Part One: Project 1 - Stage 2: Exercise 1 and 2

Saturday 28th August... making marks

I have bought new stationery, re-organised my work-space, put dividers in my course folder.....and now to work!

I decided to stick to the 'dry' exercises, rather than gather ALL materials needed for the whole project. I know that if I'm not careful, no work will ever get done!

In front of me are - collection of pencils, my stencil, some A4 paper, and the course folder.

Exercise 1 - Making marks in an expressive way - using words

Working through the exercise given, and the words 'fast', 'slow', 'hard', etc, I discover a better knowledge of my materials and their capacity to make marks.

Fast: Using quick, wrist flicking movements with a sharp 2H pencil made hard, quick, fine lines.

Fast movements - 2H pencil

Slow: Using a firm grip on a 9B pencil made slow, steady lines. I used even horizontal spacing.

Slow movements - 9B pencil

Hard: Using a firm grip on an F grade pencil and hard, jabbing movements - produced small, hard, dotted lines.

Hard lines - F pencil

Sharp: Using an HB pencil, which is darker than the 'H' grades, and a firm hold, produced long, pointy, sharp lines.

Sharp lines - HB pencil

Soft: Using a nice, soft, dark pencil on its side produced a lovely soft line.

Soft lines - 6B pencil

Delicate: Using a soft B pencil and a light grip produced soft, delicate lines

Delicate lines - 4B

 Bumpy: Using a B pencil and a firm grip, I drew horizontal lines that bumped along.

Bumpy lines - B pencil

Smooth: With a 2B pencil held on its side, I drew vertical, smooth lines in varying directions.

Smooth lines - 2B pencil

Sensuous: Using an 8B pencil, I produced soft and curvy lines by holding the pencil at an angle. This created a nice, natural line.

Sensuous lines - 8B pencil

Sad: Using a 2H pencil produced a harder, lighter line. I pressed hard with the pencil at the start of the line and then used less pressure, almost 'letting go' at the bottom of the line.

Sad lines - 2H pencil.

Happy: With a 7B pencil, I created 'smiley', curvy, dark lines. The pencil was held firmly and then the line was finished with a flick of the wrist.

Happy lines - 7B pencil

Anger: With a 3B pencil, I pressed hard and scribbled with jagged motions.

Angry lines - 3B pencil

It was a nice exercise that seemed to make more sense as you worked through it - your emotions reflected in the motion and marks made by the pencil - A light grip with a flowing pencil line was easier to make, and more pleasurable than a firm grip with sharp, jagged pencil lines.

Exercise 1 - the finished pages:

Fast, Slow, hard, sharp, soft and delicate marks

Bumpy, smooth, sensuous, sad, happy and angry marks

Exercise 2 - Making marks in an expressive way - creating different areas of tone

I think this should be re-named 'getting to know your pencil, compare and contrast' !!

I worked through this exercise, getting tones from very dark to very light. I achieved this by using different ways of holding the pencil, and different ways of making marks.

2H pencil: Cross hatching: hard, firm lines crossed over each other repeatedly.
It was very hard to produce a really dark tone with this pencil.

Cross Hatching - 2H pencil

2B pencil: Single direction lines: darkness built up by pressing harder with the pencil.
Interesting effects produced when the lines overlapped each other.

Single direction lines - 2B pencil

4B pencil: Dots: I used a firm, upright grip on the pencil. The amount and intensity of the dots gradually built up to produce a darker area.

Dotty - 4B pencil

5B pencil: Squiggles: I held the pencil lightly to achieve the lightest tone, and firmly to achieve the darkest tone.

Squiggly - 5B pencil

7B pencil: Vertical lines: long, soft lines, drawn in the same direction. The length of the line was gradually reduced while, at the same time, the pressure on the pencil was increased.

Vertical lines - 7B pencil

9B pencil: Soft shading: using the pencil on its side. Heavy pressure on the pencil achieves the darkest tones.

Soft shading - 9B pencil

I used cross hatching with the hardest pencil I had, '2H', squiggles with a medium range pencil, a '5B', and soft shading with the softest pencil I had, a '9B'. I used a different technique with all the pencils in my collection.

I felt this was a really good exercise in pencil control, it enabled you to control the lights and darks, especially when working within a frame. I think this exercise will come in very handy when working my way through the forthcoming projects!

Exercise 2 - The finished page:

Different areas of tone - using a range of pencils

 Conclusion for today - I feel much better for making a start!