This exercise was about creating shadows using lines and marks.
for the first experiments I picked some bananas as a subject.
they have a ridged form and the waxy exterior would reflect some good soft gradual light.
Using Graphite, Biro, fineliner pen and brush and Ink, I worked up the four drawings, using hatched lines for the first three drawings and the edge of the brush to smear ink. I was comfortable drawing with the pencil, the fine liner and the biro the most, the brush was a little more complicated, I needed a softer touch and my loose experimental approach didn’t lend itself as well, at least not with the approach I was taking.
The second part of the exercise called for another drawing of 5 objects.
I actually started the next drawing (below) in graphite then after my initial drawing I thought it might be more effective in a softer medium, so I started a second drawing in brown conte crayon.
While both do demonstrate the shadows I observed, the second drawing feels more finished and brought to conclusion, I think that’s because the overall image is darker and has more contrast.
I kept my approach to this as simple and loose as I could. While looking at the objects I assigned them one of three values, light medium and dark, in this case the paper became the lightest value, once I established my tones I worked at building up my marks to create texture and tone.
the drawing tools I picked for the first drawings did seem to lend themselves to mark making, the conte crayon got a little muddy.
I feel the fine liner was my most satisfying drawing, it had a good range of tone and the line work looks interesting and angular.
I enjoyed this looser approach it really adds a lot of information of light and form very quickly, I can see this approach really helpful for rough pre sketches.
