Saturday, November 15, 2014

TWO FIGURE DRAWING ACTIVITIES TO PRACTICE

FAST SKETCHING PROJECTS TO
HONE YOUR SKILLS
 The first is done with a peeled crayon, used broadside, although you could use stick charcoal, pastel, or any other medium in stick form.
You know how school kids love to be the one posing instead of drawing someone else? At home you can enlist someone to be your model, too. Mass in the figure from the center outward, working on the form but keeping an eye on the proportions, too.
Guhin, student, art, drawing
Work in a size that's comfortable for you.
Scribble outward until you reach the outer edges of the form. When you have the entire mass built up, go back and press harder in the bulkier areas to give visual weight.

 Our second art activity is contour drawing, looking at the outer edge in contrast to the massed-in figure above. A felt-tip or rollerball pen works good for this. You must concentrate on the figure's boundaries! Do more than one pose, and work quickly.
 
student, beginner, quick, draw
These are not strictly continuous contour examples.








Continuous contour drawings are done without lifting the pen from the paper. Blind contour drawings are done without even looking at the paper! Regular continuous contour drawings allow you to peek and to lift the pen sometimes!
Guhin





Saturday, November 8, 2014

COLLAGE with PHOTO SCRAPS

THIS MIXED-MEDIA PROJECT CAN
HAVE STUNNING RESULTS!
If you're like me, you have a stash of many, many photographs to use in your collage work. Heck, you can even use magazine papers for this "painting."
 
First, select a color scheme and find photos with those colors. Be sure to find textures and patterns as well as solid areas of color.
While you could cut the pieces, my preference is to tear the edges for a smoother look when finished. NOTE: You want a variety of sizes and some change in shape for added interest.
mixed-media, collage, painting
You do want a number of values, too.
See the different sizes?

Second, arrange the pieces on a sturdy background with some overlapping. A canvas panel, archival mat board, or your usual support. (I have even adhered a large, unwanted photo--in related colors--to the support before beginning the arrangement!)
 
Guhin, tutorial
This is not done! The arrangement has been glued down.
Go for balance, contrast, movement, unity...all that good stuff. My visual texture came from photographs of rusted metal.

When the collage (some would call it a photo-montage) is dry, get out your small, fine brushes and acrylic paints. I like the white, torn edges to show in places, but I also want to add shading for a dimensional effect. So I brush on dark colors as if a light source were shining from one corner and shadows falling away. I use water to dilute the edges of the painted shadows as they move away from the "light."

how-to, painting, Guhin
Pure black isn't as desirable, usually, as a mixed color.
Finally, if desired, stamp or print, letter, spatter, do any
of those fun things should the composition call for it.
I added some small dots, tiny squares, and a few other
 enhancements.
tutorial, tute, how-to
The finished piece. I hope you like it!
Guhin



 

Monday, November 3, 2014

DO YOU DOODLE? DECORATIVELY FRAME A PHOTO!

How's this for a frame-up? Hand-draw your own
edge around a mounted photograph.
 
Even a snapshot glued to matboard will do. Let the subject matter be your guide as you embellish all around it. Use pencils, pens, or markers to make your border.
If it's a rustic country photo, try a rough wood-grain effect or draw some barbed wire! Is it a floral? Use colored ink or colored pencils and draw leaves, vines, buds...you get the idea.
Guhin,
Variation: Add texture by applying modeling paste or crackle paste around the edges of the photo! (Be sure to "antique" when dry, with thin dark acrylic paint.)
 
mixed-media, image+art

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