It started as a back to basics session – after some disappointing Markal drawings and then some better charcoal drawings concentrating more on her face, a theme that went onto the next session as well. I’m thinking of starting doing portraits in oils, so need to get my skills up there.
I did another Rorschach series watercolour, one that usually would be the main image of this blog as it’s one of the best, a back view that works very much in what it doesn’t show, the white space suggests details that aren’t there, like the face. I like that.
And then I found a quill in Robin’s box.
Which sounds like a start to a porno, but Robin runs the sessions and brings a box of materials which I sometimes use if I forget to bring something. I found this quill which he said was left over from a child’s workshop…I was intrigued, never having drawn with a quill before.
It’s like dip pen, but on steroids, you really have to have an economy of line which suits my drawing style. (Or more accurately modifies my usual scratchy-scratchy style to something I prefer. My pencil drawings can be like Giacometti drawings and/or lots of rubbing out which why you don’t see many pencil drawings here.). The quill needs to be dipped a lot more, and of course doesn’t really control the flow of ink like a metal nib. It is very hard…but fun.
I also found that the ink I was using granulates and spreads in interesting patterns like some watercolour pigments, so I combined the drawing with my ‘Rorschach‘ wet-on-wet techniques in places to get some interesting shadows.
Oddly it looks she’s died like Marat but on her case on an oversized book. Hence the tongue-in-cheek subtitle.
Leave a Comment! Be nice….