This Exercise was about doing three alternative compositions for my chosen objects which were to lend themselves to bright colours. These were to be done in my Sketchbook. I was to use a collection of markers with different sized fibre tips. And a variety of colours in different tonal values. I was then to select one of my compositions and recreate it on A4 or A3. I could also use found supports for my picture such as pages from magazines the cover of an old book, a large envelope with address stamp etc.
I actually used letters and a picture from a Magazine in my final Exercise, but not the whole page. To begin I did three preliminary sketches using Staedtler fine and medium nib fibre pens and Derwent Graphik Painter pens which although are a fine fibre type nib, they work more like a dip pen and ink as you can add water and make washes with the ink. Which I did to blend and make the dripping fruit affect. I used various marks in drawing this picture, lines, hatches circles and dots.
I liked my first two preliminary sketches but felt I wanted to add more meaning to the whole exercise and I had used fruit in various stages of its shelf life. From fresh to the it really needs to go stage. This brought to mind the way life is just a circle, from creation back to decay and then then it starts all over again. Especially with plants, where they grow from seed, produce beautiful fruit , which in turn dies, falls to the ground and the whole process begins again.
These were the first two sketches and the corresponding photos.
I had placed them in an irregular sort of circle starting with the ripest fruit then moving around and to the fore in order of freshness. Next I thought I would try and do a circle which would move from fresh to rotting.
This time I liked the idea and decided to use it for my final Exercise but wanted to have more colour and evidence of decay. I didn’t think the Banana worked well peeled with the bright colour of the fibre tip pens so left that whole and also removed the plum which I didn’t think went well with the berries. I drew a circle and positioned my fruit around it, but after the final picture where I added staining from the rotting fruit, I would, if I did it again, use more uniform fruit and make sure they are placed in a way to balance the heavy paint effect from the seeping fruit as can be seen in the final Exercise.
Surprisingly I really enjoyed this Exercise and feel I have managed to portray some meaning within the final picture.
