in the back. In the second drawing the foreground is the grass, the midground is the pathway with the trees and the background is the detail in the back, which gives depth to the piece.

Both pictures are successful in showing a variety of tonal values, but the first drawing is more successful than the second one in this case, because of the grass strokes. Depth can be seen in both drawings, like on the arcs and it is clear that the trees in the second drawing are at a different level than where the grass is. In the second drawing there's a nice sense of balance, for there's an equal amount of information on both sides. The light post is positioned on the rule of thirds, as well as the last tree on the right.

The drawings are not perfect, as in the first drawing the perspective on the stairs is wrong and the building would've benefited from tonal values for more depth. The second drawing could've used more tonal values to give off more depth and breadth,for example the grass in the foreground could've been shaded.

Sem 2 Week 7 Perspective of Curves

This is a 1 hour architectural drawing of a modern building using a graphite stick. It does not study the perspective of curves, however it studies a very interesting perspective that seems quite difficult to capture.
The foreground consists of the arc like pillars next to the main building and the little gardens in the front of it.
The midground consists of the main building and the background is made out of the big building in the back and the tree.

The drawing does a pretty good job in capturing the difficult angles, however that does not mean it's perfect. The horizon line is represented by the line that passes through the door and the bins near it and it is quite close to the ground, which suggests that the person who drew this piece was sitting. It is a two point perspective drawing, for there are two vanishing points. The orthogonal lines of the base of the building and the top of it that face the viewer unite and form one vanishing point outside of the drawing. The other vanishing point, is formed outside of the drawing by the other two orthogonal lines that face the tree. The tree on the left adds some balance to the composition, however it feels like there should be more detail in that area for it to nicely balance the information on the right.

The drawing is not perfect, as the perspective is a little off, for example on the lines of the building in the midground, which is also the focal point of the drawing, should be narrower. Same goes for the building in the background. 

Sem 2 Week 6 Landscape, Angels in Architecture

This is a 1 hour landscape drawing using conte crayon that focuses on angles in architecture. It is a drawing of a lift and three floors drawn from a lower level. The horizon line is somewhere down outside the drawing, as the person who drew it was looking up. There is one vanishing point that goes out of the drawing and it follows the orthogonal lines of the lift shaft.  Foreshortening is also clear on the lift. The focal point of the drawing is the lift shaft, as that is what the viewer notices first and the area of interest is the levels on the right because of the big amount of detail. However the viewer’s eye might fall on the left side of the lift, because the dark tones of the levels catches the viewer’s eye and then it leads it to the right side of the lift.

The drawing does an excellent job in showing excellent observational skills through the amount of detail that is portrayed. Depth and breadth is clearly seen when it comes to the three levels and the space close to the ground, as the viewer can get a sense of dimension. The piece is a nice composition, as the lift is placed on the rule of thirds and it balances with the amount of detail that’s happening on the right. 

The piece is not perfect, as the perspective on the lift seems kind of wrong and it looks like the vantage point was changed.

Sem 2 Week 5: Non-human Anatomy

This is a quick 6 minute sketch of two taxidermies birds created using a graphite stick and focus on studying non-human anatomy.

The sketches are successful when it comes to perspective and showing correct animal anatomy. On the first bird there is clear foreshortening and it was observed very well. The shading on the beak is very well done with a highlight on it that works very well, as well as the shading in the back of the bird that gives a little bit of depth. The second bird is drawn from a good perspective and the anatomical study is correct. It is not perfect, as the body should’ve been a little bit longer and the bird seems to be missing a tail.

The sketch fails when it comes to depth, as the drawing lacks the tonal values given by shading. The drawing would’ve benefited from a little more detail, like drawing some feathers on the birds to give a sense of texture. The two sketches are too close to each other, as they are touching and a bit of space between them would’ve been beneficial. A background would’ve helped in giving breadth to the piece, as well as giving it some balance. 

Sem 2 Weeks 3&4- Anatomy and Movement

These are 10 minute sketches of the same female model using graphite stick. They are series of separate drawings that focus on capturing the model’s movements in different key frames just like in a storyboard.  It is a very good method for studying movement and understanding how the human body is affected when it’s in action.

Both drawings are successful in key framing the poses that the model takes, each one of them taking about 1 minute. The model’s proportions are correct for the most part and there is a logical understanding of how the model roles on the floor and there is a good sense of foreshortening as well. In the first drawing the model is getting bigger, as she approaches the viewer, which shows good observational skills. The second drawing portrays the same movements of the model but from a different vantage point and foreshortening is drawn correctly for the most part.

It is not perfect, as the sketches fails to show correct anatomy in some poses, like in the first drawing on the second pose the bum is too long and the legs lack the anatomical study, as the Patella is missing. In the second drawing on the second pose the legs are too long and need foreshortening and the back is too arched and looks wrong.

Sem 2 Week 2 Balance, Weight and Dynamism

This is a 40 minute charcoal drawing of a sitting female model leaning on one hand, in a static pose. It is also a gesture drawing, as the model is sitting in a laid back, relaxed pose. The piece also shows weight and balance through the pose that the model expresses.

The drawing does a very good job in showing a wide range of tones through the shadows casted and the highlights where the light falls on the body. Balance is evident, especially on the shoulders that are parallel with the bum’s axis and is also evident from the gesture of leaning on one hand.

