FINDING FREEDOM in Pen and Ink #3 of 9 (cont’d)
TRY A NEW APPROACH TO THIS EASY-TO-USE MEDIUM THAT ALLOWS YOU TO CHANGE YOUR COMPOSITIONS AS YOU WORK.
By Ron Colgrove
Developing an idea (cont’d)
To decide how much of the reference photo to use in the initial sketch, I look for the most intriguing aspects of the photo to find my focal point. From there I may decide to crop out some or all of the rest of the photo and put in parts of other photos for the final pen and ink drawing. As I develop my sketches, I pay close attention to perspective and composition, or the “design of the page,” to make sure that the objects rest correctly on the ground and that my arrangement is balanced.
As you work out your compositions, you may need to make little adjustments, too. For example, if a tree in the reference photo looks as if it’s leaning too much to the left, you can add a branch on the right and let it grow a few more limbs to help balance it out. You can also improve your compositions by including extra objects, such as a figure or some bushes, or by simply suggesting textural details to be inked in later to create interesting patterns. But don’t feel as if you must work out every detail at this stage. There’ll be plenty of room for changes when you’re inking in your drawing.
Before going to your actual drawing surface, I recommend making a clean, full-size drawing—again on vellum—with just enough detail to indicate the correct position of things. If necessary, use a straightedge to pencil in any long, straight lines in your subject.
A Simple Approach Demonstration Item #2 of 5
SKETCHING THE COMPOSITION. My first goal for this preliminary sketch was to get the perspective correct, which I did by using the base of the house as my horizon line and projecting a few vanishing points. After these elements were established, I focused on my overall composition without going into too much detail.