Chapter 7: Drawing the landscape

3.7.1 Find a pencil drawing by Van Gogh

Reproductions of Van Gogh’s work have been (for me) a sort of visual background noise, as they are everywhere, if I want to look at them or not. My reaction has always been to blend them out, so I never really got acquainted with his work. Taking a closer look now was, as always, rewarding.

 

My choice for this activity. I like the rhythm of the lines in the wheat field and the spirals in the trees. The precision of the farm house and the other buildings seem a kind of anchor. Also the drawing appeared to be “doable” = not too difficult.

 

I used pencils no 8, 6 and 3 on strong drawing paper (about 230 g).

 

I tried to find a rhythm drawing the wheat field rather than reproduce the lines exactly. The shades of the lines are distributed unevenly, which makes Van Gogh’s drawing lively. I tried to capture this. Central lines helped to place the elements, you can still see the traces.

 

3.7.2 Drawing a landscape of my own

 

 

My original photograph and the part I chose for my drawing. Sunflowers for a chapter dealing with Van Gogh! I thought their distinct shapes and dark centers would make a lovely foreground. The drawing was done on 220g drawing paper, again with pencils 8, 6 and 3. Concentrating on the quality of lines helped me to structure the drawing process and not to get impatient.  It also gave me a criterion to see if parts of the drawing needed more or less work.

 

 

3.7.3 Painting my own landscape

 

 

My photograph: tea time at Kynance Cove in Cornwall looking towards Lizard Point. I like the combination of still life and landscape. The tea things provide a strong focal point in the foreground with several elliptic shapes, from there the path takes the eye to the beach and between the rocks out to the sea.

The paper used is A3, 240 g, prepared for oil and acrylics. The drawing was done with coloured pencil, again with central lines.

 

	I started with acrylics to do the underpainting, see left - and had to keep myself back from painting  to many details at this point. However, I changed to pastels for the final layer. I hope this is ok. Apart from the fact that I love working with pastels: As the days grow shorter I can paint only in the evening. It has become difficult for me to see wet colours in artificial light. I do not have this problem with pastels.
	A daylight studio lamp is now on my wish list for Christmas. To the left is the finished landscape, below a two-part scan for detail. If I had to paint it again I would place the sugar glass a little higher to connect the tea things better to the middle and back ground. Now this is only done with the blue and white reflections.