Apples 7

Apples 7

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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"

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Apples sliced horizontally, across their equators, show the core of the apple as a star. The star is a group of pods gripping the apple seeds in place with just a tiny bit of room for expansion when they sprout.

With daylight from the window raking across the flat cut surface, you can see the structural details of the apple, too, reinforcing the pentagon geometry of this fruit, and you can also see the lights and darks of the paper underneath the apple.

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Apples 6

Apples 6

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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"
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The surface of the apple has dappled color markings, as well as tonal gradations from the apple's spherical shape. It also has highlights and shadows from lighting, and more lights and darks from reflections.

Graphite leaves a grey mark on paper, and the softer the grade of graphite, the darker grey the mark is. The trick to drawing with graphite is to use different grades of graphite in order to achieve a complete tonal range that can represent all the lights and darks needed in the drawing.
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Apples 5

Apples 5

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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"

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You don't think of still life arrangements as having movement, and you don't think of apples sitting on plates as giving gestures, but they do. This is a gesture drawing of an apple, selected out of a sheetful of apple gestures.

So what gesture does an apple have? An expression of weight, of sitting balanced on a base point, of mass, of a spherical form, and overall an expression of how the fruit grew from the core out to the surface. That is the gesture of an apple.

Apples 4

Apples 4

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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"
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This somewhat lopsided apple shows highlights from two windows and reflections from around the room and also reflections from the shiny plate it is sitting on. The shiny plate acts as a mirror, too, reflecting the apple back to itself. The only true shadow areas are underneath the apple where it touches the plate, and at the boundaries of the spherical form.
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Apples 3

Apples 3

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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"
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An apple cut in half yields two hemisperical forms each with a flat plane revealing the inside of the fruit. Cut from top to bottom, the apple's core shows a seed pod, with its distinctive oval shape, and tiny protective capsules holding the tear-drop shaped seeds.

Drawing the seed pod is a challenge because it is so small and so intricate, and while its lights and shadows can be suggested with graphite, the marks must be accurate to make the flat plane surface look like something is resting underneath.
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Apples 2

Apples 2
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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"

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The spherical form of an apple displays beautiful gradations of highlights and shadows. The apple's peel is shiny and reflects its surroundings, so the highlights and shadows are changed.

Drawing a spherical form in graphite could become a mechanical job, but with the irregular form of the fruit and the reflections from the surroundings, observing and recording the apple becomes a lot more interesting.

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Apples 1

Apples 1

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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"

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Apples are great to draw.

Apples are generally round, which gives the artist the challenge of rendering lights and darks on a spherical surface, except when they are cut open, which provides another challenge of rendering planes in perspective.

Apples seen in bright light catch highlights and produce cast shadows of interesting shapes and tonal ranges, and apples placed on a shiny surface give the artist an additional set of reflections to puzzle over.

But when the drawing is done, the benefit of drawing apples is that you get to eat them!

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Rocks 6

Rocks 6
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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"

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Shape. Well, form, really. Shape is the two dimensional aspect of what we see and Form is the three dimensional aspect. Cezanne said there are four basic forms: the cone, the cube, the cylinder, and the sphere.

Rocks are "formed" chunks of solidified magma that have been chipped apart and worn away to varying degrees. The more the rocks are weathered and tumbled by wind and wave motion - and depending on the softness of the materials they are made of - the smoother the surface and the more rounded the form they have.

To draw realistic looking rocks requires paying attention to how the 3D form of the rock produces highlights and shadows, and then to rendering them as lighter and darker 2D areas flat on the paper.

Rocks 5

Rocks 5
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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"
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Lines don't exist in nature. So why is it that we see lines everywhere we look? Well, lines are a shortcut that our minds use so we don't have to process all that other information.

In these three rocks we can see lines, or bands of contrasting material in the rock. These stripes of white running all the way around the outside of each rock are actually narrow layers of quartz sandwiched inside the rock mass. The wider the line, the thicker the layer of quartz. The banding looks different on each rock because the part we see follows the outside contours of that rock. We don't see the rest of the quartz layer that's on the inside of the rock.
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Rocks 4

Rocks 4
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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"
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There is a logic to the arrangement of lights and shadows in a drawing. Some of the light and dark tones come from the color of the object being drawn, and some more come from the highlights and cast shadows that are created by illumination on the object. As well, some light tones and dark tones are placed by the artist to make the drawing look better or work better as a composition.


In this drawing there is a single light source, the sun, which is coming from the upper right, and casting shadows under the left sides of the rocks. There are surface shadows on the rocks as well, indicating texture, and there is reflected light shining into the darkest areas of the still life and revealing hidden forms. The effects may appear subtle, but light and shadow are what make a drawing.
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Rocks 3

Rocks 3
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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"
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As we generally see rocks, they are part of a larger group, a pile of boulders, a beach full of pebbles, an aggregate of gravel in cement or asphalt.
If you select one single stone, weigh it in your hand and observe its contours and colors and markings, you will start to become aware that it has a unique appearance. You could easily identify this rock from a group of others. It assumes an individual quality.

