Term 5, Unit II, Week 1
For a description of this unit see my Term 5 Unit II unit plan. For full context, see the description of my Art Home School Curriculum. If you were inspired by this post, consider leaving me a tip.
Retrospective
For this unit I’m practicing several different subjects rather than spending the whole month on a single topic. I really enjoyed working this way. It’s easier to be inspired when each day brings something new.
Log
Drawings and Critiques
Monday, Oct. 11
Composition thumbnails for gouache portrait.
Layin for gouache portrait.
Thumbnails and perspective grid for next comic panel.
Perspective grid.
This doesn’t look impressive, but it took me a long time to figure out how to get a correct 2 point perspective grid when the horizon line and vanishing points are off the page. I already knew about the Brewer method for drawing this type of grid, but this scene required inverting it and it was tricky to figure out how to get it right with the horizon line off the page.
Tuesday, Oct. 12
Figure layins.
The first one took a couple hours, and the second was only 20 minutes. I think the first is better than the second, but not 1 hour and 40 minutes better.
Wednesday, Oct. 13
Head drawing.
20 minute warmup, and a block in. I spent a lot of time on the block-in trying to get it as accurate as possible.
Thursday, Oct. 14
Figure layins.
A 2 hour effort on the left, and a 20 minute effort on the right. This shows that speed doesn’t sacrifice much in terms of accuracy. Although maybe the quicker attempt goes well because of all the practice I got during the long attempt.
Friday, Oct. 15
Saturday, Oct. 16
Drawing for a gouache portrait.
I really like this. I focused on making all straight lines with no curves.
Original comic art.
Sunday, Oct. 17
Finished drawing for gouache portrait.
Gouache thumbnails done.
I like the middle gouache thumbnail, but he left and right ones look pretty silly. I tried to stain the board a middle grey value and it completely erased my pencil drawing (the visible marks have been redrawn). I think this happened for 2 reasons. 1) I didn’t use a dark enough lead (2H), and 2) I used a bristle brush for the stain instead of a synthetic. I think the rough bristles erased the pencil and also gave the stain a texture that hid it. I was surprising relaxed after seeing my 4 hours of drawing disappear. If anything, I learned never to make that mistake again. Next time I’ll test a small area before painting the whole board.
Original comic art.
I feel like I need to fill all the white space with something, but I’m not sure what.
