Thursday, March 17, 2016

Cherry Blossom study in graphite, ink, and gouache

It's Springtime in Vancouver!

That means cherry blossoms and two weeks off for Spring Break, so I'm up to my elbows running art camps.

This week I'm running two camps, one through the North Vancouver Community Arts Council and the other at the studio with a camp called, "Hello Vancouver!" So it seemed appropriate when being inspired by all things Vancouver that we focus one project on cherry blossoms.

Each child had a cherry blossom branch to study and started their work with a blind contour continuous line drawing in graphite. I love this method because it forces the students to really look at the subject matter and draw what they see. It also results in some really interesting lines for them to work with afterwards!

11 year old

Once they finished the blind contour drawing in graphite, each student was given a water-soluble pencil to create a drawing over top their blind contour. They could choose to use the first drawing, a part of the first drawing, or just ignore it completely. Then using a wet paintbrush, they went over some of the lines to create a wash of grey.

9 year old

8 year old

Then they were each given a fountain pen and a bit of black ink to create a new line drawing of their stem of blossoms. This could go anywhere on the page to create a pleasing composition. Once finished with this, I gave them a bit of gouache paint in white and red to add hits of color where they wanted it.

8 year old

I think they all came out beautiful. I have enjoyed admiring them in the studio as they wait to go home.

10 year old

Some artist do not feel the same way however, the artist above finds her work "messy". She absolutely HATES the graphite drawing and yet I think she has an absolutely stunning work. I love the marks left behind from the first drawing and I know the drawing she completed would not be the same without it as a jumping off point. I am also particularly happy with the lesson she learned in the bottom right blossom by her name. She had created something in ink that "ruined" her work. I would have to agree it did not fit the piece but I told her all was not lost. I don't think she really believed me until I showed her how she could wash it out with water, draw on top of it with the water-soluble pencil and then use the gouache on top. She was so happy with that blossom in the end! What a great life lesson in not giving up hope and working through something when it hasn't gone your way.

8 year old

This one has such great energy in the blind contour drawing. He giggled that I liked his "scribbles". I think he might think I'm a bit nuts.

10 year old

And finally this artist, who quietly worked away on her work and had a beautiful piece when disaster struck. The fountain pen dripped as she was adding some lines to her work and left a blob of ink on the paper. She washed it out as well as she could and added the third dropping branch. The next think I knew, there were falling petals in the work! So true of the blossoms as I was cleaning up the many petals that had dropped when working with the branches. I think it is such a beautiful addition to the art piece. Yet again proving, mistakes are such marvelous opportunities in art to stretch your imagination.








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