Look at that Critter Go!

This is probably my least favorite piece, but the process really helped my understanding of using prismacolors and drawing the motion of an animal. The prismacolors worked well up until the point where there was too much of the background showing. I kept coloring in order to hide it, but that made layers of different colors near impossible for me, as well as emphasizing the value in the fur of the animal. I think I would have been more successful if the drawing was larger (the small space was also part of the challenge) and if I had chosen a different paper color for the background. The animal itself is much too large (I call it my prehistoric donkey) and it looks too flat, as if the donkey is simply raising its leg. The only way to see the emotion behind the action is to look at the donkey's expression, which looks nice but was not the point of the project. I probably struggled the most with this piece than all other projects we've had so far, but it was a great learning experience and the first time using prismacolors.  

Figure Drawing

For some reason the image will not rotate. Sorry.

People and the figure are one of my favorite things to draw. Before drawing full, mostly detailed pictures, we practiced with 30 second figure drawings and learned how to capture the motion and use correct proportions. Having the right proportions is extremely important to a figure drawing. If the proportions are off by even a little, the realism and quality of the drawing are reduced immensely. The mass and volume of the drawing are best expressed through the shading (although there isn't much here) and placement of correctly scaled parts of the body. You want it to be clear to the viewer that the person is moving, or falling, or leaning; that some force is visible within the drawing. I found that charcoal worked best when doing the figure drawings. It has a nice flow and is much bolder than pencil. It is also easier to blend and add value.The challenges that I faced were properly placing everything where it needed to be. Even if I had been perfectly proportioned, my eyes would always find something too wide or too long even though that is how it is supposed to be. I guess that's what happens when you draw more cartoons than realistic people.