In drawing these rocks, I set them out almost like putting characters on a stage, the "star performer" in the front and the "chorus" at the rear. To separate them, I made use of design techniques such as value contrast, overlapping and variations in sizes. But what really happened is that the individual characteristics of each stone become apparent. I think that's what the drawing really communicates.
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Rocks 2

Rocks 2

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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"

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In this arrangement, there are two beach rocks, which have been tumbled and rubbed by wave action for many years, and one pebble from a pile of gravel, which was crushed to a standard size and deliberately made sharp and rough for industrial purposes.

Just as there is a difference in the texture of these rocks, there is a difference in the way we react to them... the beach rocks are pleasant to hold, smooth and firm. The piece of gravel is easier to grip and the crystals of quartz exposed on its surface sparkle in the sunshine.

In the end, they are just rocks, but what a difference between them!

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Rocks 1

Rocks 1

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Graphite on paper, 6.5" x 10"

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Still life studies are great for training the eye's observation and also for developing the skills of technique.

Rocks are tricky objects to use for still life... rocks are not as attractive as flowers or fruit, and they are not regular in shape, and thus not as easy to represent as vases or books are.

And, if you still think that rocks are easy to draw, remember that our minds have learned to estimate the shape and weight of objects from the arrangements of lights and shadows that our retinas receive. And in order to look "real," a drawing of rocks must refer to the laws of physics every bit as much as a drawing of flowers or vases does.

Rocks are a challenge... and I enjoy challenges!

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Tonal Variations - Floating

Tonal Variations - Floating

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Graphite on paper, 10" x 13"

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These drawing experiments are each based on a quick scribble drawing that defines shapes and areas for me to work in. Then I imagine a light source and what kind of shadow values it would create on these shapes. I pick up which ever grade of pencil I feel appropriate and I start to fill in lights and shadows to indicate three dimensional forms on the paper.

Today I am working with a new kind of paper, made of cotton fiber, in a lighter weight sheet, with a fine textured surface. For today's drawing, I used 3B and 5B grades of graphite, which this new paper accepts well. I am pleased with the fluidity and the gentle movement of the 3-D forms I have created.

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Tonal Variations - Angles

Tonal Variations - Angles
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Graphite on paper, 7.5" x 11"
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Depending on the mood or emphasis I want for the drawing, I might start with defining the lighter tones and work toward the darker ones, or I might launch into building up the darkest areas and then work my way back into lighter and lighter shapes. In this drawing, I found that the areas I wanted as the darkest weren't as dark as the softest 6B graphite could give me, so I added extra dark shapes for greater depth and enhanced emphasis.
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Tonal Variations - Twist

Tonal Variations - Twist
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Graphite on paper, 7.5" x 11"
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By layering the various grades of graphite pencil, HB, 3B, 5B, and 6B, you can achieve a large range of tonal variations, from the darkest, most intense shades to a workable midrange gray. The lighter tones, of course, are represented by the paper showing through the places where the graphite hasn't been applied.
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Tonal Variations - Stripe

Tonal Variations - Stripe
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Graphite on paper, 5" x 7.5"
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While I have been able to achieve variations in dark and light tones using greater or lesser pressure on the pencil, another way to achieve a wide range of tones is with pencils containing different grades of graphite, from HB, a standard hardness, through 3B, 5B to 6B, the softest lead, containing the greatest proportion of graphite and the least amount of binder.
Using different grades of pencils, I was able to go from the lightest light grey to the absolute darkest shade. But watch out! That 6B graphite is so soft, it smears over everything it touches, hands, papers, fingers, clothes...
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Elizabeth's Walk - Climbing - Final Layout

Elizabeth's Walk - Climbing - Final Layout

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Graphite on paper, 3" x 5.5"
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This is the final layout for the linocut I mentioned last week, one of a series depicting an annual springtime cross-country walking expedition by Innu elder Elizabeth Penashue.
If you compare the two preparatory drawings, you will notice that the trees on the left and right sides are in the same positions, but the small tree in the center foreground is gone and the climbers are spread farther apart enhancing the diagonal movement in the drawing.
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Ice on the Churchill River

Ice on the Churchill River

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Graphite on paper, 11" x 15"
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Graphite HB pencil, on Rising Stonehenge watercolor paper. The graphite deposited well without a lot of pressure onto the soft thick paper, giving a lot of tonal variation.
From the lookout at Dome Mountain, the Churchill River is still covered with ice, and there is still snow and ice on the streams in the woods.
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Open Water - Tonal Variations on Rice Paper - 4

Open Water - Spring on the Churchill River

Tonal Variations on Rice Paper - 4

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Graphite on rice paper, 7" x 9"

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This is HB pencil on the shinier side of the rice paper. The dark tones laid down fairly easily, but the paper was very unforgiving when I attempted to create a very light shade.

