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Drawing plants and flowers

plants and flowers in coloured pencil

How will experiments with negative space help my observational drawing in the future?

No 2 felt pen & oil pastel 

Because I'd already had the experience in the previous exercise (markers and dip pens) with what I see as an imbalance of light and dark, drawing more attention to the negative spaces around the dark areas, I'll be more aware of and try to avoid it in future - hopefully. So, this exercise served to help reinforce in me the idea that negative space is just as important as positive space in promoting a balanced composition, by looking carefully at where the objects aren’t.  It is well worth constantly checking the effect of both positive and negative space from the very early stages, before deciding whether to go straight ahead or to change things around. The negative shapes can often form interesting patterns in themselves and doing the negative space drawing should really help me to see what kind of pattern is forming and whether a good balance is resulting from this.

Techniques I used to ensure I drew plants in proportion:

I used a homemade viewfinder with roughly the same proportions as my paper, and marks dividing the sides in to four equal divisions all around.  By placing a feint mark on my paper in the corresponding places and in the centre I then divided my page. If there was any object close to the middle I would begin by plotting in its basic shape around here. From this I was able to estimate how many times a certain shape would fit into the left side of the picture, from the centre to the left edge for instance, and so on. This was especially important when doing the flower drawings, in helping to prevent me from running out of space. In the case of the drawing of Negative Space in a Plant, I also roughly plotted out the strategic locations, (i.e. top, middle and bottom) where I estimated a few main leaves were located and drew them in as very rough squares or rectangles. It was a bit like doing a puzzle where the aim was to locate and draw as many negative spaces as possible. This method wasn’t always foolproof as it is impossible to keep the hand holding the viewfinder perfectly still, so I do make a few mistakes and end up having to re-draw some of the lines. Although I found it was only really necessary to put in the first one or two basic shapes with the viewfinder and do the remainder by rough estimation as above.

No 3 - col pencil  and chalk pastel

How did I achieve an effect of 3D space in my drawing?

There is only the slightest indication of 3D in the negative space drawing I think, where I added in a few feint lines for stalks and borders around some of the leaves, especially in ‘busy’ areas which looked confusing. This also helped to separate and push back some of the leaves behind. Infact,  in a couple of places I put in positive shapes where there should have been negative shapes, and had to correct them – so I’m glad I chose to use pencil for this, rather than pen.

In the flower drawings I think the composition holds together even though all objects are well spaced apart. The objects are all placed on different levels (one behind the other) affecting the cast shadows in the same way, producing some recession and overlapping. This appears to give an illusion of 3D space around the objects. The tonal shading on the objects, the shading in the background behind the flowers and one of the leaves overlapping the jug also helps the 3D effect. The negative shapes look more obvious where there is more contrast between object and background, as in for example, around the vase.

Negative space in a plant (monsterra) -  pencil

This is what my tutor had to say about the three tulip drawings:

For me due to how you have treated the larger size some of the intensity of the studies and feeling for what you are drawing has been lost. These drawings are somewhat generalized and considering what you are capable of they are disappointing. They are adequate but considering what quality is in this assignment, adequate should not be good enough for you!

A general point which weakens all 3 drawings is the over reliance on directional mark making which lessens the believability of the objects within the whole. The most effective part of all 3 is the tulips themselves in the pastel version.

Amongst areas which could have been given more thought: the flowers - tulips (above). I realise now that I got rather carried away on one directional hatching and could have varied this much more.On reflection I don't particularly like any of the tulips drawings. They have a top heavy look and are too stiff, controlled and conventional and yes - generalised is a good way to describe them. I spent a lot of time doing these drawings yet I remember feeling uncomfortable with the way they had turned out and couldn't quite put my finger on it. Now I can see the faults more clearly (after some help) I hope flowers will be more successful in the future. It might be a while though because they are not one of my favourite subjects.  

Research points - Ben Nicholson

Ben Nicholson - why does he simplify still life forms and negative space and superimpose them on the Cornish landscape?
It seems that Ben Nicholson was heavily influenced by cubism, which he understood, and practiced his own original version during the 1920’s. He produced a series of still life paintings in which he scraped the canvas down, setting the objects in a sculptural space reminiscent of landscape (as in Still Life – Greek Landscape 1931-36) when he spent some time traveling. He also began his white carved reliefs around this time.
It was much later on (around 1940) when his art took on a new direction, following this, and after moving to St. Ives. The area around St Ives is well known for the brightness and clarity of light and this most likely influenced his method of using light almost transparent colour, giving an illusion of landscape and filtering the still life objects, retaining their geometric shapes he still recalled from the 1920’s cubism. This gives an impression of space all around the objects, including behind and in front of them, helping to accentuate the negative space.
Mousehole is to me an ideal example of his work, encapsulating very well many subjects, styles and methods he preferred to use into one painting. These include still life, white reliefs, landscape, cubism, with rich textural and transparent effects, at the same time as both mixing and superimposing still life with landscape.

Ben Nicholson - Mousehole british council