Artists' Choice: Real Magnolias

The homework wall sported drawings on toned paper in various stages of completion.

Katie examines the photos for color.

Katie

Chris

 The critique focused on values both in the rendering of the stones themselves and the shadows they cast.

Jane

Mary

As Dr. Farthing from the Ruskin School at Oxford pointed out, color is the most complicated element in the range of art we call drawing. Toned paper had to be evaluated as both color and value.

As several of our number went to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for Art in Bloom we delayed Grisaille II until next week and their return, and availed ourselves of blooms from our neighbor Stefaan's magnificent Magnolia Tree. 

The drawing

The blossoms

Pam elects to draw in graphite and then to paint in watercolor.
Whether students used graphite or colored pencil it was clear that skill and freedom were very much in evidence

The completed painting.

Therese chose colored pencil. Note the palette choices.

Mary alternated colored pencil and graphite

Despite the freedom and skill of observational drawing we took photos and interpreted them in black and white for further study.

Mary's blossoms in front of her drawing.

Pam's Colored Pencil rendition of a single bloom.

Chris opts for drawing a still life of magnolia, andromeda, and quince bouquet.