Part 1 Exercise 1 Group of Objects

Initially my sketches in my sketchbook were very disproportional. I realized that I was getting hung-up of doing one container after another, often starting at the back of the composition. This meant that by the time I had worked forward the placement of items were totally off. I then switched to working from the front objects towards the back. I also tried a more gestural approach, followed by lines to define the contours of the containers and bottles. I found the need to observe the negative spaces more keenly in order to ensure the correct placement and shape of overlapping areas. Box angles were a challenge, as often I would concentrate so much on the angles of the sides, that I would get the relative size of the sides incorrect. Bottle lids also posed a problem to me - especially when foreshortening was involved.

After four preliminary sketches, and a few days break, I decided that I was tired of the traditional pencil and eraser regime. As I had fun drawing with a toddler on Sunday, I decided to try to remember his enthusiasm at discovering the mark making ability of crayons, so opted to try a sketch in crayons. I love the color teal - it makes me feel happy.




What I did find was that I had to be more decisive about my marks as there was no option of erasing, but I could start out lightly.

Study of basket weaving

I love the art equipment basket my husband bought me for Christmas. I spent the rest of the study period studying its contours and how to indicate three dimensions with its twisted forms. My initial drawing was totally disproportionate, so I decided to draw right on top of it. As I am such a perfectionist, this was an attempt to force the idea that my sketchbook does not need to be perfect. I am still having trouble with the perspective and relative proportions. I might decide to return to this project once I have practiced my drawing skills even more. My observational skills have certainly become lazy over the past 25 years of not being seriously engaged in drawing. 

Basket study

This exercise reminds me of the work of Alberto Giacometti. I love his exploratory sketches of still-life objects and his workshop.

A number of years ago saw a simple sketch of a dish drying rack with random kitchen items in it. In thinking of what I would like to do as my final study, I decided to give the dish rack idea a try. Here is my initial practice sketch from my sketchbook.





Sketchbook Preparatory drawing

 

 

I really struggled with the perspective of the dish rack. Because of the foreshortened angle of the rack, it was hard to get everything proportioned and the front of the dish rack could have done with being a bit deeper. I think I will go with this composition however, as I think it has potential and is visually more dynamic than the straight forward front on angle.

As I am living in Cotonou, Benin, it is extremely difficult to get ahold of A1 or A2 size paper. The large-scale paper I did find was about the quality of photocopy paper. Because of the poor quality of the paper available, I decided to use A3 size paper for my final sketch, so that I could work on the perspective without running the risk of the paper tearing from erasing.

Final Sketch



I am amazed at how when you become fixated on one aspect of the perspective in a drawing, your eventually realize that the area just adjust to it is totally misrepresented. The bowl in the middle was the hardest item to draw. The angle of the elliptical base draw at its degree of foreshortening proved to be a challenge. The dish rack also posed a challenge, but I must admit that I really felt as if I pushed myself to greater levels of observation than I have done in years, so I feel like this exercise has definitely increased my awareness of the intricacies of placement and perspective.

 

What I Learned

• You have to constantly hop back and forward between viewing the composition as a whole and the intricacies of how objects interact and relate to one another.
• Curved bowls at strange angles are deceptively difficult to get in perspective..
• Aerial perspective adds an interesting dynamic to a group of objects.
• Photographing pencil drawings takes a lot of effort and I still don't seem to quite have it right.