Line & Mark- Part 1

       
I have been looking at the use of line over the past week, I have been exploring exaggeration, simplification, plains and contours.

Over the past few weeks I have found out alot about the drawing process; that it is something that cannot be taught but can only be learnt through the means of drawing. Drawing can only be measured by its success by its maker - you yourself define a 'good' drawing and you define your way of working. 

As we were asked to use 10 different tools over the course of these 2 weeks, I tried to allow them to almost dictate my drawing and explore their potential as mark making tools. Doing this helped me to understand how the media works on the paper and using it in different ways. For example, in the penultimate drawing, I am working in gouache and brush; this is something I have never worked in but I feel that the results are great. Exploring the potential here has led me to a place where I know that I now want to exploit this media further to see what more results I can get from this approach. 

To draw these pieces, I have been working with reference material from the official Olympic website and a book called 'Sports in the 21st Century'. 

The drawing opposite is my most successful in terms of learning; the mark making here is beautiful  (see close up photo). It suggests flow, form and anatomy whilst also being fairly simple. There is a lot that I could improve on and develop (for example I could try show tone) and I will bear this in mind for my next drawings using this approach.

"Creative art begins with creative line. Creative line can only be the line as you see it and prefer to draw it. Projecting literal contours by and artificial means can only result in stifling your most valuable asset- individuality. Draw from copy as you would from life. Have always the courage to draw it yourself."
 

Andrew Loomis. 1947