Hello, my name is Jim, reintroducing myself as it has been awhile since I have put pencil to paper. This is the start of my second year as a student of The Virtual Instructor. I like to draw portraits in charcoal and graphite, the only medium I have used. Well, here is my first, the first inanimate object and the first using colored pencils. I used a photo reference for this.
Comments, suggestions, any helpful insights are welcomed.
Thank you,
Jim
3 Likes
Hi Jim - Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your artwork here. Colored pencils are labor intensive and this is quite nice. I like how you created a shallow depth of field by making the background blurry. One comment I have is that the mug looks a little flat. I think you need to have some darker values on the sides of the mug to better indicate it’s rounded shape. Actually, now that I’m looking for where the light is coming from, it appears to be from the left side based on the shadows being strongest under the handle of the cup. Therefore, the cup itself should have darker values on the handle side, and the handle itself should have a bigger range of values as well. When you look at the reference pay particular attention to the light source and using a range of values to communicate to the viewer where the light comes from and the shape of objects.
Hope this is helpful. I’d suggest you watch the member’s minute every week. Matt talks about the importance of VALUE all the time and I have learned quite a bit from watching these. They are only about a half hour long so are easy to fit into a schedule.
Terri Robichon
Terri, thank you for taking time to critique my work. I take it to heart when it comes from you as you are quite an accomplished artist. I always look forward when you share. I will be having more time to get involved with the community as I am almost finished with the house, new kitchen cabinets, countertops, new flooring and baseboards throughout the house, painting every room. I have had some help but mostly on my own.
Again, THANK YOU
Jim
1 Like
Hello Jim @1kidneyJD , welcome back. I think you did a great job. It is a really intriguing drawing. The juxtaposition of the stone work imposed on a smooth (i’m assuming) coffee cup is intriguing. I think the way you handled the background is a strong compositional element, fading into B/W or as I saw it “coming from darker background into the more subtlety colored foreground with your eyes setting on tbe focal point of the apparent see through hole on the face of the cup”. I think you have some strong compositional elements working for you and would incorporate the things Terri stated to take this to the next level. Great job in my opinion.
Lenet
Hi Jim -
Oh, how I remember the years of home remodeling projects. It was so satisfying at the time. Now the thought of it makes me tired. My husband and I are just getting too old for that these days. Now all we do is hire out essential home maintenance stuff. And you’re welcome.
Terri Robichon
Thank you for your input. I am looking towards dedicating more time to my drawing and sketching. One of the rooms yet to finish, flooring, is my “studio”.
Jim
I had one idea of how my retirement would be, drawing & golf. My wife has a different idea of how I should spend my hours.
Jim
1 Like
I’ve been retired since 2012 and am still amazed how busy I am and how hard I have to plan to get time for my artwork.
Terri Robichon