I just used the drawing to make an line drawing. After that I put the book away and tried to fill the toning in as I learn on this course. I was not happy with the result .
Hi Marijke! It is a beautiful drawing and it seems to follow the same principles we do. I would actually darken the right side of the fig to enhance the form more. But back to your drawing – I think it was a good idea to want to try to apply the toning from what you have learned and not copy Penny’s drawing. After drawing for years I could do that, but I certainly could not do it when I first started drawing many years ago. Even today I don’t enjoy working from memory or making something up. I have to be physically looking at a subject (either in person or photograph) to do my best work. I ideally want to see it in person, but at the very least in a photograph. I want my subject to be in the perfect position and with the ideal lighting so I can reference it at any time. Even if I do not look at the subject as much as I use to. I guess my point is that you are making it very hard on yourself to not have any visual reference for the exact subject you are drawing. When I started doing botanical artwork some 40 years ago I was doing it on my own and I began by doing copies of drawings/paintings I found in books. The problem with that is I did not know why I was doing what I was doing. I was just trying to copy the image so I was not really learning technique or comprehend why the artist did what they did. So if you think it would help to do a copy, be sure to remember to not just do a copy, but also apply what you have been learning through these lessons. I think one way or another you are going to need to have a visual reference to achieve a successful outcome.
Hi Doug, Penny Brown, Botanical Drawing, page 41
I just used the drawing to make an line drawing. After that I put the book away and tried to fill the toning in as I learn on this course. I was not happy with the result .
My goal was not to copy Penny’s very nice drawing,but find my one way with the toning.
Maybe it will be a good training for me to start again and try to copy her?
Hi Marijke! It is a beautiful drawing and it seems to follow the same principles we do. I would actually darken the right side of the fig to enhance the form more. But back to your drawing – I think it was a good idea to want to try to apply the toning from what you have learned and not copy Penny’s drawing. After drawing for years I could do that, but I certainly could not do it when I first started drawing many years ago. Even today I don’t enjoy working from memory or making something up. I have to be physically looking at a subject (either in person or photograph) to do my best work. I ideally want to see it in person, but at the very least in a photograph. I want my subject to be in the perfect position and with the ideal lighting so I can reference it at any time. Even if I do not look at the subject as much as I use to. I guess my point is that you are making it very hard on yourself to not have any visual reference for the exact subject you are drawing. When I started doing botanical artwork some 40 years ago I was doing it on my own and I began by doing copies of drawings/paintings I found in books. The problem with that is I did not know why I was doing what I was doing. I was just trying to copy the image so I was not really learning technique or comprehend why the artist did what they did. So if you think it would help to do a copy, be sure to remember to not just do a copy, but also apply what you have been learning through these lessons. I think one way or another you are going to need to have a visual reference to achieve a successful outcome.