THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

12 July 2012

EVOLUTION OF A DRAWING


Yesterday I sat down to draw one of the ponies from the day before and was reminded, when I read an email from a friend who sent me a few quilting blogs with advice, that these people often take progress photos as they construct one of their beautiful quilts. So, I thought I might do the same with a drawing, in case anyone would be interested to see the process. Unfortunately, I thought, looking at the little camera screen without my reading specs, that they were all beautifully in focus. Needless to say they weren't so some are a little woolly looking despite much sharpening in PhotoShop. So here goes......


First I start with a very basic outline which is the bit I find most difficult to get right. If it's wrong, the whole thing is going to look wrong. I use an HB propelling pencil usually but often used an F in the past....more difficult to get hold of the leads!


I usually go in for the ears and eyes first to get a sense of the face. They are usually the darkest points too and I can work out lighter shades from there. Here I was also trying to get the fluffy feeling in the forelock.


Sorry - this is a dreadful picture! You can see I'm putting the nostrils and bone structure into the head here with areas of shadow. I've also made a start on the very strange dreadlocky mane he had, with curly ends.


Filling in the areas of deep shadow again here where the mane separated and flopped over the other side of his neck....avoiding getting to those curly bits. 


Attempting the curly bits and trying to get the impression of the matted nature of the mane.


Reasonably happy with the mane so onto shadow areas again and just starting to build up the muscle tone in the legs.


Here I've started to fill in the big areas of shading on the belly. This pony was very dark bay with strange bright-ish brown highlights in the curly bits of that pesky mane.


Building up the grass around his fetlocks(fiddly!) and into the dark shadows again before....


.....darkening areas to show muscle definition on the hind quarters and legs.


Finshing off the hind legs, working on the light and shade in the bone and muscle structure and avoiding the tail! Even the grass around the hind fetlocks was preferable.


Here I've finished off the markings and shaping of the belly and made a start on the tail with it's fluffy top.


Tail finished, it's onto starting the rather long process of the surrounding grass. In this case, I decided on quite a lot of sky or I would have been hunched up over the desk all day. It's an A4 sized drawing for once, so lots more background than normal.


A rock and a few flowers.....


.....and finally some colour, starting off with those little tormentil flowers in yellow.


Here I've highlighted the brighter brown areas of the mane and tail and started building up the various shades of green in the grass. Also, I suddenly felt the urge to sign it rather previously!


More grass, a slight wash of dark brown over the pony and beginning with a greyish blue on the sky.


Sky blue done to be followed by a grey over the whole lot for brutal realism....there was NO sun that day and hence no shadow either. That's a shame as I always think a defined shadow helps enormously. However, I'm not going to make one up as it would be bound to look wrong! So finally, here's the finished drawing again:


Dark Bay Dartmoor Pony July 2012

A note to Bovey Belle regarding getting photos bigger....this is the best I've managed to do so far, by right clicking on the image and selecting 'extra large'. I don't think this is quite as big as you were wanting though....sorry! Till next time....


18 comments:

  1. That was so interesting to me as I have recently returned to drawing and painting after years of absence ( apart from art work with young children while I was teaching). I am currently doing a watercolour of my late dark bay pony from a photo and found myself concentrating on the face first of all. Getting the eyes, muzzle and expression right to begin with ( as you did) seems to increase confidence enough to keep going!

    Your little Dartmoor mare has a very sweet face and her body, with the extended belly and less muscular hind quarters, is just right. Lovely to include the tormentil flowers too as they are ever present on the moorland grasses at this time of year, so that gives a sense of place and a feeling of the wild environment.

    Thank you for very timely drawing lesson!

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  2. So glad you bothered to trawl through it all! I'd love to see your painting when its finished so please put it on your blog, if you have the confidence. It took a HUGE leap for me to do this and things aren't exactly flying off the shelves in my ETSY shop!

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  3. I love this and I enjoyed seeing the process very much. I love to draw, but somehow got out of the habit.

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    1. I did too Kath, or saw it as a chore because my Mum was always going on about it! If I can do it so can you.....pick up your pencils.

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  4. I loved this drawing lesson too. I just draw by instinct rather than any knowledge of "how to" WHEN we move, I am going to go to classes. I have a weird technique anyway - sometimes I will do a rough outline and then home in and start doing the head in extreme detail (leaping in where angels fear to tread is an Aries trait!). Sometimes I just start with the extreme head detail and gradually draw the rest. Undisciplined. The little mare has such a pretty face and expression. Love her. You have captured her well, I am sure.

    As for the photos - well, I did TRY - found the size thing etc - and the one I tried still came out the same size, so I will have to have a play around and see if I can conquer it. Thank you so much for taking time to work it out.

    Skint at present, but I shall be visiting your Etsy shop when we can get a couple more car boot sales under our belts (weather permitting).

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    1. Do keep trying! It has to be done when you're writing the post but I'm sure you know that. I'd love to see your drawings too - everyone's talents are coming out of the woodwork but not showing yet. I tend to do the same thing every time - with sheep too. Perhaps that's a Taurean thing, I don't know.

      Very brave doing the car boot thing. I could put one on on my own with amount of stuff I'd LIKE to get rid of....it's persuading others that's the problem!

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  5. Lovely Em, even I may try drawing again-instead of cartoons I draw on board at school!! x

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    1. I wish everyone would. It's not so hard and the more you do, the esasier it gets. I must check out your school cartoons. You're so creative, I bet yours would be fantastic.

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    2. Aw thanks Em. Think I'll dig out a book for the hols to start drawing again x

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  6. *Em how do I find your etsy shop-Is there a link on here?

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    1. If you click on each drawing thumbnail, it takes you to the page it's for sale on but I need a banner thing or something written in big capital LETTERS.

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  7. I loved this step by step explanation. I'm a very unaccomplished artist and have had no lessons, but I still love to draw. I would be happy to watch artists at work all day and I know I'd learn a ton!

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    1. It depends what you mean by accomplished! I'd love to see everyone's drawings. I think we should all photograph them and show them. When I look at some of the stuff on Etsy and other selling sites, I think I should put my 8 year old son's drawings on there! If we enjoy it, we should do it. So glad you liked it. Thanks Chris.

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  8. Lovely drawing lesson, watching the pony build up step by step. I have too many other hobbies to consider drawing as well but I so enjoyed the stages as the pony came to life....

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    1. I'm so glad - I'll do it again sometime with a sheep, which is a very different animal in both senses....

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  9. beauty equipment

    Wow. I'm amaze by your step by step drawing instruction. I'm quite jealous of your talent. I hope I can draw like you can.

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    1. So glad you like it. I'm planning to do another one soon. Have a go drawing something you love - it makes it much easier I find!

      Thanks for visiting!

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  10. I've always loved to watch how someone else starts and finishes their drawing/painting etc. I usually do a work in progress on my larger ones, the little pieces of art (ACEO's, 3.5x5 and 4 x 6's) I'm working too quickly to think about WIP. I do love how yours turned out!

    I forgot to congratulate your son on his award and hope you didn't suffer any storm damage.

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It's great to read them and I will always try to reply.