Tonight was a total restart on this painting with a new foundation and glazes. I used a printout with white colored pencil for a transfer and began the piece with shades of gray. Not only is glass new to me but the cloth with folds is another interesting challenge.
Ah, the folds of the cloth... I once had a teacher who gave us only two drawing exercises for the entire term that to this day I think were two of the most helpful I have ever done. The first was when he brought in a bed sheet, and simply threw it on the floor- we drew it and drew it and drew it- from different angles, in different mediums, in small sections, and the entire piece; it was limitless in its subject fodder and we drew it for weeks. Then he took the sheet and twisted it into a long loose rope and hung it between two chairs- we continued to draw it. The second project was a simple crumpled paper bag which rivaled any marble sculpture as we struggled to draw its crags and crannies. I can still hear the teacher's voice as he would tell us to look for those lost and found edges, and to pay attention to the reflected light into shadows.
ReplyDeleteAlthough that was all more years ago than I care to admit, those lessons and practices have proven to be invaluable to me in practically every thing I have ever drawn since.
(The teacher, by the way, was James Aponovich who has since gone on to quite a noted career- check his work out on online.)
I can imagine the immense value of your exercises. Everything can be contained in the simplest object, can't it? Like it's all the same and really comes down to light and shadow. I find that on occasion I slow down enough to begin to really see. I must be in that very slow and meditative state to allow myself to simply see, to not think about what's in front of me.
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm especially drawn to his still lifes. Another New Hampshire native artist.
Great reflections on the glass! - Joyce
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joyce. Today I'll spend some time on those folds, rather those patterns of light and shade. :-)
ReplyDeleteso nice job and thanks my dear friend.
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