Part One: Project 1 - Stage 3: Exercise 1

Saturday 4th September - Using marks to create surface textures

This exercise is all about creating surface textures from a visual source.

Fortunately I received the course materials during my stay in the UK this summer. With their wise words in my ear, I attempted to bring home many textural photos. In particular - a day out in Portmeirion, North Wales, proved to be a good source for my requirements for this exercise.

Having looked through my pictures, I chose a selection: an old tree, a toadstool, undergrowth, slate wall, stump of a tree with coins.

The slate wall had a hard surface, but it had eroded over time creating a feeling of being delicate - as if it would eventually flake away. Using an aperture, I focussed in on an interesting area. Having my materials to hand, I am going to try several techniques to achieve the surface shown.

Pencil: Using different grades of pencil, I managed to create some nice dark and light tones. I was able to create both dramatic and delicate marks and rhythms.
The shades produced using pencil were very 'stonelike' in colour and texture.
I created a dramatic landscape in pencil although I should have used a smaller area to develop as it was very labour intensive.



study in pencil


Ink applied with reed and mapping pens: I really liked using these, especially the mapping pen. I was able to achieve graduations in colour and texture where the lines overlapped.
An atmospheric landscape appeared from the marks made.
The work built up more quickly than the pencil as you were able to build up a rhythm with the marks.

study in pen and ink

Newspaper collage with soft pastel and charcoal: I spent some time preparing the newspaper - I inked, dyed, painted, bleached and splattered the pages. I created different shades of the colours that I wanted to use.
I used both english and arabic papers to create a different effect.
I layered and glued down the torn papers - the torn edges of the papers adding to the rhythmic lines in the piece.
Charcoal was added to darken some areas, soft pastel to lighten areas.
This was my favourite technique, it created a very dramatic piece.



study in collage


 This page is a collection of the different media used for textural sketches of the slate wall.

Page showing surface textures created