Project Four: Geometric Still-life, Under Painting and Shadow Quality

 

Objective:

To further demonstrate the elements of seeing, attaining proper proportions, identifying local colors, layering, working from the back of the drawing forward. You will be working with color soft pastels minus black. You will create an under drawing of the organic still-life attaining the best possible proportions and perspectives. You will utilize the under painting technique keeping in mind value and complimentary color. These blocked out, under painting areas do not need to be flat or one single color. Then you will build a drawing over the under painting that will focus on local color, value range, reflective light, shadow, edge quality and vibrancy build a drawing that demonstrates your increasing ability to work with color and soft pastels.

 

Directions:

Step 1: Take a 15" x 22” sheet of BFK paper mount it on your drawing board in a format of your choice. Then using a ruler and mark off a 1” frame all around your drawing with a pencil.

 

Step 2: I will lecture on compositional elements that you will consider when finding and angle and area of the still-life. I want a drawing that includes the entire environment touching all four edges. Using an H pencil create the under drawing being mindful to keep the drawing surface as clean as possible. Utilize the sighting technique, bracketing, and centering. Correct proportions and perspectives are expected.

 

Step 3: Once your under drawing is complete take the knowledge gained from my demo and your work on the color studies to block out large areas of the drawing keeping in mind value, vibrancy and complimentary colors with pastels that you then wash with OMS. Consider changing values or even colors within your under painting areas.

 

Step 4: Once you have your under drawing and painting complete, start identifying what colors you see in the still life and collect those colors from your pastel palette. Start working from the lighter values to mid-key hues from the back of the drawing to the front.

 

Step 5: Move the pastel around the drawing in whatever manner you found most appealing from the demo. Keep in mind vibrancy, edge quality and value range. No black is allowed.

 

Step 6: Complete drawing to the best of your ability. Spray with fixative and hand in according to the outline in the syllabus.

 

 

Materials:

15" x 22" BFK, Soft Pastels, Pencils, Erasers, Ruler, Synthetic Paintbrushes, OMS