PEN AND INK: Tondo

Brandon

Diana

Jill

Rachel

Ryan

Last night the class made drawings within a circular format (aka Tondo). The tondo introduces a number of effects on compositional balance. 1. It changes the speed and flow around the border. 2. It creates interesting negative areas. 3. It has the potential to draw the viewer into the space or suggest a "zoomed in" effect. And lastly, it sets up a pleasing contrast to vertical subjects. This is evident in Brandon's drawing. His hatching is very meditated and even. The grid, tile-like background adds to the stability of the image.
Diana's drawing illustrates an exploration in technique. Each object has been rendered with a different method adding to the individuality of the forms as well as a textural element.
The tondo format has created a very focused composition in Jill's drawing. It seems to highlight the small water pale in the foreground.
Rachel's drawing has soft light with smooth transitions in tonality indicative of the "stipple" technique.
Ryan has created a tonally rich image with a full range of values and mark-making that addresses light and form.

PEN AND INK: Mini Sculptures

Michelle

Rachel

Rio

Last night the class made little sculptures out of clay and wood scraps and then drew them using pen and ink. Michelle's drawing illustrates the more expressive qualities of drawing with ink using a twig. By diluting the ink with water, she achieved various tonalities of gray. They angles of the sculpture combined with the drawing style and tonal range have created a very powerful and weighted image. Rio and Rachel have both used traditional quill nibs. Throughout their images they have employed the various techniques of hatching and stippling indicative of pen and ink drawings. Notice that each technique addresses light and form while also suggesting texture.

WET MEDIA: Pen and Ink

Last night the class began working with pen and ink. As an introduction to the materials and techniques we played the Surrealist game "The Exquisite Corpse." The techniques addressed in class were: 1. hatching and cross-hatching 2. stippling 3. scribble 4. pattern.

INK: The Exquisite Corpse

Today the class made ink drawings while playing the Surrealist game "The Exquisite Corpse." The three drawings above illustrate the various tonal and textural mark-making techniques characteristic of pen and ink drawings. Students employed hatching and cross-hatching, stippling, scribble as well as invented patterns. Note in the drawings above the use of swelled or thick and thin lines for creating volume. In addition, the gathering or grouping of the line and stipple marks creates gradations addressing light and form.

INDIA INK: Wash drawings

Techi Brant

Jack Ryan

Last night the class began working with India Ink and wash techniques. Techi's drawing above is rich in value exhibiting good volume and a strong sense of light. The vertical brush strokes in the background suggest an outdoor environment and a perfect contrast to the horizontal strokes predominant in the objects.
Jack's drawing is from last week. He has successfully rendered the light and volumes with the stipple technique. This too is a perfect contrast to the cross-hatch technique in the background and the rhythmic hatches within the shadows.

INK: Still Life

Nicole Tabor

Last night students continued working with pen and ink. Nicole's drawing demonstrates the parallel hatching and cross-hatching techniques. We've already discussed the benefits of contrasting values to establish depth and define edges of shapes and forms. In addition to this, when using ink, you may also use various techniques and the direction of the "marks" to illustrate objects and their location. For example, the small jar in the foreground exhibits arcing, parallel lines moving across the contour. In contrast, the gas can behind it exhibits contrasting values as well as the cross-hatch technique.