Weeks 5 & 6: Proportions, Form, Contour Lines, Tonal Values, Abstract Drawing

We ventured further into drawing from observation and the imagination during the the past two lessons. As everyone's confidence continues to grow, we learned about combining lighter and darker grays to create tonal values of color and how to create abstract compositions. Some VERY creative work is being produced by the Community Day Sketchers!

Don't forget to look for your work in the Online Student Show. Click here

Look forward to drawing with you all on Wednesday! --Mr. Court

Lorenzo

Your unique drawing style really shows in your realistic and abstract work, Lorenzo!! Your drawing of the agave plant displays an excellent use of tones to show lighter and darker values of green leaves. The contour lines for the edges of the leaves are well drawn. Nice how you broke up the space of the composition with darker background tones. Your abstract drawings show a nice use of the abstract artwork examples of Kandinsky as ideas for your compositions. Angled and curved lines compose the space on the page and show a lot of movement.

Brian

These two pieces show a huge step forward in your drawing, Brian!! The realistic drawing of the plant display your understanding of contour edges as well as light and dark values. The bold use of tones helps to show the natural form of the plant. EXCELLENT usage of the elliptical guides and a ruler for your abstract drawing! I really like how you used different tonal values of the shapes and line widths to show depth in the composition.

Daniel

Your usage of lighter and darker tones of the plant adds a lot of power to your stylized drawing. The contour line study sketch shows accurate proportions as you laid out the composition for your final tonal drawing. Great job of showing the contour edges of the leaves and contrasts between highlights and the darker background areas. I know you worked on a large format drawing in class but didn't get it from you.

Daniella

You got off to a fast start with your study sketch then launched into a powerful, stylized large-format drawing of the agave plant. The bold, fluid pencil strokes of your large composition are a wonderful direction for your drawing style!! Keep exploring using expressive line work and blending lighter and darker tones in future work.

Edgar

You've pushed your drawing skills to another level with these tonal drawings of the agave plant, Edgar!! Excellent how you used study sketches to find the contour edges and accurate proportions of the leaves; then progressed to adding lighter and darker gray tones to show the different values of green. I'm really liking how you kept your line work and tones looser and more expressive in your composition.

Sydney

Sydney, your line work just keeps getting freer and more expressive with each drawing you make!! Your tonal drawing of the plant shows a looser, more natural drawing style. Great job of using lighter and darker grays to show the different values of green on the leaves. The bold, darker background tones add depth to the composition. All sorts of wonderful design elements abound in your abstract drawing! Keep moving in this direction of expressive line work and sketchier pencil strokes.

Jamal

BIG-time progress in your drawing skills, Jamal!! Excellent use of positive and negative space to draw the contour edges and form of the egret. Nice detail work on the facial features and beak of the bird. And your tonal sketch of the agave plant is very well drawn, man! Very cool how you experimented with looser, expressive pencil strokes for the darker background tones. Great job of blending lighter and darker tones to show the different values of green and contours of the leaves.

Brandon

Your confidence just keeps building with each new drawing you make, Brandon!! It's so excellent how you're cutting loose with your line work and tones in your realistic and abstract drawings! I really like the expressive pencil strokes in your tonal sketch of the agave plant. Nice job using lighter and darker values to show the form of its leaves You really opened up on the large-format drawing of the plant with long, expressive pencil strokes. And your abstract pieces show lots of movement and rhythm in both compositions.

Thalia

Looks like you're having some real fun with realistic and abstract drawing, Thalia!! Your line work shows a lot of movement and energy in both compositions. I really like how you used layers of lines and tones to create depth in your work, especially in the drawing of the agave plant. Great job using lighter and darker tones to show the different values of green on the leaves. The darker background tones are a nice contrast to the lighter areas. And for lifting out the highlights on the leaves, I can see you were having a great time using the kneaded eraser. :-)

Monica

You have a very bold drawing style that's beginning to develop, Monica!! The tonal drawing of the agave plant and your abstract compositions show that you're gaining confidence in your use of lines, shapes, and tones. The contour edges of the plant are very well drawn. Excellent usage of darker values to show the contrast between the darker background areas and the form of leaves. Great work in using positive/negative space and color to create the designs in your abstract work.

