Module 6 Chapter 3

Pen and Ink Drawing.

I have taken a few photographs in Forge Valley and am about due to go and take some more showing the change in the scenery for summer.  These drawings are based on what I took earlier in the spring.  I find drawing a bit daunting but actually using a felt drawing pen seems slightly easier than using a pencil.  My efforts are still not very good though.

These are my trials using different pens.  I hope you can see it, the original photograph was very dark and I have brightened it but it looks a bit too pale here compared to in my file.  I have used dip pen and ink, biro and various sized drawing pens.

Choosing from my photographs was quite difficult.  I have accidentally done chapter 4 before chapter 3 and so I have used certain of my photographs there so I didn't want to use the same ones in chapter 3.  That might have worked out differently if I had done them in the correct order.  I have chosen one that I have repeated and two new ones for these drawing.

I love this part of the river.  I am walking along the boardwalk and this is in shadow just before you come out into the sunshine.  I don't think my finished book is going to depend on my drawing techniques, I am planning ideas for a different paper and paint approach.

This is a beautiful tree.  It has a rope attached to one branch and has been a swing for many generations.  In fact, a pit has been worked in for children to swing across.  I can manage this type of drawing better as it is more of a feeling than careful lines.

I loved this plant although I have no idea what it is.  When I saw the photograph I put it aside as being too difficult to replicate.  However, I decided that I could maybe give it a go with the pens and I am reasonably pleased with the result.  It does look a bit like the flower.  It might still be a bit difficult to take through to my final piece but I won't dismiss it altogether.

Not such a good chapter for me.  Photographs like the tree trunk I would go straight into working it out in stitch and fabric, maybe doing several samples using different threads and fabric, the others I would probably leave alone.  Sometimes I come back to things a couple of years later because I can incorporate it with something else but I rarely sit and try to draw from a photograph.  The next few chapters are more in my line.