ASSIGNMENT THREE

I did several sketches in my sketchbook, but despite this I don't think I was ever clear enough about what I wanted to achieve with this drawing. I think I chose a good view - it had all the aspects required to show all that I've learnt in this section of the course, but it just hasn't worked out. My reason (apart from the obvious one that I mention above about not being clear enough) is a bad choice of mixed media - I don't like the black or green felt pen, it looks too stark but unfortunately you can't undo pen. It actually looked better as a simple line drawing before I added any colour. Perhaps I need more tone in the window frame? The plant stands out on its own like it has been stuck in the wrong drawing! I wanted to be selective in an interesting way with the foliage but I don't think it worked well with the water soluble pencil. I felt really disappointed when I'd finished it - it's all a bit of a jumble, with too much or too little going on. I think the only bit I was happy with was the hanging basket... On reflection, I need to do this final drawing again. This one is not a success.

For inspiration I looked back over my sketchbook, and towards the Bridgeman Education archive. The drawing that I believe was the most successful out of all throughout this section of the course was the line drawing of a townscape view from the attic window. I decided to revisit this view and take some inspiration from other artists who tackle the difficult task of drawing buildings.

This George Sidney Shepherd drawing of the Yard at the Talbot Inn has a very similar style to my townscape drawing - simple black line, but with a busy feeling about it. I always admire the obvious patience of artists who draw in such a detailed way, especially of buildings where it's crucial to get the proportions and angles right. I'm not sure I could draw like this all the time!

I like this de Vlaminck painting because of the atmosphere created by his brushstrokes and use of colour - and the gorgeous looming sky. There isn't a huge amount of detail included in this painting, but it shows that there needn't be if it's atmosphere and a sense of place that you're trying to produce.

I think this is probably just a sketch and not a finished drawing but I've noticed that Nash has all the elements here in this drawing that I need in mine - aerial and linear perspective, and both manmade and natural aspects. Definitely a notable sketching style too.

I took some photographs out of the attic window (it's a skylight window on an angle so a little tricky to draw on the spot for any length of time). Below is the view I decided to develop. I really liked the composition - the sloping roof in the foreground bringing your eyes down to the gardens and the row of houses leading you to the looming chocolate factory.

I worked in my sketchbook looking at ideas on how to develop the drawing and what medium to use and did a couple of A3 preliminary studies.

The final drawing is a damn sight better than my first attempt at an 'outdoors' drawing! I did a colour wash that I printed onto the board from pieces of paper to create a textured, stained kind of effect. I used fine liner for the drawing itself and kept to simple line, no real shading to speak of. I am relatively pleased with the result because I think it's quite an interesting drawing, however I think there are areas I need to work on when drawing outdoor scenes such as this - like how to create aerial perspective in a more effective way, and how to add tone to buildings without ovewhelming and overcrowding the drawing. I just about managed to create this sense of place I mentioned above - I think the drawing is quite evocative of Bristol suburbia, or at least how I see Bristol suburbia (as without a doubt congested, yet in some way quite charming). There is something a bit olde-worlde about the drawing that I can't quite put my finger on... The Victorian buildings coupled with the stained wash effect perhaps?