Gallery #2 Negative Space

This second gallery of work on negative space shows the second phase of Lian and John's practice in their drawing.

Working from two drawings and one life study they have worked to create drawings which combine the skills that they have been taught so far. Using edges, contours and negative spaces, to draw within a format to create a whole image.

 Lian

Copy of sketches by Rubens

When I draw the contours only, the legs become bigger and bigger. The negative spaces helped to copy more exactly.

'Yes, perspective can distort very easily if you don't use the negative spaces to keep them in check within the frame of your drawing. You did this very well. (Sylvia)'

Section of a drawing by Winslow Homer

It was not so easy as it looks

'Again when you work on a segment you have to really just look at shapes and spaces and how they fit in the frame because you don't have a whole image for your left hand brain to name the parts for you...but you made a very good attempt.  (Sylvia)'

I was inspired by the picture of Barbara Kruger 'I shop therefore I am'. The more I draw the more I am inspired by the big artists! To see exactly the contours and negative spaces is very difficult. I like that struggle to do it over and over again.
'A great idea and fun! I can see that you have had a struggle with the fingertips because of the fore-shortening of the view. You lost your way a little in drawing the contours around the spaces of the fingers, which are hard to see as negative spaces between the edges when they have flesh! Plus I can see you have been allowing the left hand brain to keep telling you what fingers should look like. Your observation and managing of perspective will develop Lian over the next few weeks. Well done. (Sylvia)'

John

Section of drawing by Winslow Homer

Section of seated child (55 mins): All seemed OK, really doing the negative spaces, until I got to the foot area (last section), and the foot was just too small. Tried to enlarge it, and became intent on drawing the foot, not the spaces. QED! So next morning (20 mins) I decided to redo just that small section, and really concentrated on the negative spaces. Better now, I hope!
'It's great that you take the initiative to go back into a piece of practice and improve on the initial effort John. It really pays off because your observation is much improved on the second section, showing that you have done a lot of looking!(Sylvia)'

Copy of sketches by Rubens

  Rubens arms & legs (1 ½ hrs): Difficult! But really concentrating on the negative spaces got the limbs in place. Doing the contours on the limbs really made me appreciate his skill in showing the power and strength of the muscles. 
I experimented with different grades of pencil, and feel happier using mainly B rather than HB – not pressing so hard now.

'This is a great piece of copying John and I think using a softer pencil is making your line work much more confident. Well done (Sylvia)'

My hand with pen (65 mins): Difficult, but I’m not disappointed with the result. Seemed to run out of space with the 4th & 5th fingers!

Hard to: 
a. Keep the subject hand and fingers still
b. Use the frame
c. Draw and keep body and board still
d. Pick up the all-important eraser from the floor when it dropped
- all at the same time!
 'Yes, but you did it all the same and the drawing here of your hand is far superior to the one you did in class John. I think your viewpoint shifted which is why it was more difficult to get the last finger in but overall it is a well-crafted image will fingers that look real! Good work. (Sylvia)'

These drawings and copies are really impressive and the development of their line work is greatly improved. They are ready to move on to more challenges! But that is for next week.