Experiments with drawing techniques

The pencil allows for the largest

range of tones. Because it can be
easily erased, it is the most popular
sketching tool. Its small size makes
for great accuracy and tidiness.

Here are some of my experiments

with hatchings and tonal gradation:

Whilst charcoal makes for great shading, it can quickly get out of hand if used carelessly. The
technique of smudging as a way to shade or spread tone is useful, but it will ruin the artwork
or one’s clothes if touched with sooty hands. Charcoal, depending on the tone, is not easily
erased.

Here are some of my experiments shapes and tonal gradation:

Ink can create powerful contrasts because of its unmatched darkness, but must be used very
carefully since it cannot be erased. Ink is also good for creating gradients, and can be lightened
using water.

Here are some of my experiments with hatchings and tonal gradation:

 “Four Spiders” Experimental drawing techniques
This is a conceptual drawing of
the tarantula experimental
series. It was the most
experimental version, drawn
entirely out of ink stipplings.
This is a perspective
drawing of the tarantula
series, drawn with pencil. I
paid as much attention to
detail as possible and added
in shading to make it more
lifelike.
This is an abstract
drawing, made of charcoal.
It is special, compared to
the others, in regard to its
lack of form and sharp
contrast.
⋀
⋀
This is also a perspective
drawing, but alternate to
the other perspective
drawing. For one, it is
drawn from a different
angle. It also has no
shading and a lighter tone.
 Still Life Artwork No. 1 - Experiments
Sketch #1:
This sketch was probably the
closest to still-life in terms of
arrangement and depiction. In
this sketch, the main focus of
attention is the black umbrella
handle, drawn in thick pencil.
However, the positive/negative
space created by the umbrella
and the teapot allowxs for the
observer to focus on multiple
things, making it an open
composition.
Sketch #2:
This is a mostly closed composition,
although the developed version is most
definitely and open one. My intention
in creating this was to make something
similar to a realist genre (in terms of
accuracy), but it’s impossible to do that
in a 5 minute sketch. The mannequin
was drawn in charcoal, while the rest
was in pencil, so that it would become
the centre of the artwork.
Sketch #3:
If this wasn’t a sketch, then I
would have made it in the
same style as Vincent Van
Sketch #4:
Gogh - an accurately depicted
Since this sketch was drawn
centre of focus, with a blurry
during the final minutes of
background. I think I like
time we had, I didn’t get to
this sketch the most, because
finish it all, but my intention
it’s open composition and
was to create a
centre of gravity in the
positive/negative space using
picture attracts the observer
the background, mannequin,
to many objects, but still in
table and the frame.
the same place. It’s a mix
between an open/closed
composition, in my eyes.

#1:
In the earliest stage, I faced
logistical problems - I previously
hadn’t paid attention to
proportion in art, and I had to
erase the mannequin body many
times before I finally got the
right proportion.
Still Life Artwork No. 1
#2:
After the mannequin and ball
had been finished, I decided to
draw the background curtain in
black, using charcoal. I still
didn’t wasn’t entirely deided on
how I was trying to aesthetically
please an observer, I just drew as
I saw.
#3:
After the background was
finished, I decided to add the
table, using white ink because
I’d already used white charcoal
to add the ball, and I wanted the
artwork to be not just
colourfully diverse, but
materialistically diverse as well.
#4:
By this point I had decided I
would make the artwork as
colourfully contrasting as
possible, since that was about
the only attractive thing about
it. I used white charcoal to add
the wall background, but was a
bit messy and slightly smudged
it with black.
 The Calm Before The Storm - Experiments and Sketches

#2: #3:
#1:
This second draft was made by My last draft, also in
My first sketch, which took
watercolour in my Art Journal. The watercolour, made me realise
around 30-40 minutes,
purpose of it was to experiment with what colours I would try to use
accurately depicts the depth and
the range of colours I could use, and it in my paintings, and also made
contrast in the wanted
was the first time I’d used me realise how the variation of
arrangement. However, the lack
watercolour. It helped lay the tones could exemplify depth.
of colour leaves the future
founding colours of my painting, but
acrylic painting unplanned.
in other terms it looked terrible.
 The Calm Before The Storm - Process
#1:
I began painting the grass with a
wallbrush, and made the mistake of not
having it as an entire layer. The
brushstrokes were as thickspread as
possible, but that only had the opposite
effect of making it seem distant.
However, the lush green colour at the
front did make have the intended effect.
#5:
I struggled to suitably mix the colours
according to Czapski’s palette, since I did
not actually have a lot of experience
mixing acrylics.
#2:
I painted the forests by mixing green and
a smidgen of black. Painted in wallbrush,
I avoided trying to be detailed and did
two rows, one behind another to give a
fading distance effect. I also painted the
sky as I saw it: grey.
#6:
After hours of mixing, I put together a
more complex background in the sky. It
took a long while to figure out what
pattern I wanted to make, but it turned
out good.
#3:
The landscape is painted in wallbrush
strokes of a more watery transparent
green to express depth. Unfortunately,
the wateriness makes it inconceivable, so I
will have to repaint it later on. However,
I have developed different methods of
showing distance with the wallbrush, like
making rows of stipplings by dabbing
gently with wallbrush, positioned
horizontally.
#7:
The forest and and landscape has been
repainted, in greater depth and variety of
colours. The foreground, middleground
and background are all clearly balanced
by stroke and colour.
#4:
Inspired by Józef Czapski, I decided to
give the sky more resonance by trying to
diversify the colours - even if it was
somewhat realistic, grey was boring and
not even a real colour.
#8:
Now that the hut has been painted, the
landscape looks more fitting and less
bare. My only regret is not painting the
dry red grass before the hut, it does look a
bit artificial when I notice that.
The Calm Before The Storm - Final Comment
There are many elements in Joseph’s
paintings that I applied to my
painting, chiefly the colour scheme,
the landforms and the medium.

The brushwork differs in thickness,

because I mainly used a wallbrush to
paint large swathes of green, blue
and red.

The depth, which is created by the

scale of the landscape, is
complimented by the dark skies.
Józef Czapski - Polna Droga
 Land Art
Land Art is a contemporary art
movement wherein an artwork is
crafted by transforming the natural
landscape into a sculpture of
earthwork.

My Land Art, titled “Infinity: Autumn”, was largely inspired by the In Dennis Oppenheim’s Annual Rings (1968), the
symbolism behind Dennis Oppenheim’s artwork; I like how it is schemata of lines depicting the annual growth of trees
something made by using the seasonal weather (which is my theme) was mapped by ploughing snow on opposite sides of St.
and both the land, without completely levelling and manipulating John’s River, the boundary of the USA and Canada.
the earth into something unnatural as if that particular part of the
Earth belonged to somebody, unlike James Turrell’s Roden Crater.
Dennis’s and my own artworks are infinite in the fact that they will
live on, but only in memory, where it is most important.
Photography: Experiments
 Land Art
There are many elements in Joseph’s
paintings that I applied to my
painting, chiefly the colour scheme,
the landforms and the medium.

Józef Czapski - Polna Droga