Assignment 3: Choosing

Drawing 1: Assignment 3

Drawing 2: Assignment3

I decided to view the two finished pieces together to assess them against the requirements for this assignment and clarify in my mind the positives and negatives about each one.



















The requirements were: 

• View from a window or door
• Include natural objects
• Man made objects with straight lines
• Demonstrate understanding of linear perspective
• Demonstrate understanding of aerial perspective
• A3 size

So I'll look at each of the drawings in turn

Drawing 1:

View from a window or door? - Yes

Includes natural objects?-Yes, however the tree is not represented in the best way that I am capable of - it looks a bit uniform in density (like a child's 'lollipop tree')

Man made objects with straight lines included?-  Yes, fence posts, pallet, house and outbuildings.

Demonstrates understanding of linear perspective? - Minimal. there is a suggestion of linear recession with the fence posts. However, the house is in the middle distance and therefore quite small. It doesn't clearly demonstrate angular perspective on this drawing.

Demonstrates understanding of aerial perspective? -There has been an attempt at this but it is not entirely successful in this drawing. The mountains do not look sufficiently distant I think the colours chosen are too warm and bright. This could be improved by working over the mountains with duller, greyer shades of oil pastel.

A3? - No - approximately A2 in size

Overall, notwithstanding the above caveats, this is the drawing which I prefer of the two. It is simpler. I think it communicates a longing to escape from the dullness of the interior and I enjoyed the creative process of making it much more than drawing 2. I don't think either of these are wall-worthy but if I had to choose one of them to live with I would choose drawing 1. Maybe this is also because it is the more decorative of the two (which could also be a negative point if the assessors are prejudiced against decorative forms).

Drawing 2:

View from a window or door? - Yes

Man made objects with straight lines included? - Yes, tables, chairs, doors, windows, roof.

Demonstrates understanding of linear perspective? - Yes, to a certain extent although it was drawn freehand so the perspective is not perfect in particular the table top and patio chairs.

Demonstrates understanding of aerial perspective? - Yes, the colour and treatment of the background trees gives a better impression of distance than is achieved in drawing 1.

A3? - Yes

Overall, therefore I think drawing 2 satisfies the requirements of the assignment better than drawing 1. The things I like about this drawing are the harmony and the lovely inviting light on the patio. I think the reason I don't prefer this drawing is because it is a bit too busy and cluttered. There is too much going on with the complex reflections, the banks of foliage, the pot plant, the cats, the chairs , tables and person - I think that this drawing would have benefited from greater selectivity on what to include. It is not a picture I would choose to live with.  However, given that it better satisfies the requirements, this will be my 'official' assignment piece.

Neither of these assignment pieces meet the standard I was aiming for. However this is all part of the learning process I suppose. If there were not faults then there would be nothing to work on and develop in my next drawings. Onward and Upward! I am very much looking forward to part 4.