Completed a still life in charcoal tonight. Finished in just over 3 hours with a 4 hour suggested time limit. Size is 18"×11 3/8" and layout was done using Golden section for composition. It is entitled, “Evening Relaxtion”.
Let me know if the composition feels correct. Other comments are welcome also.
Thanks,
Lenet
Lenet, welcome back. A wonderful sketch. I am confused about the cup & books lack of a shadow. Would you please explain the Golden section? Is the table line A?
Thank you,
Jim
Hello Jim @1kidneyJD , I will try to explain. The light source was direct and low. I have attached a picture from the source (mind you not exactly from the exact drawing perspective but close). The layout was framed in my camera with the golden section grid in the view finder then the drawing was started and done from the live still life not a photo. Shadows were what I was seeing. Spot light was low. I dont know if this or pictures provide some clarity, but hope this helps.
Lenet
Oh love this! And that you used the golden ratio!
Thanks, @junenez. I felt good about composition. Hopefully, it translated well.
Lenet
I do love your drawing, Lenet! I think the composition is very well done. I have never figured out the golden mean/golden ratio/golden whatever. I see it in your composition. I just need to look it up and figure it out.
Brenda
Hi Lenet -
I’ve never been a fan of time limits for myself, but it seems to be working for you. I have a couple comments to share. First there is a strong shadow for the bottle, but no shadow for the cup or the books.
Second, your objects look flat. You need to add some more values to show the shape of the objects. The bottle and cup need darker values on the edges, keeping in mind the direction of the light source (as illustrated behind the left side of the bottle). But even the pages of the book would be different on the two sides that you can see.
By the way, I really like the “texture” on the background, table, everywhere I guess. You must have done the texture first and then added the objects in the still-life.
Keep posting my friend,
Terri Robichon
Hello @Brenda, thank you for the comment. Setting up the composition one way then when you move slightly as you get started painting I found things were slightly different, but close enough to be really close.
However the pictures I shared with Jim in previous post was taken after the painting and again in slightly different perspective.
Lenet
Thank you, Terri @robichon . I see what you are saying, and I guess I should have put in at least a hint of shadow on the cup, although it would have been only a sliver on the table from my drawing perspective. My light source was almost directly in front of the cup, so vertical shadow was behind cup on the bottle. I did catch the only small corner of the shadow on the bottom book edge. The rest were on the back wall. I should have gone back in with white charcoal to bring up the highlights. I erased all that I could, even with electric eraser. I may go back and do that. I have to pick up a couple more of those. As for the texture, the jumbo willow charcoal made those marks at the initial shading, then couldn’t blend out or erase. It acted as if it was compressed charcoal instead of a large willow piece.
By the way, did you see the reference in my response to Jim?
I do appreciate the comments. I saw most of those, but again was following what I was seeing from my perspective. Hind sight tells me I should have taken artistic license on a couple of things to make things appear more natural.
Thanks,
Lenet
By the way, I think this artist journey you are on is most impressive and you are an inspiration to many of us.
Terri Robichon
Terri @robichon , I truly appreciate the compliment.
Lenet
Thank you for explaining and I echo Terri’s comment about keep sharing & inspiring the rest of us.
Jim
Thank you, Jim @1kidneyJD
You did a really nice job on that Lenet I like it as is. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Ron @rleeelliott . I would definitely add some highlights if I ever were to sell it. But it was all I could do at the time.
Lenet
Looks like I am a little late to the show. I think that it looks really well done for a time limit as you mentioned. Exercises like this are really helpful. I have a project different but similar in some ways if I understand your journey.
I always look forward to seeing your artwork. Very inspiring.
Teri
Thank you, Teri @TLP
That’s a lot of detail in a small time frame. I can see some reflection of the books on the mug. I think din this case the lighter areas could’ve been lighter. I understand the perspective change and shadow placement. It is tricky to create the illusion of what’s not there for the sake of the viewer, I imagine being in a time constraint adds pressure.
Sonia
Thanks, Sonia @Meme5 . It was more fighting the paper than the time. Erasing just stopped happening. I may be go back in when I get my order of white graphite shipped and make a few tweaks.
Lenet
@lenetg137 Lenet,
What kind of paper was it?
