Self Assessment – Drawing 1

Assignment 1

My first assignment, Still Life, was described by my tutor as although being technically competent was too illustrative. I set up the still life with some of my more obscure ornamental objects that I had around my house to create a sort of scene, I think this arrangement was the core reason for the illustrative nature, however, having chosen to work in dip pen the detail and relatively tight drawing style this exaggerated the outcome. When I produced the drawing I was quite happy with it, but I came to appreciate my tutor’s comments more as I worked my way through part 2 and worked in a far more experimental style.

Assignment 2

I had taken on board my tutor’s comments during this section of the course and really tried to free up my work and experiment with different media. This assignment I feel was much more successful, the combination of different media makes for a far more interesting piece of work. The final piece is in some ways I feel is a bit too busy and does not leave too much to the imagination, but the textures and colours create an interest in the overall feel of the image. My favourite part of this part was actually drawing around my house in my sketchbook, this I found experimental and liberating, I enjoyed making this record of my home.

Assignment 3

This part of the course was concentrating on buildings. I think that I got wrapped up in being accurate with the detail of the structure and of recreating the building faithfully and accurately. This resulted in some very accurate renditions that I ended up taking far too long over and resulted in a rather twee outcome. I did try a quicker version; however this lacked any emotion and was pretty dead as a drawing. I think that the very nature of buildings being static contributed in my rather static interpretation of the subject matter.

I also consider that whilst freely working in my sketchbook and being experimental, I got what I can only describe as Assignment tension and suddenly reverted back to being detailed and intricate in my interpretation of the subject matter. I also seemed to have misunderstood the brief, even though I did read it a number of times, ‘Take up to 2 hours’ turned into ‘Take at least 2 hours’ in my head. Taking longer over a drawing just allows the opportunity over work and add too much detail.

Assignment 4

I took advice from the handbook for this part of the course and too up going to life drawing classes. This really helped me to loosen up really practice drawing the figure in a number of different styles. Of all the Assignments I feel that this was my most successful. I think that I managed to apply some of the techniques that I had been developing and actually put them to good effect in the actual assignment. I also made sure that I did not spend too long on each piece so as not to run into the danger of overworking it.

In my first portrait Seated figure working in line I wanted to get across that feeling of someone working. I was pleased with the outcome. The fact that I indicated the background rather than detailing it really helped with the impression of someone busy at work and focussing on the figure rather than whole image.

The second portrait of a reclining figure in tone was not so successful. I think that there is too much detail and distraction from the figure. Focussing on a small part of the composition and working on a closer more magnified section would have created a more interesting composition. Even my second version in monochrome, which works better as it is slightly looser, does not really compel as a really strong drawing.

The final work was the portrait in line and tone which I feel is my most successful. The line and tone are free enough that still leave much to the imagination which makes it an interesting image to view.

After feeling that I had sort of stepped back during part 3, I felt that Part 4 of this course was really the section that I freed up started to find some styles that I enjoyed working in. The process of life drawing really helped me loosen up and experiment, as did the fact that I was drawing a more natural and textural forms.