This assignment culminates in really bringing my work together. My chosen subject symbolises a celebration of how my work is developing and improving. I hope to complete one large A2 drawing. For this drawing my subject matter is a runner or several runners that are jubilantly running to the finishing tape of a race. I hope to depict the strong sense of not only the movement in my figures but I also hope to capture the sense of the event and the time. The materials I will use are charcoal. At the moment I can’t stop using this medium. I am really understanding more fully how and why I draw as I do, but there is still more I can do with this medium once I’m more confident. For example bringing in other colour and inks or watercolour.
As I began to identify my choice of subject I did undertake writing down a number of words as the exercise suggests, that would inspire the work. I wanted to somehow celebrate my improvement in my drawing. These descriptive words came to mind around how I feel.
Jubilant, excited, elated, success, satisfaction, cracking it, winner, fun, apprehension, the moment, joyous, punch the air! What better than to depict a runner getting to the finish line. My work continues to improve. It’s not perfect by no means, and I do know I have to keep drawing and making progress.
The drawing will include the distinctiveness of my runners bodies through use of linear structures. I hope to capture the muscular legs and upper body. In order to help me with my task I downloaded a few photo images from the internet as a source for my drawings. I use these just to get the main shapes and form of the figures. I do work from photos a lot as it is hard to draw a runner on site. The photo clearly captures the moment.
I set to work on the figurative study, glancing occasionally at the web drawing but My main focus in the runner in the foreground. I start by using the fine willow charcoal stick and once the main outlines are in I put in some larger soft charcoal. I shall rework into the body lines. Once I have in the main body I also place one or two distant runners. I also build up the composition further with some fields on the right and the stadium on the left. I work in and out a little with the eraser and deliberately smudge some of the areas. I want the head shape to be right on the winner as he looks upward with relief as he hits the tape. I leave the work here today. I need to adjust arms and hands. There is some foreshortening in the right leg which might need more emphasis. I quite like the composition.
I begin again and start to make adjustments today. I must keep reminding myself that being too precise doesn’t work for me and I need to keep more fluid and stop thinking too much! I apologise for not many photos as it stops the flow if I need to stop and clean up hands.
I rework arms and hands and the runners face before I move on to the rest of the drawing. I like how I manage to achieve his mouth and teeth showing with use of the very small eraser I purchased this week. It’s like a propelling pencil. Once reasonably happy with the figures I move on to the background. I bear hard on the large eraser and create the lane lines. This is a nice surprise and it works well. I also draw through erasure the lane numbers. I can’t believe this has worked reasonably well too. My processes of working in and out through erasure is just amazing. I put in some misty hills behind and work on the lanes making them more dark in places. I also add some marks like figures into the stadium. As a tribute to Kentridge I decide to add some red into the equation. This is to the tape. I also add in its shadow.
As I reflect on the drawing I’m reasonably pleased with the overall effect. I like the numbers, the facial expression and I do think I achieve the drama of the front runner over the line. I didn’t put too many other runners in as I didn’t want to complicate the drawing too much. It’s busy enough. If I did this again I think I would measure more the lane distance but then I might take away the spontaneity and gestural feel. I did put in some figures in the stadium but they may be done better. I’m not sure they are distinct enough. This has been a good drawing to do and it has been quite complex and it has stretched me a lot balancing details with gestural marks and also balancing the rhythm and flow of my drawing and ensuring that my thoughts transfer and connect to the page. When it comes to Assignments I always feel under a little more pressure to get it right. I think the contrast of light and dark areas in the drawing work to depict the event, and my runners face and body posture does express his relief at the finish line. I include a close up of his face below.
Drawing 2 Interpreting the environment 