Contemporary Drawing Practices

Monday, March 3, 2014

Week 3: Non-Traditional Drawing Techniques, Contours & Surface Variation

Part 1: For this week, I decided to focus my content on the outlines of everything around me, the separation of shadow and light, or of one color, from color. I like to observe everything around me at all times, whatever it is; I oftentimes begin to imagine things in their drawn, or sketched form, reducing what I see down to lines or shadows, created by a pencil. I took this thought and chose to apply it visually, allowing one to think of the world in such a way, other than in a passive manner, seeing things only as one scene to the next. I chose red yarn, for visibility purposes and used tape to assist in guiding the string in the correct contours.

Part 2: I also chose to use water, for the experimentation of surfaces; by brushing water across wood, cardboard, a mirror and plastic, I was able to see how it reacted with each material surface. I was considering this, in relation to the way mediums, such as paint, or charcoal, will react differently with various surfaces and provide numerous results. The water was absorbed faster by the cardboard and wood, than the mirror, or plastic; the wood absorbing the water the fastest, of the two. The mirror and plastic allowed the water to maintain a 3-D effect, as it would not dissolve into the surface and would only disappear through drying up.

Material: String

Process: Reflection/Movement

Primary Element: Reflection

Material: Water

Process: Erasure/Reflection

Primary Element: Water

Monday, February 24, 2014

Week 2: Non-Traditional Drawing Techniques, Reductive Pointillism

For this process, I used a thumb tack to poke holes, through the sides of a card board box. In the first two images, I wanted to use the imagery of, a ballerina and a horse's face, half hidden; but in the third image, I created a sort of astronomical design that could resemble an illustrative, night sky. While working on this project, I thought of pointillism, but in a reductive manner.

Material: Cardboard

Process: Erasure

Primary Element: Erasure

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Non-Traditional Drawing Techniques, Black String

I explored the use of black, wax string, to create various "drawings"; at first notice, the line look very similar to black ink pen, however, knots in the string and shadows of raised pieces, reveal it's true aspects. I wanted to do fun little pieces that might make you laugh, or just smile.

Material: String

Process: Movement/Collection

Primary Element: String

1. The Red Balloon

2. A Bright Idea

3. Monkeying Around

4. Pretty Little Flower

5. Freckles and Red Hair

6. Rainy Day

7. Holmes

8. Start Your Day With a Smile

9. Sir Louis

10. Cozy Coffee

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The ABC's of Charcoal - Images & Descriptions

A - Asymmetrical design

- Symbol

- Abstract

B - Bag

- Ordinary Object

C - Compass

- Ordinary Object

- Highly Graphic

D - Doors

- Highly Graphic/ Highly Modeled

- Ordinary Object

E - Explore: Telescope

- Highly Graphic

F - Flower

- Highly Modeled

- Ordinary Object

G - Gem

- Highly Graphic

H - Harry Potter: Wand

- Popular Culture

- Highly Modeled

- Abstract

I - Instagram

- Popular Culture

- Ordinary Object

J - Jupiter

- Symbol

- Abstract

K - Key

- Highly Graphic

- Ordinary Object

L - Library

- Scene

- Highly Graphic/ Highly Modeled

M - Marshmallow

- Ordinary Object

- Highly Graphic/ Highly Modeled

N - Narsil Sword: Lord of the Rings

- Popular Culture

- Highly Graphic/ Highly Modeled

O - Open Lock

- Highly Graphic

P - Pendant

- Highly Graphic/ Highly Modeled

Q - Quilt

- Ordinary Object

R - Reflection: Cosplay

- Highly Modeled

- Poplar Culture

- Abstract

S - Sweets

- Highly Modeled

- Ordinary Object

T - Trees

- Highly Modeled

- Scene

U - United States: The Constitution

- Highly Modeled

V - Virtue Symbol

- Symbol

W - Wax Seal

- Highly Modeled

- Symbol

X - Xylography: Wood Carving

- Highly Modeled

Y - Young: Dancer

- Highly Graphic

Z - Zelda

- Highly Graphic

- Popular Culture

Combo Drawing - Cave: I included, the Narsil sword, the compass, the Jupiter symbol, the telescope & the drawing of Zelda. I only altered the position/rotation of each item. I also added handles onto the Narsil sword. I chose items that I felt might be used, or left behind in such a mysterious setting. I felt that the items complimented each other as well. I really wanted an illustrative sort of look, that made hint of a narrative.

Combo Drawing - Ballroom: I included, the doors, the young dancer, the pendant, the asymmetrical design, the key, the rose and the trees. I did not alter all items; I removed the motion strokes from the young dancer, I altered the position of the trees, I attached the pendant chain onto the back of the dancer's dress and I removed the modeling of the rose, in order the maintain clear visibility. I chose items that built a story for the scene; I felt that maybe this girl had gone into a forbidden ballroom to dance (because of the key lying on the ground, as well as the emptiness of the room).