Eye Drawing

The description for this project was "Photograph, digitally edit, transfer and render a realistic eye using the graphite pencil techniques." So a classmate of mine took this photo (above) while we put extreme lights on my face to render a wide range of values. I printed the photo, traced it on a light table, and began my process which you can see below.
This meticulous technique was actually right up my alley. Some classmates were getting frustrated with the amount of time it was taking, and would start using heavier and longer stroke marks with their pencils just to get it finished quicker. My goal was to not see any actual pencil marks, to only see the textures and values I was trying to recreate from the photo.

I did use both the smudging and drypoint techniques that I practiced with the sphere drawings, although I kept the smudging to a minimum. It was particularly useful in the beginning stages when I was trying to get certain values as dark as I could with the graphite. With the help of smudging, I was able to fill in some of the pores on the paper to render a darker value. Once I got to the later stages, I stopped using the smudging technique at all as to keep a unified feel to the drawing.

I really enjoyed doing this project. I just find so much mystery behind drawings of eyes. This is a drawing that will mean something to me in the future, unlike a still life of pots and pans, for example.

I grew as an artist during this project by taking notice of the little things that go a long way in making a drawing realistic. Something as small as how crisp a line is can all of a sudden change the entire feel of the drawing. All of the tiny light reflections in the eye are what brings it to life. And I didn't feel the need to correct any imperfections in my complexion or any eyelashes that were out of place. Those details are what make it real....make it me.

Sphere Drawings

This was a preliminary project to our first assignment. I drew these using graphite pencil and a medium texture paper.

The goal for these was to create consistent values with no lines, blotches, blemishes, or visible pencil strokes. Basically, it entailed me leaning in about 6 inches from the paper with my pencil just lightly grazing the surface of the paper....for hours. To get the dark values, it required me to continuously go over the area, building up the graphite SLOWLY.

For the value scale and the top circle, that is all it consisted of. Those are called "dry point" techniques. But for the bottom circle, I combined the dry point technique with a cloth blending technique. After building up values with the graphite, I took a paper towel and "smudged" so that the pores of the paper were also filled. This technique gave the sphere a much more smooth texture.

While the smudging technique was without doubt quicker, being able to successfully do both was a crucial learning experience for me. In the future, when I attempt to draw realistic and photographic material, I can more accurately depict textures. The smudging can help bring to life glossy eyes or flat metal surfaces, for example. And the dry point technique could help with the texture of skin or clay pot.

This next assignment is to create a photographic graphite drawing of my eye. Both techniques will be necessary throughout.

Test

Hi all! I'm a senior at Western Kentucky University looking forward to what lies ahead in the real world. My major is Advertising, minor in Graphic Design. This blog is for my current art class, Illustration. I'll post my work here with little explanations about my processes and thoughts while working.

The above picture is just a little something I did in Spring 2010. It's a sample magazine spread. And also my large and in-charge dog, Ollie.