The September workshop was so exciting - Gemma Black showed us how to have heaps of fun with pencils.
I
thought pencils were for notes and ruling lines BUT we found out that
there are so many different pencils. They ranged from 'normal' pencils
with hardness ratings of B and H and even EE and F, to coloured pencils
that you could use with water and make stunning colours.
We
learnt of different effects that could be achieved by hatching, dotting
and blending, and of the different lines each pencil grade made. Then
we applied these skills to lettering. My favourite was 'sketching'
graphite pencils on black paper.
We spent a lot of time working on random pattern backgrounds with watercolour pencils.
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These are just some of the things we did.
Two whole days were spent Purely Pencil Playing!! Such fun.
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Day 2 of Purely Pencils
With Gemma Black Report by Sue Quayle
It's
my job to report on the second day of Gemma's 'Purely Pencils' workshop
and I'm finding it quite difficult. Not because there wasn't much to
do, but because I was so engrossed in it and the new things we were
learning. I've never heard of some of the wonderful graphite pencils
available or of the lovely things they help to create. I've had a
collection of watercolour pencils which I've been adding to every time I
go into an art supply shop but they were teasing me each time I looked
at them. I wanted them to remain in pristine condition because they
looked so beautiful but now they have been used and what a lot of fun!
On
the first day we had been given the task (not a problem) of choosing a
three letter word to draw and then colour with watercolour pencil and
wash. Today we were to create some 'doodling' patterns within these
words and it was a pleasure watching Gemma come up with the many ways in
which it could be done. Once again the 'less is more' rule of thumb was
a winner and the swirls, diamonds, circles, dots, anything that our
imagination could conjure up were acceptable with some delightful
effects produced. Some people had overlapped their three letters in
artistic ways and they looked great!
First 'new creation' of the
day was to draw up a grid or fractured design of lines, or a
combination of lines and freehand 'wavy' lines. Next, we coloured the
sections in with either watercolour or water graphite of our choice and
allowed it to dry, because we were to then write some words or verse
along these lines and it was important that our work was perfectly dry.
I loved my patterns so much that I still haven't written on them but am
inspired by one or two nursery rhymes! A lovely project that I still
feel is worth completing!
We were shown how to use a stylus to
drag wet colour in our designs and with care, it can be done without
putting a hole in the paper! An important part of this exercise is the
softness or hardness of the surface on which you are working because it
will determine the width of the effect of the stylus.
Our final
project was to be a nine letter verse or quote to be drawn first in dry
graphite/lead pencil and then shaded using the water wash technique and
graphite (water soluble) pencil of our choice with a 'moat' or space
between shading and drawn letter. We were so inspired by the example
that Gemma had shown us that many were hiding it on our tables and
attempting to copy each letter! (Well perhaps I should own up and say
that I was!) Some say that one of our esteemed 'life' members was heard
to swear when it became obvious that this was not going to be as easy
as it had at first appeared. Sorry Angela, I'm sure this isn't true!
This exercise can also be done using 'dry' colour as well - the
important thing to remember is to keep your pencil very sharp so that
precise and clean edges and corners can be achieved.
At the end
of the second day there were three or four tables spread with the
efforts of a very keen group of participants who were all ready to
discuss their new skills and talk about which pencils were their
favourites.
Anyone who thought this was going to be an easy
couple of days was quite wrong! We were a little frustrated when we
realised that the things that we used in kindergarten, which were mostly
just for colouring in, could be used in so many different ways. There
was a "truly delectable array" of pencils, more, I think, than anyone
thought possible. I heard a number of people say that they had not even
heard of 'water soluble' graphite. I think that Gemma may be
responsible for a new group of pencil junkies!
Sue Quayle - Canberra Calligraphy Society 2013
