3 does

[Laurene]

It's been a very long time since my last graphite drawing, but this one has been nagging at me for so many years, I wanted to give it a go.
Several years ago (begore digital photography!) I captured 3 does lying down together. There were 2 mature does and a yearling. The photo isn't of much use in terms of providing details, but the "idea" or story of does protecting each other this way as they rest always stayed with me.
I worked a long time on the composition, but finally it's pretty simple. There won't be much detail at all in the background, but rather a suggestion of sky and ground to lead the eye and to provide contrast.

The final drawing will be 7 inches x 14 inches.
Paper is Mellotex (yes, I still have some )
Pencils used so far are 2H, HB and 2B

Comments and critiques are welcome

[Laurene]

Here's a quick update. I completed the first doe and started on the second, although I'll probably adjust shadows and highlights as I continue.
Sorry about the poor scan quality. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but the pencil strokes are not showing up in the scan.

[Mike Sibley]

Isn't it strange, or interesting, or just plain weird, how an image can stay with you for years until you finally decide to make something of it. I've got two or three still floating around in my head, awaiting "the day".

These are looking super, although I'm wondering where the third is looking? I even downloaded the image and looked very closely at it... and there's no indication at all. How disappointing. Still, it's something to look forward too, and I've no doubt it'll be perfectly balanced.

[Laurene]

Hi Mike. I know what you mean. I have a few more of these that only live in my imagination. Maybe someday they'll make it to paper.

I'm sorry I didn't give a better idea of where I'm going with this. I had so much trouble scanning!! I think this is a little better, although my guidelines are still pretty pale. I'm having all 3 does looking in the same direction because the idea is that they've heard or seen something and they're on alert. This is in fact what was happening in that memory I have of all those years ago. The youngest doe, the one on the left, actually slept through the commotion in real life, but I'm having her looking in the same direction in my composition.

I'm relying on composition and contrast to tell a story rather than detail. When I'm done, there will be a simple high contrast sky with streaks of light and dark acting as arrows to guide the viewer to the right, towards whatever has captured the does' attention. Anyway, that's the plan

[Laurene]

Here's another update. This third doe will help to give a sense of direction to the whole drawing (I hope )

[Mike Sibley]

I'm having all 3 does looking in the same direction because the idea is that they've heard or seen something, and they're on alert.

That's what I was wondering about. Were you, I thought, going to have one doe turn back to redirect the viewer. Or were you taking the brave route of having them all look the same way.

Now, I'm thinking you might have something blocking to the right... but I'm not going to ask.. We all know you know what you're doping, so I'm quite content to sit here and wait.

When I'm done, there will be a simple high contrast sky with streaks of light and dark acting as arrows to guide the viewer to the right, towards whatever has captured the does' attention. Anyway, that's the plan

It needs nothing else. I can't think of anything that might add to your story. And if it doesn't add anything, then it doesn't belong there.

I'm really looking forward to seeing where this is going.....

[Laurene]

Thanks Mike. Once I decided to have them all looking in the same direction, it all started to make sense to me. I tilted their heads to look exactly in the same direction, and to exaggerate the pyramid shape. I thought you might like to see the original photo. Pretty bad shot, but it always stayed with me. I loved the idea that the 2 mature does were protecting the younger one. Here's the photo.

DWM - LSpino-3 does 06b.jpg

This is as far as I've gotten today. The predominant doe on the right has her rear leg extended behind her, which adds another "arrow" to the composition. The angle is pretty tricky though, and I'll have to work on it some more. It will be partially in the shade anyway, but still it doesn't read correctly to my eyes right now. The area behind the yearling on the left will be quite dark so I'm hoping she'll blend into the background a little.

DWM - LSpino-3 does 06.jpg

As far as something blocking to the right, I hadn't really planned on adding anything. We'll see how it goes, but my gut is telling me to let the viewer's eye drift right off the page following the deer's gaze in search of whatever it is that has caught their attention. That may change though

[JayS]

Wonderful drawing. With the does all looking the same direction there is a lot of movement in this drawing.

[Laurene]

Thanks Jay. It’s funny how such a small change really got my attention too. It changes the feeling completely. There’s much more tension I think this way.

[Laurene]

I hesitated to upload this WIP because it still need much more work to blend the does with their background, especially below them. The sky & ground are done with graphite powder. I used mainly a soft cotton cloth to apply, but also tissue paper.

I think that the ground should be predominantly dark, mixing with the does, so that our attention is brought back up to the does' faces. I'm also thinking that the darkest contrast in the sky should be at the level of their faces too. It's all very vague and dreamy but I wanted the emphasis to be on the does.