This challenge was extraordinarily difficult for me. Left to my own devices, I would probably never attempt this. There's too many angles, too many lines, too many pitfalls of perspective. But that's precisely why I participate in the challenges - to do something difficult. But I promised myself I could take it slowly, just a few lines at a time. If I felt frustrated, take a break, try again later. I thought that maybe if I could get the outside lines down correctly and in the right perspective, then the rest might be easier. It seemed likea good idea at the time. An hour and a half later, Shawn startled me by coming home from work. An hour and a half! And I still didn't have it right! Aarggh! So we took a break, had a drink and some bruschetta on the patio. After dinner, I tried again... and again...and yet again. If I could see that the line was wrong, why couldn't I see how to make it right? Then I remembered that trick of holding your pencil against the angle, and that helped a lot. It's still a bit wonky, but as a learning experience, it was great.
This is the view from the couch in the living room into the kitchen. We have a very open floor plan. The kitchen was designed and built by Shawn, and required the tearing down of one wall to eliminate an awkward hallway, and then the addition of this opening between the living room and the kitchen instead. The triangular shelf holds a ceramic bell that has been featured on this blog before, a Brown Betty teapot which is the accessory of choice for all well-dressed kitchens. The brown box on the right hand side of the counter is used to hold note pads and other kitchen flotsam and jetsam. And in case your're wondering? Yes, Shawn is a professional carpenter.
13 comments:
I LOVE these. I too find the challenges are good for getting you to draw things that you wouldn't normally draw. I still find I avoid drawing certain stuff though - and too many angles is certainly one thing I avoid. This has turned out so well.Great drawings.
This is absolutely charming! And oh yes, how I definitely understand the angst about perspective and angles!!! Mercy, difficult things ...but I applaud your persistence! And think your sketch is charming just as it is!
One thing I find that helps me -- is if I take a photo of what I"m trying to get 'straight' ... and then print the photo to the size of my sketch -- trace the photo and then COMPARE where my sketch was different than the photo ... that helps me determine where my line went down instead of up and the like .. perhaps this might help?
Lynn,
I would have chosen the same word - CHARMING! don't be so hard on yourself. The wonkiness that we all get from our difficulty with perspective keeps the sketches looking so real - and yet somehow we want it to look like a photo. Can't win - and we even take photos of the same scene - at least I do. Thanks for sharing!!
Love Lin's idea re: using a tracing to help learn. Do I have the patience??
Wonky it may be, but it still is wonderfully CHARMING, as has been noted by others. I love it.
I agree with Andrea - I would just avoid it! LOL! Or more likely - I would make most of it up creating something so wonky and distorted that there would be no way anyone would think i was trying to capture the reality of it.
Good for you to persist - and how well that paid off!
first off both drawings grabbed me right away! i really like them and especially the one you've colored - its bright and fresh! (and i often avoid the color - i can hear my college professors in my ear right now - encouraging me to do so!) the challenges are the same thing for me - to get me to do something i wouldn't do on my own. btw - love your description of Cordelia - she and i have a lot in common :-) i read a few other posts and anyone who writes about tomato sandwiches must be wonderful! :-)
I haven't tried anything that complicated yet so can appreciate your reluctance -- but look how nicely it turned out. And you developed a strategy -- a few lines at a time, stopping and starting until you finished -- so now you're able to do something that seemed so daunting. I could learn from your example! - Barbara
Great drawing! (ahem, and I've avoided this challenge for the very reasons you've discussed!)
:-D
My hat is off to you in even attempting this one and for talking about how many times you had to redraw it. The end result turned out very well! I have a very tough time with angles and perspective myself so I can truly appreciate your persistance!
You have made a great job of this challenge .Like some of the others have already said,I need to try new subjects as I am one of those people who has kept to what I know. So Well done ,it is a great challenge.
I love this one - lots of details, all the info one needs to get a feel of your place - nice wonkiness representing life as it is. Well done.
This is a very sweet drawing! I love all the angles and colors. I agree with you about the challenges - they are things I would never think to try on my own and I often have to draw more than one version. It's so hard to get the hand to draw what the eye sees! nice job!
Wonky or not this is still a great sketch! Kudos to you for not giving up. I think you actually did a great job on this. Keep up the great work. The more you do it, the better you will become and you will be able to see how to correct your mistakes. Try not looking at the lines per se and looking at the organic shapes in the view. That will help to simplify your composition. Well done!
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