Seventh Drawing of the Project - Focusing on Experimentation with Combining Mediums to Achieve a Clearer Tonal Range
As I have been looking into combining mediums while experimenting with different shed and structure related subject matter I have decided to look specifically at drawing with fine liner and pencil. Using this combination from my preliminary sketches has given me some positive outcomes in terms of generating a tonal range that is far more prominent and accurate, which I feel is something that my work lacks depending on the type of materials that the shed has been made out of. Without a secondary medium I am limited in the types of materials I can achieve accurately, specifically those that are smoother such as glass. Due to the chosen medium I have been working in, it is very difficult to create a smooth surface, or a surface with any form of transparency. Although I can replicate most surfaces shape and general form, finding ways to replicate the transparency or the subtle detail is something I think I need to improve upon to elevate my work further. This drawing gives me the opportunity to work in pen and pencil and try to find a balance of both mediums within one piece. This will influence my workshops in a number of ways, however crucially it will show the participants that they can work in what ever medium they choose and the implications of the choice of medium that they make.
When starting this drawing, I decided to select a reference that had lots of different materials in it to both challenge my application of medium and to see if the combination of those mediums would be beneficial in a piece of work that is complicated. With this in mind, I decided on a shed that was made up of large windows, plastic, wood and roof felting. Having such a variety of materials in the chosen reference will show if the cognation of pencil and pen works together in the manner in which I need it to, rather than me forcing the mediums together. Finding a combination of mediums that compliment each other is really important when experimenting with a mixed media approach because if the mediums do not work well together, they will clash and there will be a lack of cohesiveness in the piece, which I feel is required in the type of work I do. The main aim of each piece is to achieve a high level of realism using the chosen mediums I select, therefore the piece being cohesive is important to the overall accuracy of the drawing. I began the drawing itself in a similar manner to all of my other pieces, a basic pencil outline. This allowed me to achieve accurate perspective and make sure all the main components of the drawing are present.
After this initial step I began to add detail in distinct layers. To develop some depth and tonal range I decided to apply the graphite pencil first and then use the pen over the top to add the realistic details I would typically apply to each of my drawings. This proved to be really effective because working in layers of pencil for tone and then pen for detail gave my piece the balance it required when depicting different materials. One aspect of the piece that I really think benefitted from the combination of mediums was the windows. Using pencil allowed me to create layers of depth and tonal range in this area which gave the window are some definition and a level of transparency through the use of a rubber. Having the ability to build depth and then make areas slightly transparent to give the feel of a window being present really improved the level of realism in this area. As shown by the photographs, I used a similar process on other areas of the drawing to give more consideration to the tonal range present in each aspect of the building, and focused on using the fine liner just for clear textures and details, which proved to be really effective across all of the different materials present. One aspect I noticed while working on the piece was that I was using slightly less pen when compared to other
drawings, because I was only using the pen for details and not for shading. I think this is a positive because it makes the emphasis of the detail more prominent, which I really like. It has given my process more structure, with each medium having specific jobs that affect different aspects of the piece. I found the process of mixing mediums in this way really positive because the lack of colour allowed the mediums to blend together smoothly without any real issues. There was no stop and start to the use of pen or pencil, so the mediums complimented each other really well.
One major aspect of this piece was the use of a soft charcoal pencil on the darkest areas of the drawing. This was especially effective towards the end of the drawing process because the side of the shed was far more shaded than the front. Therefore, the need for a darker tonal range was more apparent. Using a soft charcoal pencil allowed me to gradually build up up tone and depth in a way that was not too overpowering and was controlled. Altering my thinking to focusing on
working on a drawing in layers was the most important thing I have taken from this piece because it has shown me that a drawing requires layers to produces depth, where required. Although my prior drawings had a level of depth and detail I was pleased with, this drawing has given me a new method to interpret the sheds I select and gives the a level of depth and detail that some of my prior drawings lack. Finding ways to depict a range of textures and transparencies has been the biggest downfall in my drawings previously, which is why this mixed media piece has been so pivotal to my projects development.
FINAL DRAWING
This is the final outcome of my latest drawing. I am really pleased with the outcome of this piece because it has shown me how well fine liner compliments with graphite and charcoal pencils. The fact this has worked so effectively has opened up a new line of investigation and experimentation in my project that I would not have considered prior to this piece. The fact that the predominantly pencil areas compliment the high level of detail created by the fine liner pen shows that the monochromatic palette and the mediums themselves complement each other very well and are very much usable together. I think the choice of subject matter really aided the success of the two mediums because there is such a variety of materials present in this handmade structure that require different levels of depth, detail and understanding of the chosen mediums. I think this has shown that choice in subject matter and the decision of putting two mediums together to create depth and detail is important when considering making a piece of work.
If I could improve upon any aspect of this drawing I would look into increasing it’s scale to see if the mediums still complimented each other at an A1, A0 or mural size. Working larger has been a goal of mine within this project but has been severely hindered by a number of external factors, which has instead allowed me to focus on my technique, application and my general skill in drawing. I feel this is something that has improved greatly through the seven large pieces I have done, and will only continue to improve. Overall, I think this will also influence my workshops in a positive manner because it will show students how to combine mediums, and show that each medium has a purpose and an ability to show different aspects of a reference off, depending on what you want to achieve or what is required. Overall this has been a positive piece of work.
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