Sshhh… I’m giving away all my drawing secrets
A large painting commission from start to finish
Well hello hello you lovely soul, don’t tell anyone, (except do because it will help boost my numbers here) I’m about to give you some secret drawing hacks that I’ve learnt over the years.
When I say I’ve been trialling and testing for years… I really have, so much so I have bundles of unfinished work that are a messy progression of tiny snippets as I discover new methods. It’s a seesaw of learning when to allow the materials to guide you and when to take control of the materials. So let’s get started….
Gather some context then let go
My college lecturers use to bang on about experimentation, sketch-booking…yada yada yada. At the time it use to drive me insane because I lacked patience and just wanted to see the finished product shine in all its glory. I take that back. Sketch-booking and “play” are probably the most important stages.
The project was commissioned by a chiropractic based in Scotland, working in both a traditional and holistic approach that aim to align both body and mind. The brief was to capture the sensation and growth of the Fight, Flight and Freeze response we often experience during stress.
Once the client had chosen a concept, I worked on refining the design but playing with materials, exploring colour palettes and testing textures. This is the let go part.
When scale is scary
Scaling up has always terrified me. It’s rare that I paint larger than A3, so A1 seemed daunting. Character work often takes a lot of adjusting and prior sketches to get the proportions just right. I didn’t want to waste time scaling up those refined sketches which is why I chose to trace. Tracing your own sketches isn’t cheating, it’s just a shortcut. Ta-da! Behold the cheapskates Lightbox aka a window, printed and pieced together paper… if it does the job, it does the job.
Pass the parcel but with paint
My mum has been telling me to layer up my whole life… I think she meant with clothes but I apply the same rule when drawing. I would often spend hours trying to paint the most teeny weeny details, to then be so frustrated if I made an accidental blob or smudge, until I learnt the power of layering materials. Not only does it build the most beautiful surface variations and vibrancy, but in some aspects makes life a heck of a lot easier. It tells a deeper story, almost as if you could peel away each layer of the process.
I start with washes of acrylic ink that allow me to build colour variation. I do this because it doesn’t lift or bleed into my other materials and gives a luminosity to the final outcome.
Followed by the glorious gouache stage. Personally, I prefer water based gouache because I find it easier to manipulate and blend. Once you get use to it, gouache is so versatile. I switch between applying it in a wishy washy watercolour like manner to a thick, luscious painterly way.
The last step is in pencil and possibly my favourite stage because this is where my characters come to life. I use pencils to add texture, depth and dimension. I cannot tell you how much more enjoyable this stage became when I ditched the paint and grabbed the pencils. It offers much more control over the finer details, such as facial features and subtle shadows, than I could ever achieve with paint. I suppose it depends on what you’re trying to portray but I found it really softened the final appearance of my character style.
Et Voila!
I must admit before starting this piece I was having doubts about leaving so much negative space, part of me wanted to fill the entire paper. However, I’m so pleased we both agreed to this concept because it allowed me to tell a story and focus on visual narrative. It feels like it has a scientific quality to it without the science….if that makes sense? Like the March of Progress in a way. I love creating pieces like this - where short stories live in a larger one and as always I learn new techniques every time.
I’m always open to feedback, insights and your over-thinking notes or questions, so feel free to comment, share and message me.
Pssst… I’m giving you permission to share my secrets…
Love Chiara xoxo