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Helpful Articles
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Monday, 17 April 2006 |
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Pencil Drawing and Mark-Making
In this pencil drawing lesson, we'll focus on the importance of mark-making. Mark-making is the expression we use to describe the process of applying pencil to paper. You can improve your pencil drawing skills by carefully considering your pencil and how it hits the page. Controlling and exploiting the possibilities of the mark is an important step in developing as an artist. Keep Your Pencils Sharp
Chisel-point or blunt pencils are useful for some techniques, but for most pencil drawing, keep your pencil sharp. Don't worry about 'wasting' graphite in the sharpener - better than wasting your drawing efforts! Brighten the point by rubbing the side of the pencil on scrap paper between sharpenings. If you need a darker line, use a softer pencil, and be aware that a softer pencil goes blunt quickly. Use a Variety of Line:
When drawing lines, either in a linear drawing or within a texture in a tonal drawing, note that you can vary the weight of the line by lifting the pencil or pressing harder. This might seem obvious, but it is important, and most people don't exploit lineweight enough. Note the example above, which shows how lifting the pencil towards the end of the stroke can be used to give a grassy or fluffy effect. It can be useful to reduce the weight as the pencil is applied at the start of the stroke, rather than dropping it straight into full pressure. Achieving Even Shading:
A mechanical side-to-side shading motion, with each stroke ending below the last as the hand is moved down the page creates unwanted bands of tone through the shaded area. To prevent this, work back and forth over the same area, randomly varying the spot where the pencil-point changes direction. Or, try using a fine circular motion. This gives a different texture. Control the Direction of Marks:
Don't let your shading just follow the curve of your arm as you move it across the page. Use direction to describe your object. Follow the form, or create an edge using contrasting direction in two planes. A casual-looking but carefully executed effect of shading everything in one direction can also look effective. Direction direct the viewer's eye or create energy. Even randomness is often carefully considered, in order to look 'artfully dishevilled' rather than 'scruffy'. Where are your marks going? The Art is in the Mark:
The marks you make on the paper are like the notes played by a musician. No matter how good the written music, if the 'notes' are carelessly played, the result will be ugly. Likewise, by thinking about the kind of mark on your paper, you can make your idea as beautiful or dramatic as you choose. Is it a lyrical, gentle, flowing idea? Let your pencil strokes reflect that feeling. Often the subject (a spiky dried flower, or a curving vase) or model (a wrinkly older person, or a smooth-faced child) will imply a certain kind of handling. Take a critical look at all the little marks you make, as well as your overall composition. Those marks are your notes. Make them sing. |
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Sunday, 16 April 2006 |
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 Here's a good one Doodles (nothing to do with Tweenies), this is a doodle i done while i was watching Kerry play with her mobile phone. The point being doodles don't have to be perfect they can be of anything and they help you by practising lines and shading, the more you do the better you get, you dont need any expensive materials or paints just scraps of paper a pen or a pencil and away you go now when you sketch or paint next time for real you'll find your a bit better or maybe just a bit quicker and to top it off every now and then you'll do a doodle your proud of and want to keep.
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Sunday, 16 April 2006 |
How to Paint a Mural - Basic Mural Tips:1. Research what you are painting. Find several pictures of other murals, read mural books (faux finishes, etc.), know what you are going to paint. Some people have a problem with looking at other peoples art because they are afraid it will take away their originality. I never understood these people!!! Looking at other peoples art has always inspired me... and has never taken away from my own style of painting. Your style of painting will stick with you no matter what you do, even if you don't know it. 2. Draw several sketches, and a couple of rough drafts. Choose the one that you like the most. This step is very important and should not be skipped! This is where you will work out your composition throughout your painting, new ideas will come, and usually your sketches get better the more that you do. This is a very important step in design. 3. Make sure the project you take on is not too big! It is hard to see, but in the photograph below, where I am standing... if you look hard enough, you can see that the mural looks empty! I had way too much space, and not enough time to fill it in! The smaller parts of it look great though! 4. Buy nice brushes. I don't know if you have ever tried to paint with a cheap brush... its not worth it! The whole experience will be soooo much greater if you get a nice brush ( Just don't get the cheapest brushes you can find). 5. Prepare your surface. Well, since you are going to spend a lot of time painting a mural... you better make sure you are preparing the surface right! Look on the internet or check out some books at the library. 6. Start with background, then the back images and paint the images closest to you last. This is what every artist should know... but never follows (including me). But if you do follow it, you will find out that your backgrounds will look better, and your painting will look more 3 dimensional. |
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Sunday, 16 April 2006 |
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Opportunities for Exhibiting in Essex Libraries
22 libraries throughout Essex have gallery/exhibition areas and organise an annual programme of art exhibitions. Normally these exhibitions last for one month and there are opportunities for artists to have solo shows or to share the gallery area with other artists.
The library galleries show work by individual painters, sculptors, photographers and crafts persons. They also show work by art societies, artists’ groups and schools. Essex Libraries also now operates a system by which the normal gallery-booking fee is waived if the artists or group runs workshops or demonstrations in the Library during their exhibition.
Some library galleries are quite small, while others can exhibit 30 or more artworks and act as the main gallery in the town.
By exhibiting in an Essex library gallery, artists reach a very large audience of people coming through the library, many of whom may not normally go to art galleries or museums. Works may be for sale, and although we can’t guarantee any sales, it has been known for a show to sell out completely!
The Essex Library Galleries are an ideal showcase for a new art graduate or for someone aiming to hold their first solo show. Artists do not have to live or work in Essex.
How to get an exhibition in an Essex Library GalleryNormally each Library Gallery will develop a one-year exhibition programme in advance and set a date for artists to submit works and details about themselves. A selection panel then meets to view the submissions and selects the exhibition programme for the coming year. However, artists do not necessarily have to wait a full year if they just miss a submission deadline, because gaps in the exhibition programme may often appear during the year.So, if you or your art group/society wish to be considered for an exhibition slot in an Essex Gallery, please contact the appropriate Library directly on the following telephone numbers:
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Larger Gallery Areas
Basildon Library 01268 288533
Braintree Library 01376 320752Brentwood Library 01277 264290Chelmsford Library [2 galleries] 01245 492758Colchester Library 01206 245900
Harlow Library 01279 413772
Loughton Library 0181 5020181Maldon Library 01621 853556
Medium Sized Gallery AreasClacton Library 01255 421207Saffron Walden Library 01799 523178
South Woodham Ferrers Library 01245 329531
Witham Library 01376 519625
Smaller Exhibition AreasBillericay Library 01277 624624Dunmow Library 01371 873447Epping Library 01992 573504Halstead Library 01787 473431Hatfield Peveral Library 01245 380988Ingatestone Library 01277 354284Shenfield Library 01277 225540South Benfleet Library 01268 758558Walthan Abbey 01992 713717Wickford Library 01268 732354
Essex Libraries Touring Exhibitions
Each year Essex Visual and Media Arts [in conjunction with Firstsite] organises one or two major art exhibitions which are toured throughout the larger Essex Libraries Galleries. The aim is to feature high quality artworks by artists working in Essex and to encourage a better understanding of contemporary art.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 10 August 2006 )
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