Artists Drawing and Inspiration Issue 29

I knew there was something different about me when my painting of a tree with a red trunk was shown to my class of fellow nine-year-olds. Yes – I was colour blind. Like quite a few men, I was colour deficient in red, green and brown. I was born in Chesterfield, England, in 1938. I progressed though school and in 1955 passed my GCE Art. It was one of the few subjects that I enjoyed; and that was the only tuition I initially had in art. I left school and became an apprentice draughtsman at Rolls Royce Aero Engines in Chesterfield. The training was very strict and I remember the first few weeks when I spent all day learning to print 0.160 inches high and black (B pencil). The letters…

MATERIALS • Reference photographs. • A3 sheet of Arches Watercolour Smooth 185gsm paper. • Clutch pencils with 2H, HB and B leads. • Eraser. • Masonite backing board. • Hand-rest board. • Adjustable callipers. • Micador Spray-on Fixative. • Magnifying glasses (optional). The beauty of drawing in graphite is that there is so little equipment needed. A piece of paper and just about any pencil is all that is necessary to get started. There is no mess from paint, water, turps or the like being spilt. To produce something better than just a sketch, it is just a matter of taking one’s time. My style of drawing requires patience, and drawings can take many hours to complete. But it’s really up to you – work at your own pace and…

DRAWING WITH OXLADES Drawing forms the cornerstone of every artist’s practice and is presently experiencing a resurgence in popularity as an artform in its own right. Whether your work is trendy or traditional, two-dimensional or sculptural, the humble pencil is likely to be your most important tool. Oxlades carries an extensive range of pencils plus a wide variety of drawing alternatives including pens, charcoals, mechanical pencils, graphite sticks, inks and nibs to suit any drawing project. These days, traditional graphite or ‘lead’ is available in an amazing variety of forms including sticks, powder and blocks; and (of course) the familiar wood-encased pencils. Graphite is graded in terms of softness, from 9B (the softest and therefore darkest) to 9H (the hardest, lightest and most difficult to erase). In the middle is…

MATERIALS • Etching plate (zinc or copper). • Burnisher Scraper. (curved). • Sharpening stone (Carborundum). • Light machine (for sharpening). • Acid trays (plastic or stainless steel). • Nitric acid. • Glass measuring cup. • Hard ground. • Soft ground. • ‘Wet and dry’ sandpaper (very fine, and coarse). • Fine steel wool. • Metal cleaner (Brasso). • Tarlatan cloth and rags. • Whitening powder. • Alcohol and mineral turpentine. • Brushes: Two-inch Flat for grounds; Number 3 or 4 Pointed for stopping out. • Pencils and litho crayons (soft). • Tracing paper. • Carbon paper. • Metal files (coarse and fine). • Hotplate. • Rosin (powder or lump). The process of etching involves biting lines and textures into an acid-resistant soft or hard ground covering a metal plate, to…

Gillian Morey came to Australia in the early ’70s, from her birthplace in Suffolk, England. She is married to a farmer in the south-west of Western Australia. The couple’s farm is host to Merino sheep for fine wool, White-Faced Suffolk sheep for fat lambs, and Aberdeen Angus cattle. They also cultivate wheat, lupins, barley, oats, canola and oaten hay. “I’m very much a country girl,” says Gillian. “I find pleasure in the simple things in life. My two daughters are very supportive of my art hobby; as are my sisters and friends.” Art, for her, is a time to relax and ‘recharge the batteries’ while taking respite from the busy farm’s activities. “Some people read, or play sport,” she explains. “I love to get into my art.” “Starting off in…

MATERIALS • Acid free cartridge paper 110gsm, A4 size. • Kneadable putty eraser. • HB pencil and a sharpening blade. • Faber Castell Aquarelle Watercolour Pencils: Blue Violet; Cream; Sky Blue; Light Magenta; Magenta; Burnt Ochre; Raw Umber; Burnt Sienna; Paynes Grey; Venetian Red; Walnut Brown; Dark Indigo Blue; Indianthrene Blue; Light Violet; Black; White (no water used). With my HB pencil, I start to draw the subject on a plain piece of paper. Most times I begin with the eyes and nose to get the triangle working, but this time I started with the ears. Lexie’s ears are a main feature – typical Bull Terrier ears with a few folds and pinkish, erect definite lines. Once I have the size and shape of the ears correct, the rest of…