inspired artist
The two paintings above are done by Zhifang Shi, a traveling artist based in Shanghai that paints special locations he comes across from around the world. He works with a mix of watercolor and ink to create his art. Being born in 1968, he makes to be one of the most well-known urban sketchers of our generation.
https://www.instagram.com/zhifangs/ The detail and effort that Zhifang Shi puts into his work has led me to be inspired by his art. Every piece of work that he completes feels real to me, as if I had been at those places myself. Although his style of art is more loose and swift, it doesn’t take away the lifelike aspect of it, like adding in shadows and dimension. Another reason why Zhifang’s pieces draw me in is his use of color. He is able to merge dull colors that add realism and depth, with vibrant colors that help bring the painting to life. The beautiful blend of ink and watercolor paint, that he specializes in, really makes him unique compared to other artists to me. |
drawing unit
The most helpful warm up for me from the drawing unit was the pen cubes. I thought that this warm up was very beneficial to me because I learned about pen techniques and also how to add value with them, which helped me a lot when I was creating my pen drawing, and also when I went back and touched up my pencil drawing.
Pros and Cons
Pen: The good thing about using pen to draw is that there are many different techniques you can use to make your drawing stand out more, like using cross-hatching and random line together, or any combination of the four. The con about using pens is that if you make a mistake it is very hard to fix because you cannot erase pen or blend it into the paper like charcoal.
Charcoal: Charcoal is extremely easy to use and if you make a mistake, you can simply erase it easily or use a piece of paper towel to blend it in with the background. One con of using charcoal though is that it can get very messy if you do not know what you are doing.
Pencil: A pro for using pencil in your drawing is that if you make a mistake you can always erase something, also using pencil allows you to easily add value to your drawing. A con of using pencil is that if you do not add details it can start to look very dull.
Pen: The good thing about using pen to draw is that there are many different techniques you can use to make your drawing stand out more, like using cross-hatching and random line together, or any combination of the four. The con about using pens is that if you make a mistake it is very hard to fix because you cannot erase pen or blend it into the paper like charcoal.
Charcoal: Charcoal is extremely easy to use and if you make a mistake, you can simply erase it easily or use a piece of paper towel to blend it in with the background. One con of using charcoal though is that it can get very messy if you do not know what you are doing.
Pencil: A pro for using pencil in your drawing is that if you make a mistake you can always erase something, also using pencil allows you to easily add value to your drawing. A con of using pencil is that if you do not add details it can start to look very dull.
Vocabulary
Composition- placement of visual elements in a work of art
Value- element of design that defines the lights and darks in an artwork