Success at Last

I have been struggling for weeks with the still life assignments. I have particularly been having trouble with the human-made objects (as opposed to natural shapes). I admit that, while I did make many sketches, I also was procrastinating. Last weekend, I made myself sit down and draw a slow, carefully detailed drawing. It took me 7 hours, but I am pleased with the results.




This is a still life using my Kitchenaide, bags of flour and sugar, and a measuring cup. I had been trying to stay away from what I considered 'difficult' shapes: smooth, shiny, surfaces; straight lines; lettering. So, I made myself get over it - and am I glad I did! I am very happy with this pencil drawing. I feel that the objects and the relationships between the objects are accurate. It is not perfect (the knob on the right end of the Kitchenaide is not at the appropriate angle, the bowl is not perfectly shaped, and neither is the measuring cup). I still seem to have trouble with the top edge of round objects. Getting that perspective is difficult.

I did several sketches of various still life set-ups before I did this final drawing.
The first was of a jewelry box and perfume bottles. It was too tight and forced. The shapes and relationships were off, and perspective was skewed. I was frustrated, so I tried the same still life in charcoal, to try to draw more fluidly and freely. I like it better, but it still has issues.






I then tried to draw some other still life set-ups. Here are three relatively quick sketches where I was just trying to get shape, form and relationship: Spindles; Salt and Pepper; Ink Bottles and Pins.









The ink bottles is the best of the three. I think the shapes and relationships between the bottles is successful, but it still didn't have the qualities I wanted in my final drawing.



I think that the final drawing of the Kitchenaide still life is successful for two reasons. First, because of the layout of the still life - using different shapes and textures and angles. Second, because of the slow process I used to work up the pencil tones. I began with a very light sketch which took some time to refine until I was happy with the shapes and relationships. Then, I spent several days going back to the drawing adding more tone until I was finally happy with the light and dark shapes in the objects themselves and in the shadows, and in the textures that were depicted.

Now, on to the natural object still life............