Anthony

Anthony, these are both VERY artistic compositions!!! Great use of lines, shapes, and tones to break up the space on the page. The contour lines and lighter and darker tones of the plant drawing are arranged in a balanced way, showing a really nice impressionistic view of the plant. The negative space around the design elements creates a white frame that helps to tie all the lines and shapes together in your abstract drawing.

Alejandro

I know you were working on other school work while we were drawing the agave plant. (I hope you're able to draw the plant sometime.) But you did a superb job of using the abstract artwork examples by Kandinsky as a starting point for your abstract drawing!!! Great line work, Alejandro! You threw in all kinds of angled and curved lines to express movement and rhythm. And you did a great job of layering shapes and tones to create a wonderful composition.

Jairo

Welcome back to the Day Sketchers, Jairo!!! Excellent work in using the negative space around the egret to draw the contour edges and form of its body, especially the 's' curve in the neck. Nice job in using gray tones to show the contour edges of the feathers. It's really cool how you started loosening your line work, making your drawing style freer and more expressive. Keep moving in this direction while developing your drawing style.

Crystal

Looks like creating abstract compositions is a great way for you to express yourself, Crystal!! Both of your drawings use a combination of dynamic shapes and lively line work. Really like how you layered the gray shapes over the spiral element. Lots of rhythm and movement in this sketches! You've gotta keep exploring this kind of drawing. :-)

Isaac

You've created a couple of awesome abstract compositions, Isaac!! Great job of using the artwork examples of Kandinsky as the basic idea for your first sketch; wonderful arrangement of lines shapes and tones! Excellent how you added patterns and repetition to create visual interest. Your work is showing more control in your line work.

Online Student Show, 2010

What a Year! The Online Student Show features student drawings from six different schools in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. The theme of the show is Drawing from Observation and Imagination. All students have drawings posted!

To see your drawings and other students: Click here

Weeks 3 &4: Proportions, Contour Lines, Positive/Negative Space, Form

There's sooooooo much potential with this group of sketchers! Everyone progressed quickly through the first couple of weeks in drawing with lines and shapes; then you rose to the challenges of using positive and negative space to draw contour lines and accurate proportions of the dragonfly and egret. I'm really seeing some VERY distinct drawing styles emerge as we venture into drawing realistically.

Welcome to new sketchers, Brandon and Jamal!!

We're going to be shifting gears this week and have fun doing abstract drawings.

C U Wednesday! --Rob

Edgar

This is a great example of using study sketches to find accurate form and proportions!!! As you used positive/negative space to see the form of the egret, your progression of studies became more and more accurate, compared to the reference picture. The accuracy of the 's' curve of the neck and proportions of the body improved with each new sketch. You pulled it all together in your expressive, large-format drawing, including gray tones for the feathers and where the neck connects to the body. Superb effort, Edgar!

Thalia

You made good use of your study sketch of the dragonfly to find the proportions of its body and wings. In your final sketch you made an excellent catch: you re-positioned the wings more toward the head. The proportions of the wings and body are spot-on, Thalia!! The contour edges of the body are very well drawn. The thinner lines for the wings make them look transparent. Great work in drawing the details!

Lorenzo

Your eye for accurate proportions improves with each new challenge that you take on while doing observational drawing! The proportions of the dragonfly's body and wings are very well drawn, Lorenzo! In your large-format drawing, check the length of wings compared to body. Superb work in drawing the details of the legs and contour edges its body and transparent wings. Great use of positive and negative space to draw the form of the egret. Your accuracy improved with each sketch, especially the 's' turn of the bird's neck.

Crystal

This drawing shows that you're gaining more control in your line work and ability to draw accurate proportions of things you're looking at. The proportions of the dragonfly are right on, Crystal!! You're own style is emerging in the details of this drawing, such as the contours of the body and delicacy of the transparent wings. Keep it going!

Daniella

I really like how you maintained accurate proportions of the dragonfly while adding your own stylized line work. Nice job with the contrast of the gray tones of the body and designs on the wings! I hope you continue to develop this sense of style and composition in future drawings. You were busy with other school work while sketching the egret so you weren't able to focus on details. But the form of the bird became more accurate with each new sketch. This was an excellent exercise for you! Keep practicing doing studies of the shapes of things before finishing with darker contour lines. :-)