WEEKEND WORKSHOPS 2008

Karen (Whiteley Art Society)
This is an excellent attempt considering you've haven't drawn with graphite pencil for five years and the number of problems this composition poses. You've used a broad range of tones and can obviously "feel" the three-dimensional forms that you are portraying.

You've successfully repositioned the dog's left-hand paw but had you raised it instead of planting it on the ground, I think you would have suggested the movement that helps tell the story. The foliage is believable with I a good sense of mystery and depth. And the duck has just the right amount of suggested feather - it's easy to overdo that aspect, but all who know ducks appreciate that most of the feathers lay so closely together that they are rarely seen individually.

The old hen house is depicted very well, although I'd have preferred to see a more shadowy interior - any detail in that area is bound to pull the eye back away from the action.

I must congratulate you on achieving a very pleasing and well-executed drawing.

Andrea (Whiteley Art Society)
A good drawing, which I'll attempt to critique from the top down. First, you need to think about what you're actually drawing. Although I like the rustic look of the gaps in the boards of the door, there is no reason why the gaps should be the same thickness along their whole lengths. Drawing a single line just won't suffice, as you're implying that each board exactly fits the one next to it. In reality the gap will be wider in parts and narrow in others, as the two board are independently warped. Try to experience them as old boards in your mind as you work, and you'll realise that each will warp independantly.

You've made a good attempt at the Border Collie - I particularly like the sharp divisions between black and white hair. And your rendering shows a good understanding of the structure of the hair and body. You've also solved the problem of that awkward raised foot quite successfully.

I would have liked to have seen less detail and more shadow with the hen house. I think you've tried too hard to understand what was going on in that area and have become trapped by depicting the detail. As a result the interior lacks depth and mystery, both of which are important - playing down this area would have forced the viewer to focus on the dog and duck action instead of being distracted.

You have a simiolar problem with foliage - attemptng to draw each leaf, which damages the reality you were after. In real life, very little is understandable behind the foremost leaves. You may recall the exercise you did involving status elements. That would have served you well here. Try isolating the foreground status leaves (the one's that tell us they are Nettles), and then drawing representations and suggestions of nettle-like shapes behind them begore finally and carefully rendering the status leaves. Just as in Nature, those status leaves would send the "these are Nettles" signal and the viewer would automatically assume all that lies behind them is Nettle also.

The duck is drawn very well - although I seem to have given you a problem, for which I apologise. Somehow you were given a rogue line drawing with a diminuative duck. But you've overcome that well by steering the dog's gaze lower, achieving that all-important connection. You've emphasised the Collie's eye perfectly, and that hint of a smile in the corner of the mouth removes any threat of impending doom for the duck. A very creditable drawing.