February 2014 Newsletter 2nd Free Video

Using hatch and crosshatch to create form

Last month, I talked about light and shadow or form, using the pencil, stump and eraser. I even demonstrated it through my first free video at: http://youtu.be/z1sH0Wl7Zx0

This month, I'd like to cover the use of line, specifically hatching and cross-hatching. As most of you know, I teach drawing under the assumption there are only three lines: straight, angled and curved.

And while there are only three lines, we do twist, bend and turn them to our liking. One way we do that is by using the hatch mark that can create depth, shadow and texture. Below are the typical hatch marks found in drawing.

To create value (light and shadow), we draw these lines closer together, like so:

An excellent example of these marks appears in Michelangelo’s famous sketch of a female’s hands, possibly a study for the Portrait of Genevre de Benci . Notice the lines he uses around the  wrists, fingers and sleeves. They are diagonal here and curved there, all giving the illusion of form. Most of them are hatch marks.

 Notice in Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing, Study for the Head of Leda, the curved hatch marks he used to depict her hair.

You can also use what is called cross-hatch lines. These are lines that cross over hatch lines and to create value, you can add more and more on top of each other, as shown here:

Here, Vincent Van Gogh used both hatch marks and cross-hatch to create tweed in his drawing, Portrait of a Postman.

I thoroughly enjoy using these lines in my drawings. In my recent drawing, A Line-up of Cherries, I used them a lot. This was a fun project done over a few day’s time. Using hatch marks can be time-consuming, just like stippling, but in the end it is very rewarding.

A new video on cross-hatching

Want to know how I drew these cherries, view the following video that I recently created, Drawing with Hatch and Cross-Hatch Marks. Sorry the mic wasn't working quite right, but I think you'll learn a lot. Enjoy!

Project idea!

Why not pick a subject this month and try to draw it using hatch marks to create form?

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What's Coming Up!

Only 2 spots open
Sketching the English Village Workshop
May 25-June 1, 2014
Join our group for a sketching trip to England in May 2014. We'll stay and sketch in a small village named Chiseldon and visit the market town Marlborough. To learn more go to:http://sketchingenglishvillage.blogspot.com/

Workshops at Portland Community College
Details at:  http://www.pcc.edu/community/

Saturday, March 8
Travel Sketching: One-Day Workshop
Sylvania campus

Studio Classes-6-Week Class Term
Begins Week of March 2^nd
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 28th ·
Register by email:
jjgoodell@gmail.com

Drawing every Tuesday evening
7 pm to 9 pm $70 per term
Drawing Still life

The Sketching Atelier
Wednesday mornings
10 am to 12 pm $70 per term
Sketching Still Life

Acrylic Painting every Thursday evening
6:30 pm to 9:00 pm $80 per term
Art from 1850-1900
Class full/waiting list

Second Sundays 1 p.m. To 4 p.m.
Visual Journaling with collage and mixed media
Drop in $20 Details at:
http://journalingpaperandpen.blogspot.com/

Creating form through values--new video

Defined, value is light and dark or what is also called chiaroscuro (kee-ar-uh-SKYOOR-o). Without value, there would be no form; that is, everything would be flat. For instance, see below. We have a circle--no dimension, just a flat line. Now when we had light and dark to the circle, it becomes a sphere. That's value in all its glory.

This is all seems so simple, why even  bother to talk about it? That's because seeing and creating value is hard. Let's examine the photo below, which I took at Polly's Tea Room in Marlborough, England. We can see that the light is coming from the window and the dark is on the opposite side, spilling onto the window sill. But there's lots of details here that make these tea pots three-dimensional  (form). Sometimes it helps when we convert the photo to black and white as seen below.

If you compare both photos you can see that the red colored pot is much darker than the yellow. Notice the shadows on the objects--both have dark sides, but the variation in values is substantially different. There are also a variety of shadows on the window sill and the window itself. Observation is the key here.

On most color wheels bought at the store, you will find a value scale, numbering to about 10 different values. I personally find this wide number to be hard to read and even harder to translate when drawing or painting. Instead I used a five scale value chart.

Anyone who has taken my drawing workshop or class has one of these in her packet. It's a great tool to help us see the values in the objects we are drawing, especially if drawing from a converted black and white photograph. For a quick exercise, look at the b&w photograph above and compare it to the value bar. It really helps to put things into perspective.

A first in a series of videos

I'm embarking on another new method in teaching in 2014--the video. My first is A Study in Values, which I have embedded below. Soon I'll be adding other subjects. I'd like to share my "premiere" with you.  I think my scripting (ha, ha) could use a little help. But I hope you learn something from this short little film. It was fun to make.

A Study in Values

Workshop and Class Offerings for 2014!

May Workshop in England--Only three spots left!

Only Three More Spots Available for the Sketching the English Village Workshop in May. Go to http://sketchingenglishvillage.blogspot.com/ for more details.

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Glastonbury Studios Six-Week Classes 

Winter Term 2014

Classes start week of January 12, 2014

Registration deadline: Wednesday, January 8, 2014*

Register by email: jjgoodell@gmail.com

Drawing every Tuesday evening 7 pm to 9 pm $70 per term
Portraits: from skull to flesh

New Class!The Wednesday Morning Art Club10 am to 12 pm $75 per term
Mixing Colors with Watercolor and Acrylics
Details at:http://wednesdayartclub.blogspot.com/

New Class!
Acrylic Painting every Wednesday afternoon1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. $80 per term
Painting with Primaries, Part I

Acrylic Painting every Thursday evening 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm $80 per term
Painting with Primaries, Part II
Class full/waiting list

Second Sundays 1 p.m. To 4 p.m.Visual Journaling with collage and mixed mediaDrop in $20 Details at:http://journalingpaperandpen.blogspot.com/

*To guarantee your seat in class, you must register and send your check in by January 8th. Without advanced registration, I will give seats away to those on waiting lists for full classes and for those classes that don't meet the minimum (usually four students), the class will be cancelled.

Workshops at Portland Community College

Details at:http://www.pcc.edu/community/

Saturday, January 25 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Basic Drawing One-Day Workshop (almost full)

Sylvania campus

Saturday, March 8 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Travel Sketching: One-Day Workshop

Sylvania campus