I’ve been working in my sketchbook trying to establish a regular drawing practice. It’s not easy for two reasons – I don’t find I have much time for drawing amongst the other jobs I have to do, and once I start drawing I become so absorbed by it that nothing else gets done, so it becomes a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy!
I’ve been drawing skulls. They’re such a fascinating thing to study, so much to get your teeth into, form, detail, proportion. There’s lots to challenge the artist. I’m keen to do some more portrait work and of course making some drawings of skulls is the perfect preparation for this. If you can draw what’s under the flesh and skin then hopefully that will help understand the structure of the face and head.
I haven’t got a skeleton to work from so I’m having to use books and images on the internet for my reference images. This one is from an old booklet on anatomy for artists. It’s obviously a drawing of a skull rather than a photograph which may not be ideal as a source image to work from, but I had it to hand.
I’m working in an A4 sketchbook so I can potentially go pretty much life size with these studies if I want to. I’m using pencil, specifically a propelling pencil by Faber Castell. I do like these. If you try them, be sure to get the little sharpener to go with. It’s vital to keep the lead sharp for precise drawing. That sharpener leaves a pile of graphite dust wherever it goes so I keep mine in a little ziplock plastic bag.
I’ve not been using an eraser for these studies. Not because I’m not making any mistakes, but rather that I just start with such faint lines that even if they are wrong, I leave them be and just ignore them. I’ve been building up the tone quite gradually only making darker areas when I’m confident that they are in the right place.
And here’s another one. I do think there’s great value in repeating subjects over and over. I drew this second one more quickly and confidently than the first, even though I worked from a different source image. I felt I had learned the main shapes already so I could be more fluent with the drawing.
You might enjoy these drawing workshops...
In the Mix: Rubbings and Drawing
Work along with Laura to bring more confidence to your drawing. Laura will show you how rubbings can be the basis for beautiful tonal drawings. You’ll need only very basic supplies to create great results!
Sketchbook Stories
Take a page by page look through one of Laura’s sketchbooks as she describes the media, techniques and ideas she uses. Get a feel for the different ways you can use a sketchbook and be inspired to start your own.
Working with Acrylic Skins
Using acrylic skins is a fascinating way to add linear and text detail to your acrylic painting and mixed media projects. Join Laura to see how to trace a linear design, how to form the skin and how to use it. In the second video in this collection she’ll show you how to apply the principle to text based designs.
Still Life- Quick Drawing to Fabric Collage
Start with quick sketches, explore tone and draw with colour. Take what you’ve learnt to create a fabric collage with machine stitching. Linda and Laura will show you step by step how to record your chosen still life objects using graphite pencils. How to introduce colour with water soluble pencils and finally, how to translate the still life arrangement into a small textile piece using appliqué and both hand and machine stitch.
