and Nuances Discover the Pattern of Light and Shadow
The feeling of the texture of a material is achieved in large part through the fine-tuning of the multitude of tonal relationships in the drawing. We will refer to these differences as nuances.
The final stages of your drawing will entail carefully observing the small variations in the topography of your objects. These variations could include details such as the subtle ridges in the vase, the uneven edge of the table, the bumps in the peel of the orange, or the nicks and dents in the antique table. The rendering of such features will add clarity to your drawing and enhance the feeling of reality in your work.
In this final stage of the drawing, the shadow on the wall and the shadow underneath the ledge of the table are now more fully rendered. Notice how airy the shadow appears under the table ledge. You can achieve this quality only by carefully controlling the value of your tones. Further attention to crispness or softness of edges between objects helps to add realism to the image.
Energy and drama define this drawing. There is a tremendous sculptural quality which is achieved through a strong contrast of tone and a vigorous application of the charcoal. Notice the great economy of means used to render the figure.
In this drawing, the range of tone is quite small. The artist used only about 40 percent of the tonal scale (from white to black). The minimal use of contrast suggests the very round large mass of the back. There are no sharp angles or bony protru-berances here. The few lines used can hardly contain the volume of the figure.
In this drawing, there is a strong feeling of mystery that is achieved through an extensive use of shadow. The area that falls in shadow comprises about 80 percent of the drawing. Within the shadow area, there are interesting shapes and spaces that act as a lure to pull the viewer in. The dark shadows also act as an excellent foil to the glaring light on the rooftop, giving a great deal of visual impact to this drawing.
In this strongly patterned drawing, the white of the paper and the darkness of the charcoal are used extensively to maximize visual impact. The feeling of direct sunlight blasting through a window and hitting the chairs creates a powerful interplay between the light and shadow.
Chairs #2 by Eileen Eder, courtesy of the artist
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