Part One: Project 1 - Stage 3: Exercise 2

Wednesday 8th September - Using marks to create surface textures: Working from objects

Looking at a tin can and my outside wall for their textures!

Tin can: Shiny, metallic, reflective, hard.

Tin can

I tackled this object in both charcoal and watercolour.

Charcoal: Used a thin stick of charcoal - blended, applied more, smudged some more.
Although a nice effect - may be more appropriate to reflections in the water.

Tin can in charcoal

Watercolour: washes of watercolour applied to the surface of the paper, gradually applying more pigment.
This created an effect that wash too 'wishy-washy', too soft - not reflective or solid.

Neither of these techniques fully captured the metallic texture and look of the tin can.

The outside wall of my house: Soft, rounded, smooth, 'pebbley'.

Outside wall

I tackled this object in many ways:

Charcoal: Having thought a rubbing would be the perfect way to recreate the texture. I took newsprint and charcoal and produced a rubbing of the surface.

Texture 1 - outside wall

This technique did not produce the soft, rounded texture I wanted - it produced sharp and spiky marks, just dots appeared.

Pencil: I used a soft, dark, smudgy pencil for the cement, and a harder, lighter pencil for the pebbles.

Texture 2 - outside wall

I liked the effect produced using pencil - some interesting lines and marks appeared in the sketch.

Watercolour wash 1: A light grey wash was applied to the paper. Using a damp brush - colour was lifted out from the damp paint. Soft black pastel was applied while the paint was drying.

Texture 3 - outside wall

This sketch was at it's most effective whilst it was wet - as it dried it lost some of the marks and shades of colour. The addition of soft black pastel helped to recreate the pebbles.

Watercolour wash 2: Grey watercolour wash applied to paper. The end of a pencil dipped in bleach removed the colour in places. Black pastel brushed into the damp paint applied at the end.

Texture 4 - outside wall

This was, again, at it's most dramatic whilst wet. The black pastel applied at the end saved the sketch from being very dull.

Watercolour dye: The wash this time was very dark black. Bleach was applied with a brush. Black and white pastel was added when dry.

Texture 5 - outside wall

This was my favourite sketch and the most dramatic.
The bleach again played havoc with the paint - all definition and differentiation was lost.
Pastel saved the day!

A page of all the textures created:


Final page of the texture sketches

Conclusion:
I enjoyed creating the textures - although I found it harder than when working with photographs.
Having drawing implements and paper with you means you can work in a spontaneous way.
If uninspired - just work away. Something will always happen. Recording shapes, textures or feelings means you always have a reference to use at a later date.
Don't just attempt something once, constantly the best piece appeared after the 2nd or 3rd sketch.