Module 4 chapter 5

Drawing in Colour.

I had spotted this chapter when I first got this module downloaded and was a bit worried about it but took a deep breath and made a start.  I have some watercolour pencils that I bought over a period of time so the colour selection is a bit random and I didn't always have the one I needed.  I had never really used them to paint a picture, I just used them for colouring in bits and pieces.

My first attempt is the Christmas poinsettia.

I have drawn the view from my chair and it is a reasonable interpretation.  I found the pencils blended really well and was able to achieve most of the colours I wanted.  I used one of the water brushes where you put water into the handle and it drips through the brush when you squeeze it.  I have two of these and the finer brush worked very well on this, releasing hardly any water and therefore the paint seemed to come out more textured.  I listed the crayons I had used at the top as I have got several reds.

I then drew the poinsettia from above looking down onto the red bracts.

This also worked quite well apart from the red leaf on the far left which should have been green.

I then moved on to my goldfinch.

I have used this picture quite a lot and I feel he will have to find a place in my final book.  I didn't have a black crayon so used a felt tip pen.  It's a bit risky as it runs if you get water on it but it doesn't look too bad.

I then decided I should have a look at another of my original drawings and chose this fence.

The yellow I have got isn't quite the right shade but otherwise I am reasonable please with this one.  I felt I needed to have a go at background and filling the page.  I had recently been to an art demonstration where the artist did a river bank with reeds and grasses.  He must have used about ten different shades of green and brown all mixed from a couple of colours but his technique of going over and over the same area drawing grass really worked.  I haven't done as much depth as he does but I think I have made a fair go at it.

Really please with myself for achieving a decent attempt at this chapter.  I feel confident enough to try something else so I am looking through photographs and books to see what else I can do.