Succulent

[Valray]

Hi Mike,

As promised I have attached the finished drawing of my succulent (photo Pixabay).

I started off ok but instead of getting better as I went along I think I got worse. My strokes were all over the place and it just didn’t flow for me. Everything seems choppy. I followed your division principle, working from the back to the front as well as left to right and up to down. Completing one section (petal) at a time.

I can hatch stroke ok, but my circles/ovals leave much to be desired. Towards the end I was using cross hatching (bottom leaf at 5 o’clock) and I found this to be a little better for blending my strokes into each other. But, still having problems getting to darker values and blending them out into mids.

I am currently (3 times already) watching your values videos (darks, middles, lights) and will try some leather boots. I was fascinated watching you doing your boots. You make it look so simple and easy. Aren’t looks deceiving!

Thanks again.
Bye for now.
Val

[Mike Sibley]

I am currently (3 times already) watching your values videos (darks, middles, lights) and will try some leather boots. I was fascinated watching you doing your boots. You make it look so simple and easy. Aren’t looks deceiving!

Well... practice and experience have something to do with that. I don't think you're having problems, I think you're heading in the right direction and your results are to be expected.

Obviously, I could be misreading this but... I think you're thinking about TECHNIQUE while you're drawing. In other words, "Well, scribble's not working, so maybe I should try crosshatching".

The difference is that I'm thinking, "This petal feels slightly waxy under my pencil. It's curving in a wonderfully smooth arc, and the light is catching it from top left." In my mind, it's a living three-dimensional petal. It's as though it's already on the paper, but invisible until I coat it with graphite.

Does that sound rather fanciful? It probably does. It's difficult to explain, but that way of thinking will gradually creep up on you until you are drawing what you see and feel, and don't have to think about how to achieve it at all.

I'll have a new video for you in a couple of weeks. It's the first of the TEXTURE series. It's actually stone texture, but I think you'll find it very useful, because it goes into some depth on the THINKING aspect, as well as HOW. In fact, there will be two videos: The DWM video will concentrate on the thinking, and then there'll be a YouTube version that is just me explaining my thoughts as I work my way through the drawing. And I'm including some of those thoughts in the DWM video right now.

As for your drawing.... I'm not seeing problems.
I'm seeing:
Crisp edges (essential for dividing planes).
Smooth shading that runs seamlessly into and out of highlights.
Linear shading that suggests surface texture extending out along each petal.
A lovely use of diffused cast shadows that perfectly describe the depth.
And the ripple in that 9 o'clock petal is divine!

[Valray]

Hi again Mike,

No, you are not misreading. Now that you have pointed that out, I WAS concentrating on TECHNIQUE and not on FEEL, but totally unaware that that, was what I was doing. Thank you for making me aware of that. It will be something I will try to incorporate in my next drawing (boots).

I look forward to watching all your videos. I am so glad that they are not overly long and I can rewatch sections when and where necessary to understand something I missed the first time. Looking forward to TEXTURES. Sounds like it’s right up my alley.

You say the most encouraging things about my drawing and ability. You see things in it which I don’t, and as such, this encourages me to keep going and strive to do better.

Stay tuned for the s. So far I only have the outline done.
Regards,
Val

[Mike Sibley]

I WAS concentrating on TECHNIQUE and not on FEEL, but totally unaware that that was what I was doing. Thank you for making me aware of that. It will be something I will try to incorporate in my next drawing (boots).

What suddenly sprang to mind is...

I find I "sculpt" things as I'm working. So, for subjects such as old boots, I like to use random scribbles and circular shading.

First, that means it's almost one continuous line, with no breaks of concentration because the pencil is rarely lifted from the paper.

And, second, I control the values of the shading by altering the pressure.

Now, this might sound a bit glib but, in my mind, I PUSH DOWN into the dark shadows to create the darker values. And, as the surface then rises to a highlight, I "allow" the surface to PUSH MY PENCIL UP, which automatically creates lighter values. So, just imagine you're pushing the shadows away from you, deeper and deeper into the paper, and letting the highlights lift up from the paper and... you'll be SCULPTING. Constantly reminding yourself of the three-dimensional form.

Oh, and if you're using a chisel point, you can use the flat face to skate over the paper. Then, if you need very dark values, a quick rotation of the pencil gives you the sharp edge to dig deep into the tooth. Again, with no sharpening of the point required, your concentration isn't broken. And maintaining concentration really does matter when you're experiencing the FORM and FEEL of the surface you’re drawing.

[Valray]

Well, you’ve done it again.

You’ve given me a lightbulb moment. Now I just can’t stop picturing, in my minds eye, my hand and pencil SCULPTING the boots I am going to try. I even woke up this morning picturing it, then later on going for a walk and still seeing it (and not looking where I’m walking). I see my pencil moving over the ups and downs, bringing it alive. No longer just a drawing of something but now it’s coming alive. I just have to convince my mind to control my hand.

Also, I have been using your chisel point (as seen in video). However, I have been using the artist sandpaper block to make the chisel. Then I was reading through one of your threads with someone else where you said that start with a point, (break it), then hard scribble until you get the chisel point. This way it gives you the angle that best suits your hand and grip, and not just a generic one. Makes perfect sense to me now.

So, I’m eagerly looking forward to starting but I’m also hesitant at the same time, wondering if my minds’ eye and my hand will communicate with each other. Using circles and not lifting my pencil will be another challenge for me.
Wish me luck.
Val

[Mike Sibley]

When you watch me draw, you'll often see me lift the pencil, turn it a little in my fingers, and then resume drawing. That's because you get used to the feel of the chisel point. The flat face skates effortlessly over the paper, and the edge digs in. So, I'll be feeling it's wrong and turning the point to a flatter face - or deliberately to an edge.

To form the chisel, I do sharpen it to a fine point, and I sometimes tap the tip off. Then I hold my pencil at my normal drawing angle and scrub the point off into a small, flat face. And, because it's self-sharpening, I tend to only sharpen the point once a day before I begin work. Unless, of course, the lead wears down too far to be usable.