These are my latest efforts, mainly done at AVA sessions on Thursday mornings.
This was my first attempt at Charles Darwin. All 16" x 12" Waterford High White unless otherwise stated.
Young Indian girl, probably in captivity.
This exercise at the AVA was to use only shades of grey.
Old Indian - Staedtler Pigment liner ranging from 01 to 08. This particular set of 6 pens is apparently exclusive to Cass Art (who now have a shop in Bristol).The reason I tried this was I've been attracted to a variety of drawings, using various types of pens/pencils and wanted to try this technique out . I was quite pleased with this result but another attempt at a female head was a failure.
Indian Chief - Mixed feelings about this one. Some of the old illustrations I use as a guide are quite blurry and with very hard edged black and white photos. Detail is lost in the shadows and they are difficult to interpret - at least by me.
Second Attempt at Charles Darwin using another guide photo. This was my original attempt at which point I was unsure what more to do. Yvonne, our AVA leader, suggested I needed to do a little more so I pondered it for a while then finished off as the final version shows. Khadi Hand Made paper supposedly A3 but it seems more like 15" x 11".
Charles Darwin - see comments above. This is more like what I am aiming at.
The actor Kit Harrington as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones.
A Chelsea Pensioner. This was done in response to the subject at a recent AVA session 'Remembrance'
The colours used on these subjects tend to be mostly grey mixtures using Ultramarine or Cerulean Blues with Burnt Umber or Transparent Brown (Schmincke). Daniel Smith Indigo in various dilutions for the hat. This is PB60 Indanthrene Blue with black. At full strength it is very dark.
I accept the above is a mixed bunch - just my work over the last few weeks. The only ones that I am happy with are Charles Darwin and Kit Harrington. The pen and ink one isn't too bad. The others? Could be better.
The next subject at the AVA is 'Autumn'. I've already started four different drawings and painted a little detail on three of them. The reason I've painted the detail in is to see if the painting will work. Of course it may not even now but two of the three look on the right path. Hopefully I'll post them in due course. You'd think after seventeen years I"d know exactly where I am or wanted to be. Still searching though for the magic formulae or at least still not reached a standard that is good enough consistently. Perhaps I never will as time is running out!
