Thursday, August 19, 2010

Work-in-Progress: New Horse Drawing


Though in its very early stages and minus a few horses, the above image provides an idea of the general composition of my current drawing.  The image will be a 20" x 30" colored pencil piece, and the reference photographs I am using were taken in Wyoming a number of years ago.  The horses will be backlit by the setting sun, causing the onlooker's viewpoint to be primarily cast in shadow.

More landscape-like in nature, this drawing is a very different approach for me.  Consequently, it has already wreaked havoc with my tendency to overthink everything.  I usually tend to choose subjects which are close-up in perspective, and that provide at least a fair amount of detail and texture.  This zoomed-in view allows me to attempt to tell a story by conveying emotion through the subject.  In contrast, the current piece will contain very little detail, many soft edges, and a lot of sunlit dust and ambiguity!  In response to my bemoaning the challenge of said ambiguity, a friend aptly pointed out, "Its just shapes, Lynda: its just shapes".  True enough.  (And really........ why on earth less detail would cause a minor panic is beyond me anyway.  That just makes no logical sense!)

So as I keep drawing and keep learning, summer is starting to wind down in the rolling fields of this part of southern Michigan.  The cicadas have been buzzing in the trees, the migratory birds are gathering in larger groups, and thankfully........the nights are cooler.  Sometime soon the barn will become suddenly and eerily quiet, absent the constant chatter of barn swallows.  This time of year often brings a sense of melancholy with it for me, as the tick-tock of another summer season passes.........and as some of you know my son leaves for his first year of college in little more than a week.  We have much to accomplish prior to his leaving, so time to draw will be at a premium in the near future............but thats okay.

14 comments:

  1. It has the makings of a very interesting drawing - look forward to seeing it unravel. Is this graphite or coloured pencil? I can't quite tell from this stage.

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  2. Hello stranger was lovely to come on and find a post with your name to it lol......things are a changing here too and the swallows are getting ready to head off for sunnier climes. I look forward to seeing progress on this piece you've started. It will no doubt help to take your mind off (a little anyway) your son's departure out into the big world :)

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  3. This piece already has a lot of impact, despite not having as much detail as your usual work. I can't wait to see it when it's done.

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  4. What a beautiful beginning Lynda. I can't wait to see the story unravel.
    Your friend was right (you have such intelligent friends by the way...hahaha), they are just shapes! I feel the same way with my water. It doesn't look like water when I'm doing it because they are just SHAPES, until you look at it from a distance and your eyes do the blending. Trust me, it's going to be a beautiful piece.
    I love the fall as well. The kids go back to school and it becomes a new year for us. We dedicate ourselves to improving ourselves and reorganizing. It's like a cleansing process that we all need. Enjoy your new self Lynda!

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  5. Ohhh, I can tell already this is going to be a good one!

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  6. Glad to see you back at the drawing table! I'll be following this one for sure, your description of your vision sounds like it's going to be great!

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  7. Hi Sue, and thanks for your question. I went back in and changed the post to reflect that it is colored pencil. I wasn't thinking that, given the colors I am using for the base so far (greys and black grape primarily), one could not discern it from graphite.

    Elizabeth, you make me smile. I hope what you say is true: that I will be able to focus on the drawing rather than worrying about my son. Big changes coming! (sniff)

    Thanks so much, Holly.......and I had intended (but can't remember if I did!) on writing you and congratulating you on your signature status and your CPSA award.......so CONGRATULATIONS!

    You are so right, Dianna: I / we have some very smart friends! (And I'd like to think that they count us as a couple of THEIR smart friends!......lol).....My "new self" is feeling a little weepy on and off this week. I can't believe Kris moves into the dorm in only a few days. sigh.

    Thanks so much Denny for your vote of confidence.....I'm sensing maybe a little more confidence than I have in it at present? - ha ha - but I know I have much to learn by diverting from what I usually do.

    Michael, I'm glad to BE back at the table -- though I may be lucky to get any time in over the next week........Your new site looks great. May I put a link to it in a future post?

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  8. Love the composition Lynda, even if the piece seems a bit scary - what with having all those horses running right towards me! LOL You get my attention and that is a good thing. :-)

    I hope all goes well with the college send off! Your art shall be waiting and so will we - can't wait to see the missing horses!

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  9. Teresa - hahahaha - we are on the road tomorrow with all my son's STUFF in tow, so hopefully you will see those missing horses taking shape sometime next week!

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  10. This is going to be a super piece. Hurry up and finish it so I can see it. LOL

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  11. I see where you have checke on my good friend Les Lefevre. Well Less has made it back out to Dubois and we have gotten use to putting up with him in the gallery where he has been putting out some pretty good paintings side by side with myself and Tom Lucas + doing a few trips with him into Yellowstone and into the mountains looking for Grizzlies. Even got snowed on a few days. Yep. In August.

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  12. Hey Gary - thanks for stopping in. Since getting my son moved into college a week ago, I have started to make a little quicker progress on this piece and hope to post another WIP soon. I need to stop into the Silver Sage blog and see what is going on there; have not visited it in awhile. Soooo jealoous of your excursions to Yellowstone -- but not of the snow already!!

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  13. Hi Linda, A great work full of mystery and poetry, the fog brings uncertainties that forces you to think, is a climax of something unknown, but strangely beautiful.
    Congratulations, Fernando.

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  14. Fernando, thankyou; you certainly have a lovely way with words! I'm going to post a new entry of the drawing soon, and the image looks very different than what it does here.

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