Week 3...Resource 1: Drawing/Painting

I'm having issues. Big painting issues.

I "can't" do it. Or what I do try..I dislike.

I can't even show it...I'm too ashamed!

So back to drawing...

My neighbour, who is a print-maker/tutor/artist suggested I try drawing this hemp-twine apple

so I took a whole lot of photos and edited them to gray-scale ...

but I struggled with getting the tones and my head was doing too much thinking and criticizing so then I did some googling on painting techniques in the hope it would shed some light on what I'm not getting/doing wrong....argh. I'm so frustrated with myself! I'm thinking I'll do what THIS site suggests and do some tone blocks like I did for the first week's pencil toning blocks. Loosen up...free my head!

Drawing: 4 hours

Photography/photo editing: 1 hour

Internet Research (Painting): 1 hour

Week 2.. Diploma Resource 1: Painting

Thematic Painting #1 

Tutor Liz Robinson

Session One: Work from a theme, explore  chosen subject matter and develop your own technique in the process. Draw up a mind map in your visual diary and do some research into the subject. Also look into what other artists have done, their style of application and techniques they have used.

Exercise 1: Set up a still life of objects around you and paint it from light to dark.

Exercise 2: Repeat the exercise using the same still life but this time working from dark to light.

so I set up my still life using fruit. Three pieces.

 A red apple, a green apple and a mango.

I had a bit of a problem with the exercise as

I struggled with understanding HOW to do it.

My first attempt ended up in the bin!

I printed it out in gray-scale and ditched painting the "plate"

This is what I ended up with...

I'm happy enough with it. Love the mango and green apple

not so much the red. I't the heavy shading but that's ok given

 I wasn't even sure WHERE to start with painting!

So now I need to try the exercises AGAIN 

this time FOCUSING on using the method requested. 

Light to Dark. Dark to light. Loosen Up.

Painting: 6 hours

The first week of my Diploma...

The first week of my Diploma has had it's ups and Downs. Firstly, I was still awaiting on all the Study Link paperwork to be finalised and had to get my Doctor to rewrite (include more specific details) my Medical Certificate for Limited Part-time Study..and that was all a bit stressful. Plus the Medical Cert for WINZ expired so had to see her about that too but now that's all done I can concentrate on my art course.

I "officially" started the diploma on Monday the 10th June and commence with watching one of the resource DVDs they sent me. First up...and I'm drawing. Oh no! My stomach turns...I fear drawing, but really want and need to push through that mental block so pulled out a sheet of paper and for the first 24 hours it sat blank on the table. Great start, Julia!

Maybe I'll try watching this DVD, I thought...

Got half and hour into it and realised pretty quickly I couldn't concentrate or focus on it so turned it off and went back to watching the Resource 1 DVD. Drawing.... Loosely. I can do this!!

The Fundamentals of Drawing #1

Tutor - Mark Spratt

Exercise 1: On a sheet of paper make up seven boxes.

The using a mid-range pencil, shade them light to dark.

Of course, being the dummy I am I picked up the HB but realised pretty quickly why Mark said to use a mid-range pencil. One CAN'T get much range with a HB pencil!

I have to confess also, to NOT liking the large square box on the top left and kept wanting to make it the same shape/size as the others, but I also knew it was really important to leave it like that and be OKAY with it.

Get LOOSE..resist perfection. It's unattainable.

Exercise 2: The second row was to be drawn "scribbley"...could I even DO scribble?? I found I could and even ENJOYED it. Break through!

Exercise 3: So now we had to set up a piece of draped fabric in strong directional light so you can see the light, medium and dark tones within it.

  I found a piece of denim. Not too flimsy, so strong lines with less draping. 

Initially, I really struggled with this. I had all sorts of conversations with myself! But then my daughter (17) and niece, who is staying with us said they were going to watch a movie (Little Women) and would I like to join them? So I took myself off with a photograph of the draped fabric and got lost in the movie...AND lost in shading. I'm really happy with it! It's got room for improvement but I'm really pleased with "looseness" of the sketching/shading and feel like I have made a real big psychological breakthrough! 

Week One: 10 hours (Drawing)

includes time watching DVDS and uploading pics onto my blog

Final Report from Rachel, my mentor

THIS ^ ^ made my day!!

Thank you Rachel for all your encouragement.

I think I would have given up if it wasn't for you!

I start my Diploma on 

Monday, 10th June 2013