Two unfinished drawings for you. After all that sketching on Friday, I went to the Natural History Museum on Saturday for a Drawing Day with the Society of Graphic Fine Art.The museum has stunning architecture and I've seen some great drawings of the large internal space of the large hall which contains the diplodocus which is a star attraction. So my aim was to try and find a way of portraying the sheer size of hall and dinosaur. I found that the view I really wanted to do was impossible because I would have had to stand on the stairs and I have practical problems with standing for long stretches.
I started two drawings on my large pad - mainly because when I started to sketch in my large sketchbook I just found it 'too small'. So I switched to the pad of A2 heavy white cartridge paper I use for my Drawing Class. However I didn't finish either drawing. I think I was having difficulties with focus due to the combination of the heat on Saturday plus my eyes were protesting vigorously due to lots of drawing in the previous 48 hours.
I learned a few things from the process - despite not finishing either drawing:
- my eyes get tired when drawing too much - pace is required
- when drawing dinosaurs, get the architecture right first as you need every line, angle and measurement available to get the correct size and proportions of a cast of a diplodocus skeleton (and this one was originally from Wyoming). I draw the plinth under the dinosaur about five times and I'm still not sure it's right which is why I decided to abandon this one until a cooler day!
- less obvious perspectives sometimes provide better pictures! Of the two drawings I think the second one has the potential to be a better drawing.
And then on Monday I had broadband/firefox problems.......I have my fingers crossed this is going to post - at the 3rd attempt!
Technorati tags: art , drawing , coloured pencils , dinosaur , diplodocus , moleskine, Natural History Museum , pencil , sketching , sketchbook
I certainly get the sense of a huge hall in the 2nd dinosuar drawing and I love the way just the tail of the dinosaur comes into the picture.
ReplyDeleteI recognise this place. I drew here often as a student. The best comment I ever received was from a cheeky little ten year old schoolboy who asked if I'd been drawing there the previous year when they had been there on their annual school trip. When I said 'Yes!' he responded by saying 'I never forget a pretty face!' You've captured it perfectly, putting in the background architecture is inspired.
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