She Reads.

What do you think of my second pencil drawing?

She Reads.

I used this photograph I found online below as a starting point.

Of course, all credit to the photographer (whom I couldn't find!).

In my last Shakespeare artwork, I blogged that I wanted to work on my perspective, making my 2D look for 3 dimensional and just generally drawing people. I picked this photograph based on all those things so that I can practice each of them.

What I've learned?

1. If it's closer to you, it's bigger!
   Logically, this makes no sense whatsoever. How can an object be "bigger" depending on where it is if it physically hasn't changed it's state? However, I've found that particularly in this photo, if you keep this unlogical, artistic logic in mind when drawing, you'll find it's bigger on the inside - (nope! Sorry that's Doctor Who!) - you'll find that it makes drawing things in perspective becomes that little bit more easier!
2. Your rubber is not only for mistakes!
   Now, we are taught from the moment we can pick up a pencil that the sole purpose and function of a rubber or eraser if you're from over the pond, is to get rid of any of mistakes you make on your paper. I found that it helped me a lot on the blending side of things when I was shading in the steps - in particular the side of the steps where it's darker nearer the top. Try it - who knew the rubber was so multifunctional!
3. Direction of shading is important!
   Looking at the steps mainly or even the shading on Anon(ymous) the little girl, focusing and establishing which direction you want to shade in helps make your drawing more realistic as we don't live in a horizontal/vertical lined world. The outline of the steps in my drawing are basically just long strips behind the little girl but with differentiating the direction of the shading for each strip, every 3 strips builds up one step - you following me? So for example, for the girls arms, I shaded using curved lines to try and make her arm look more cylinder-esque than rectangular.

Turning my Can't into Cans - not the Tin kind!

So I clearly still struggle with humans - not so much on a social level but more in the 2D world of drawings! I struggled quite a bit on her cute button nose and her right leg. Random, but true. Oh, and not to mention her left hand holding the book! That had to be by far the hardest part of the drawing that I found. Just generally the bottom half of this anonymous little girl had me stumbling over myself.

Having said that though, I'm really happy with how it came out as a piece overall. Yes, it's not a splitting image of the photograph but I'm happy with my attempt. Quite frankly, it came out better than anticipated! I am no means a Van Gogh but it's fun trying!

Pick up a pencil and doodle - you can thank me later!

Take care and keep smiling xxx