It is not perfect by any means, for there are some obvious mistakes, like the proportion of the leg, which is too narrow in comparison with the female’s body. The left shoulder seems to be elongated and it feels like the arm was disconnected from the body. The other shoulder seems to have a mistake too, as it is too of a flat line and it’s too close to where the armpit is. The perspective of the hand on which the model is resting is also wrong and the arm seems to be too long as well and it looks unnatural. 

Sem 1 Week 13 Posture & Pose

This is a 20 minute anatomical drawing of a male model in a static pose using a thick graphite stick. It is a gesture drawing that portrays a state of contemplation through the subtle tilt of the head, as the model seems to be looking up and the pole on which he leans on amplifies this state. The knees that are held close together implies a state of relaxation and also adds to the thinking pose. The small gesture of the hand resting on the poll adds to the loosened state of the model.

The drawing succeeds in showing weight, for the shoulders seems to be quite loose and it feels like the weight is moved on the bum area. Balance is also evident in the drawing, because the axis of the shoulders is parallel with the axis of the Pelvis and the axis of the knees. Although not intended the drawing displays nice shading that was created using the long edge of the graphite. Certain anatomical parts of the body can be seen, like the Clavicle, the Pectoral muscles and a very nice subtle impression of the Patella on both feet. 

The anatomical study is correct for the most part, except for the head, as it should’ve been a little bit bigger and the left shoulder isn’t foreshortened as it should be. It also fails when it comes to proportion, for the arm that faces the viewer is a little too long and lacks a hand resting on the pole, so better observation would’ve been beneficial.

Sem 1 Week 11&12- Muscular Anatomy

These three small detailed drawings took about 15 minutes to produce using a graphite stick and focus on muscular anatomy. The first two drawings study the major muscles in the leg and arm, while the third one is a quick directed study of smaller muscles in the hand.

The first drawing perfectly shows the Gastrocnemius muscle through the detail in the lower part of the leg. The Biceps femoris and the Semitendinosus are highlighted by the two lines in the back and the Patella is drawn well from that perspective. The Gluteus Maximus is very well drawn and the strokes of the shadows give shape and depth to the leg. The drawing is not perfect when it comes to the perspective of the foot, however the anatomy on the back of the foot beautifully highlights the Achilles tendon and shows good anatomical study.

The drawing of the arm resting on the leg does a very good job in showing the Deltoid muscle, the Biceps and the Triceps. The upper arm is very nicely detailed together with the elbow, however the forearm doesn't benefit from that detail and there seems to be confusion on what muscles are shown, except for the Extensor muscle. The perspective of the hand on the leg is wrong and it needs more work regarding the detail of the wrist, as it should be narrower. The arm could've used some shadow tones for depth, like there is in the armpit area.

The hand drawing does a very good job in showing depth and breadth through a range of shadow tones and highlights, especially in the palm area. This drawing is a success in terms of showing correct anatomical study, good perspective and correct proportion ratio. Although not intended, this piece also shows how light falls on the human skin and how it is affected by it. A sense of depth is added to the piece thanks to the shaded background. It would've been interesting to draw the hand from another angle, for the composition seems kind of plain, as the hand is positioned in the centre of the page.

Overall the drawings are a success in showing correct muscular anatomy. The first two drawings could benefit from a background to give out depth and breadth, like in the third drawing, as well as further observation in terms of detail. Another way of strengthening the composition of the second drawing would've been to fill in the negative space, as it would've brought out the arm more.

Sem 1 Week 9&10- Anatomy

These are drawings of the same model drawn from different angels and took about 30 minutes to produce using graphite stick. These are anatomical studies that focus on familiarising oneself with the human body.

The anatomy in the first image shows good proportion in the upper body part, as the body from the chin down is 3 head units. . By contrast the leg from the knee down is too short and out of proportion and the foot’s perspective is wrong.  The drawing does a really good job on showing how fat is affected when it interacts with flat objects, for example on the leg where the Femur bone is. There is a subtle hint of shadow on the neck that gives depth to the skin and shows a little bit of the Clavicle

In the second drawing the vantage point is changed and the proportion of the leg was corrected as well as the perspective of the foot. This image benefits from shadow tones that help in highlighting anatomical parts of the body, like the scapula and the spine and even the elbow. It also shows a lot of depth, especially on the arm, where the shadow is cast on the body. There seems to be a nice sense of weight, when it comes to the belly, thanks to the fat lines and the strokes of the shadows that go in the same direction amplify it. The same applies to the bum area, giving it a sense of breadth.

In the third drawing there is clear evidence of foreshortening and it is successful for the most part, however the stomach area is too wide.  The hand on which the model is resting also seems to be too short and narrow. The shadows casted on the model give a lot of depth and it also gives a sense of weight especially on the arm resting on the leg. Good anatomical study is evident on the arm, where the Deltoid can be seen as well as on the other arm, where the Extensor muscle is. The Semitendinosus muscle is also clearly shown on the bent leg on the bed. A sense of breadth is given through the fat lines on the belly and the shadows casted by the arm amplifies this.

All three drawings are successful in terms of anatomical study and have succeeded in familiarising oneself with the human body. The drawings are not perfect by any means, for they need more work on when it comes to perspective, detail and proportions, however they are good through the observation of showing fat on the female body.