This 6 week course was undertook 'on location' around Woking and West Byfleet. I relied mainly upon the members of the group to suggest the locations we used, on account of their local knowledge. at each of these sessions, we undertook quick line drawings, observation & proportion work, atmosphere and mark making and colour work. On this page, are working photographs from the sessions and examples of work produced.

WEA- Woking class: Sketching out of doors

April - June 2004

 

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WEEK 1: Challenging perceptions The initial meeting consisted of trying to encourage the students to work in a different way and to be aware of what their purpose was when undertaking a drawing.. below are examples of drawing edge to edge (with no line), and comparing drawings done with their right and left hands. Because of poor weather, this session had to be held inside at a local community hall
WEEK 2: Drawing with line
We went out on location for the first time, and continued in a similar way to the first week, in getting the group to change the way they approached the drawing. This time the students were required to only work in line, and through a series of short exercises produced drawings like these. included: hand eye reliance, continuous line, planal recession.
WEEK 3: studying the atmosphere of the elements
 This time around the focus was to be aware of the 'state' of the landscape during the period of the drawing. I asked the group to be aware of the elements and light and to try to convey this from mood rather then from observation
 
WEEK 4: measurement & proportion
 We went near to Newark Abbey, which is a half derelict structure. This was a more considered approach, utilising measurement, angles and proportions. Although some of the work features colour, the main emphasis is on line and points of axis
     
WEEK 5: Closed vistas using colour
 We started to use colour in the main at this session. Starting to look at the lack of space within a closed vista at Horstall woods near Woking. Importance is placed on how colour plays against colour rather then the forms of individual trees. By forcing this elongated view the emphasis of the subject as a motif is enhanced
 
WEEK 6: Colour using limited palette

For the final session I took the group to the Silent Pool near Shere, which has been a source of inspiration to some of my own work in the past, and plans to be used in the future. By using a limited palette of contrast, such as warm, cool and complementary pairs, greater emphasis is laced upon the abstract qualities of the landscape.