Rose Welty

Sticking With It

Last week I spent my art time going through some more of Andrew Loomis' book on Drawing the Head and Hands. I memorized the "primary planes of the head" as he calls them. I am now working on the secondary planes of the head. The goal of such memorization is to understand how the head fits together. Like anything, if you understand/can visualize it, it is easier to draw. The human head is a very complex form, being able to understand the basic mechanics should help me convey it more convincingly.

This sketch was done from a WetCanvas Reference Library image.

Soldier Portrait Practice

This portrait sketch was done from a WetCanvas reference library photo of a Civil War reenactor.

The photo had very dark shadows, almost a graphic quality to them. Actually, as a photo, it was very reminiscent of Civil War era photographs - although it was in color. I went back and forth on whether or not to portray the shadows as great expanses of unvaried darkness. I couldn't quite bring myself to do it.

The man had a very interesting face - his eyes were quite different from each other and the expression in his lips was very intriguing. Didn't quite do justice to those things, but I continue to learn.

I'm definitely learning the necessity of slowing down, measuring twice and cutting once, and stopping to look away or take a short break. I really like working with the different colored pencils - I almost do an underpainting in one color, then add in the other two to darken values. Oh, and I learned you need to measure everything - not just the face - had to draw that hat twice!

Seeing Shapes

Ever since I was a child I have wanted to draw people. Portraits have always fascinated me - whether I knew the person depicted or not. I can't help myself trying to see the personality revealing itself in a person's face - as often unreliable as that is. Artistically, I am always impressed with those who have the skill to trick the eye into seeing a face on a flat surface.

This year I planned to build a strong body of work. That may still happen, but right now, I'm a very busy little chicken and I can't work on any polished pieces. So, I'm indulging my art junkie self with sketching. To push my skills, I am sketching with 3 colors (values really) and sketching faces.

Doing these portraits daily seems to help improve my eye - I see shapes that I've gotten wrong or angles that just aren't right much earlier than I was a few weeks ago. I still have a long ways to go to consistently producing a convincing head and beyond that producing a reliable likeness - but I am enjoying the journey. It's just fun to learn - especially about a subject you've always craved to know more about.

This was drawn from a photo in the Wet Canvas reference library. It was done in two thirty minute sessions, split over two days.

After Robert Campin

I was leafing through a Burne Hogarth book and decided to do a 40 min sketch from Robert Campin's Man in Prayer. Having just found that image online to show you - I rather wish I had done it from that, it is a much better reproduction.

Think I'm going to go find another face...it's a great way to relax.

Loomis Head Sketch

Stole 30 minutes last night to sketch this from an Andrew Loomis head provided by the WetCanvas portrait challenge.

Wet Canvas Portrait Challenge

Quick sketch done from a moody photograph for the Wet Canvas Portrait Challenge for February.

Portrait Sketches

So, I haven't posted in four days. You could think that I just haven't done any art. But, you'd be wrong. Fact is that I have done four ACEO-sized cards (2.5" x 3.5") in the last week. They were all filed under "T" for trash yesterday.

Last night was one of those rare nights where there was no agenda after dinner beyond "family time." So, my husband and sons played one of those puzzle video games - where my husband works the controls and my sons help him solve the "puzzles" (jumping, pushing boxes around to be able reach things that are high up, etc.) I crept in the room and sat down with my sketchbook and a pencil. Instantly, my youngest races out of the room and comes back with his sketchbook and pencil. I was mighty chuffed that he would pick drawing over a video game. (He has in the past proclaimed that he would like to be an artist when he grows up. :D) A few minutes later another son walks over and looks at us longingly. Then he walks back to the game. After a another minute he dashed out and returned with a sketchbook and pencil. Two out of three chose drawing over a video game - now that makes an artist mom proud. :D

I was the model, so I didn't get much drawing in last night. But, this morning as everyone began their math fact drills, I stole twenty minutes and drew two of them.

Photography and Record Breaking Snow

Last week we had record breaking snow in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area...11.2 inches in the area, surpassing the previous record of 7.8 inches in 1964 and 1917. As Michelle Monk put it on Twitter, I wasn't alive the last time and the next time it snows this much in Texas, I'll be in my eighties. Seemed like a good time to pull out the camera.

The above view of my backyard, especially in the snow, reminds me of Van Gogh's Landscape with a Church drawing.

I couldn't get enough of the abstract snow on branches and leaves:

And, of course, snow is more fun with these guys:

The best I can say about our fence and gate is "cheap and cheerful". However, in snow, even the gate looks good:

And then, finally, a few melting shots:

Primer on Aperture Priority Mode

 

One of my goals for the year was to work through a few photography books. So far, I have really enjoyed this project. The key to it has been to stop after each section and try out the things discussed in the section. Just to make it really stick in my mind, I thought I'd also post on some of the things that I have learned.

I am using two books for this project: The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby and The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Photography by Jim Miotke. Kelby's book has very short sections and basically gives you tips in each section. He doesn't explain why the tip works, he just gives it. Miotke's book works hard to explain what different terminology means and gives you more of the theory beyond just "tips". I decided this would give me a good balance. I can do what Kelby tells me to do and say "wow, that is better." Then I can consult Miotke and understand why and how to apply that knowledge in other circumstances.

So, one of Kelby's early tips is that you don't need a macro lens to shoot close-up shots. He says you can use a zoom lens and just set the camera to aperture priority mode and use the smallest aperture that the zoom lens will allow. I tried that and yes - very simply, I got the thing in front in focus and everything else was blurred (the effect you generally want with a macro photo.)

Miotke then explained to me that aperture priority mode should be used when you want to control the "depth of field" in a photograph. In the above photo, you can see the tips of the petals are in focus, but the rest of the tulip and the leaves are not in focus. Without aperture priority mode, it would be difficult to achieve that effect in such a short distance. In this mode, the camera sorts out the best shutter speed. Apparently there is also a shutter priority mode where you get to pick the shutter speed and the camera sorts out the best aperture.

Aperture priority mode then allows you to control a tight area of focus and blur the rest, ideal for macro photos. Both aperture and shutter priority modes allow you some control over the settings, but enable the camera to control the other - so you are in control of the bit you care about and get a best guess at the rest. Clearly, there are modes where you control everything, but I, for one, am not ready for that!

Glamourous Life Of An Artist

Life in the studio is not always full of spellbinding action...this week I have been using studio time to backup and archive files. I got my databases up to date (then backed up again!) :D. When I did pick up some pencils it was to fill in some color charts. While they are definitely not interesting to do, much less read about - as you know :D, they are useful. Just in doing them I am learning...what is happening when I layer on this color...what is changing with this layer - hue, value, temperature...this color doesn't layer well...light over dark or dark over light...

Tonight I decided to stop on the charts long enough to finish a self-portrait I began a few days ago and post it here. I will also say, that the charts are inspiring me to keep stepping toward what is in my mind...so once they are done, expect great things! :D