Thursday 5 January 2012

Drawing . . . Rackham would have got first prize!



This took me hours - but it has been a good exercise in seeing what is really on a page, and interpreting it. I bet it didn't take Arthur Rackham anything like as long to execute, but he drew and painted all day long. Still, after pretty well a break since school days, with a few forays inbetween - mere arty hiccups - I am reasonably pleased with this. Mind you, I just could not get the hoof right (the foreleg with the darker shoe) - such an odd angle, and I rubbed out and drew it SO many times. Likewise I am not happy with the near hind leg, because whatever I did I couldn't get it to give the horse the movement and power that Rackham did. I think I have the length and angle of the second thigh wrong. I am surprised there is a rider AT ALL as I'm not good at people and stupidly, did the horse first and then had to fill in the rider!!!

Anyway, this - in its entirety - is Beaumains defeating the Green Knight.

Click on it twice for all its imperfections!

10 comments:

  1. Stunning BB!
    I have not picked up a drawing pencil for over 10 yrs since my mother and I retired the shop and I quit my graphic design and needlepoint design. I still have all of my drawing equipment in the storage garage. Hummmmm.
    Right now I do not have time to do it, or the room. I would like to start designing and working hooked rugs patterns again, my love.
    When you draw, you are your worst critic, I was alway critical of myself, personally, what you have done is beautiful, and my favorite subject, Medieval lore and legends, and King Arthur materical.
    Have a wonderful weekend, and I encourage you to draw and let yourself be a child again, it helps the soul.

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  2. Looks like a fine attempt. You#re always going to be your oen harshest critic. It#s a great first try at doing this. I couldn't begin to tackle drawing - just hopeless - which is a shame; I'd like to be able to draw.

    Good luck and keep going!

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  3. This is amazing, and I collect AR reproductions, for they take me back to childhood, to which I am fast returning. I just clicked on your blog (been absent, sorry) and to know that someone else loves the work of AR - magic.

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  4. That is VERY good BB! There is real power and movement in the horse`s hind quarters. You should keep going with this New Year`s resolution!

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  5. This is fantastic, BB, I love it :D

    I have a tutorial book that suggests doing a simple line drawing in 2 minutes and then on a fresh piece of paper, do the drawing again, but turn the piece your copying upside down! It's great practise to help you translate the image into simple lines and is very revealing about your style :D

    Have fun and I look forward to more pictures.x

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  6. Well I think it's very good. Almost all the drawing and painting I do is copied -- many from my own photographs. I must have more than a hundred and I don't know what to do with them. I've put most of them in an album, but I don't know who's going to look at them. My sons might after I'm gone, but what will they do with them? Well, I don't mind because I have had many happy hours doing them.

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  7. I think you've done extremely well. Tackling Rackham wasn't exactly giving yourself an easy start! I'd be proud to have done that drawing - however long it took.

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  8. Well I'm impressed and I think you got good movement in the hind quarter. I think Rackman would have been pleased with your study.

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