Part 1 - Project 2 - Ex 1c

Drawing projects - an exploration of the language of drawing
Mick Maslen and Jack Southern

This is on the book list and is a buy I'll not regret.  I'm selective in what I buy but I got this because it seemed to present an accessible way to practice.

The text is based around the teaching notes of Maslen developed over many years.  He and Southern came together in a project on drawing supported by the Guardian.  The collaboration in involved the workshops which form the basis of this book.

I read the book from cover to cover and decided that I'd try Project 1.  The aim is to challenge the habit of holding a drawing implement as if it was a writing tool.

Materials
white paper
B, 2B, 3B and 4B pecils
two sticks one about 6m and the other .3m

Although I've included photos they are very hard to see because the pencil marks are so light in the early drawings.

Drawing 1
I was asked to arrange a few items near a wall covered in white paper....

.......attach the longer stick to a sharp B pencil and at arms length draw my objects.  I used A2 paper, stood at my easel and my arm soon ached.  It was hard not to hold the stick like a pen and it was so difficult to make many sort of mark that I had to start thinking about what would work and it seemed to be that various marks would have to represent what I saw.  This is my first drawing:

Drawing 1

Drawing 2

Next I attached the 3B to the shorter stick and repeated the process.  This time I tried A3 but I ran out of space.  I tried to hold the stick between my thumb and forefinger and it was so difficult - I kept finding myself using a completely different hold ie pen hold.  I had little control.  The only way to get an image is to forget what the object looks like and go for marks.  The petals show this best if you can see them.

Drawing 2

Drawing 3

This required me to hold a 2B at the very tip between my thumb and forefinger.  this time I was able to do it and I had much better control.  I also had more confidence with making marks and used feather strokes for the parrot.

Drawing 3

Drawing 4

In my drawing generally I've found the placement of objects on the page very tricky.  Amazingly I hadn't thought of putting in the line (which in this instance was made by the joining point of the wall and the worktop) onto my page.  This time I did and it made such a difference.

For drawing 4 I used a 2B again but this time held like a knife with thumb and four fingers.  This was comfortable and I found myself altering the movement of my wrist and shoulder to get the marks I wanted.

Drawing 4

Drawing 5

This was a repeat from the beginning but superimposing the drawing on each other and making changes as the drawing developed.  An eraser was allowed but the history of the drawing had to remain.  This was a revelation.  I could see the development as I drew got an image and the marks got more precise.  there's movement and feeling in it but it's certainly not a photograph.

Drawing 5

I've learned so much from this exercise most of it to do with getting some confidence and not being afraid to take a risk.  There's a freedom to working with marks that I've not felt before.   In my textiles work I'm generally improving skills I already have but when I'm drawing like this I feel very vulnerable putting it out on my blog.  However,  I've really, really enjoyed it and I'm going back for more.

The following day....

I've gone back to my easel with a different set of items but following the same five stage process.  My items were a turned wooden piece that had warped over time and two shells of different shapes and sizes.  I didn't take photos of the initial stages because they were so poor last time.

My items

My drawing - from a slightly different angle to the photo

Once again I used A2 paper but I managed to scan it for a clearer image.  Working in this way somehow it is easier to make the items look shapely.  The final stage (holding the pencil like a knife) seems to bring everything together.  Whilst there's still a long way to go I feel as though I'm making some progress.

One more try....

This time I used a large shell, a brush and my camera although of course it's missing from the photo.

My drawing

The next task in Maslen and Southern involves drawing a single object with two pencils taped together.   The aim is to "produce a range of dense and sometimes unpredictable marks that will provide you with a surface to adjust, re-structure, and work, both with, and against". p 73.

This may well be beyond me but I'll give it a try.

Materials
White paper
B, 2B,  3B, 4B pencils

I taped together my pencils (B and 2B) (3B and 4B) and decided to draw my sun hat.

One of the stated aims is to work inside the form and break the habit of drawing a contour edge.  I was apprehensive.  This is what happened ......

My sunhat drawn with two pencils

.... and I was amazed.  What is basically scribble is also very definitely my hat and not an outline in sight!

My hat is striped so my marks were lateral but certainly not linear.  I needed to define where the brim starts so I darkened my marks. It was the strangest feeling imaginable but the pencils seemed to take off on their own and the drawing was done in less than a minute.

Maslen and Southern suggest working for 10 minutes and then separating the pencils and making the drawing more focused.  I may well do this sometime but for the moment I'm going to leave it as it is because I think it's lovely. 

Maslen M & Southern J. 2014.  Drawing Projects.  An exploration of the language of drawing.  Black Dog Publishing.  London.