Spring is here, the ice is breaking up and there are ducks in the open water. The reflection of the sun on the snow gives a brilliant overall light to the landscape that you don't see any other time of the year.

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Tonal Variations on Rice Paper - 3

Tonal Variations on Rice Paper - Version 3 - A Different Pencil

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Graphite on rice paper, 7" x 9"

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Today I experimented with using a different pencil - it's listed as HB and a lot softer than the #2 pencil I used before. I drew on the fuzzy side of the rice paper, and I found the paper accepted the HB graphite much better - with less working to lay down layers of tone. Even though the paper surface did fill in with the particles of graphite, I was able to build up darker tones than before, and I was able to create a greater range of tonal variations.

Y'know, we assume that just because it's an ordinary pencil, it will do just an ordinary job, but I can say from these results that you'll only know if you try, and experiment to see what even the most common tools will do.

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Tonal Variations on Rice Paper - 2

Tonal Variations on Rice Paper - Version 2 - The Other Side

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Graphite on rice paper, 7" x 9" .

In yesterday's experiment with graphite drawing on rice paper, I determined that the soft and velvety surface of the rice paper didn't allow the graphite to create a full range of tones. The opposite side of the paper has a smoother surface, still soft but a little shinier, too.

So, with the same yellow #2 pencil, I made another drawing using the same method, starting with a loose scribble drawing, and filling in the shapes with curlicue lines, going over and over on the same spot to make denser layers of graphite and create darker tones.

Once again, the fragile rice paper didn't hold the graphite as well as a more robust paper might have done, but I find that the delicacy of tonal variations is very pleasant to look at.

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Tonal Variations on Rice Paper

Tonal Variations on Rice Paper
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Graphite on rice paper, 7" x 9"
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One of the pleasures of drawing is trying out different materials. Different pencils, different inks and brushes, different markers, and today, a different paper. From a roll of rice paper, I cut several pieces of the tissue-thin stuff to experiment with drawing on it. I chose a regular yellow #2 pencil, because I wanted to see how this soft and slightly fuzzy rice paper works with ordinary graphite. I found that I had to use a surprising amount of pressure to achieve tonal gradations. I found that I could leave an initial mark on the paper by just touching the surface with the pencil lead, but to get a full range of tones, I had to draw over and over on a spot to darken it. And I found that the fibers on the surface of the paper have a tendency to clog with graphite and not allow more to be deposited. As for erasing... I didn't even go there! Overall, I found the rice paper to have a nice tooth and a velvety touch, but it is so soft and so feather-light that the action of making marks on it with graphite feels awkward to me. If I am going to use it again for graphite drawing, I am going to have to develop a "rice paper technique" to use.
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From a Page of Hands

From a Page of Hands

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Graphite on paper, 6" x 6"
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Drawing is a way of making a record of what you see, and it is also a way of sharpening your powers of observation. This drawing is one of a group of quick sketches I made of my left hand holding a pencil which my right hand is drawing. As I was progressing around the sheet of paper, I kept noticing details that I incorporated into the next drawing. I also found that the marks I made became more and more firm and confident as I got better acquainted with the form of my hand. Practice, practice, practice!
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Elizabeth's Walk - Climbing

Elizabeth's Walk - Climbing

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Graphite on paper, 3" x 5.5"
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I am working on a folio of linocuts depicting a springtime cross-country walking expedition by Innu elder Elizabeth Penashue , with members of her family and guests. I want to change the composition of the photograph I am working from, and this is one of a series of sketches to try out different arrangements of the scene. As I was drawing, I could see more and more possible solutions, and ways of adding visual elements or taking them away to come up with a sense of balance as well as a dynamic feeling of movement in the image. This may not be the final arrangement, but I'm getting close!
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Sitting At The Dock

Sitting at the Dock

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Graphite on paper, 7.5" x 11"
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This drawing shows a portion of a larger composition that I am getting ready to transfer to a canvas. The finished painting will show a family group relaxing on a summer afternoon, with the theme of renewal and continuity. Watch for more preparation drawings to come!
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Gradations and Textures

Gradations and Textures

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Graphite on paper, 11" x 15" .

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Today I sat with a quarter-sheet of watercolor paper and a regular yellow #2 pencil and started with a scribble drawing all over the page.

Marvellous things suggest themselves from scribble drawings, from observing castles in the clouds to perceiving methods of blending areas of tone.

In this drawing, I used two main ways of laying down graphite on the paper. One was sketching a sequence of curved lines, positioned close to each other, and roughly following the contour line of the "object" I was depicting. The other was moving the pencil lightly over the surface of the paper in a tight curlicue line, touching the same spot over and over to make it darker and darker. Each technique has its merits. I still don't know which one I like better.

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Sisters

Sisters

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Graphite on paper, 5" x 4"

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Graphite is such a versatile medium, it is so suggestive and so easy to use.

Beware! Danger lurks for the unwary... variable tonal ranges and inadvertant textures are the least of the pitfalls.

But when it works, graphite is so satisfying. Ah, graphite!

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