Week 8 Assignment: Balancing Color and Line

Image #1: Swatches

Before attempting to sketch the item of clothing that I had chosen for this assignment,  I decided to make watercolor color swatches as suggested by Liz. Using my #12 Isabey sable brush, CJAS Lizard’s lick brush, Safari pen with black ink and Inktense pencils, I tried the various combinations. Although I have used these combinations before, I was surprised by the subtle differences in their effects. 

Week 8 Assignment: Image #1
Swatches demonstrating different combinations of watercolor paints,
ink and Inktense colored pencils

Image # 2: Color and line--texture

Time for completion: 45 minutes 

For this segment of the assignment I chose the fingerless gloves that are part of my cold-weather art kit. They are handmade and a bit formless, so I added a rock with well-defined edges for contrast. I started with a gesture drawing in Inktense watercolor pencil, then made  measurements to adjust the length and width of the gloves. The measurements that I took are relatively correct. However, the perspective of the gloves makes them appear of different sizes.

Then I drew the outlines of the objects in ink using the Safari pen. I chose to imply the knitted texture of the gloves by working wet into damp watercolor paint. I tried to work more loosely than I had in previous assignments. Changing to the Isabey sable brushes has helped. To describe the indentations in the rock, I used ink-hatching to darken the shadows and define the crisp edges. I think that it worked well for this object, a memento of a walk on an Oregon beach.

SUMMARY: This sketch demonstrates how the color and texture of the gloves dominates over line. The ink line is only faintly visible. In the drawing of the rock color is secondary to line. Strong line-work enhances the interesting texture created by small stones that were imbedded in the now hardened sandstone. 

Week 8 Assignment: Image #2
 Watercolor, Inktense colored pencils and pen
in Strathmore Series 500 sketchbook.

Image #3 Color and line--details
Time for completion: 70 minutes
Colorful silk scarves are one of my pleasures. So I chose a small selection to sketch with close attention to details. I started with a gestural drawing of the major shapes in graphite, then drew the details with black ink pen. Because of the small areas of color, I used a Kuretake water brush to apply the Sennelier watercolors. The tighter approach seemed to fit the subject, just as the looser approach seemed more appropriate for the knitted gloves in the previous sketch. There is a pleasing balance between line and color in this sketch.

Note: I’m enjoying the surface of the Strathmore sketchbook paper, it absorbs the paint well, but has enough sizing to allow lift-off. I also felt more confident drawing in ink than previously.

Week 8 Assignment: Image #3
Kuretake water brush, Sennelier watercolors,
Safari pen with black ink
in Strathmore Series 500 sketchbook

Image #4: Color and line--outdoors (pending)