Title: Medium: Level: This is a design in progress and is linked to The Chatty Teachers and Artists MSN website moderated by Celeste McCall. Click on this link to access the site.
http://porcelainartist.proboards25.com/index.cgi Scroll down and click on my name, Mary Lou LaBerge, to view the lessons and participate in online chat sessions and be sure to check out the other artists teaching on the site. You will enjoy each artists unique approaches to design and painting. We love your comments and the sharing of ideas! Drawing Journal: Click on the photo above to see a large version of the drawing. The Salmon Berry is studied by drawing enlarged views of berries and leaves in a journal. This is a great way to analyze characteristics unique to the plant. Studying how to draw the sticky hairs on the stem or practicing how to form the berry at different angles or analyzing the veins on a leaf and saving this information is beneficial later when creating a final design or when developing a study long after the plant has gone dormant during the winter season. The drawings were created with a mechanical pencil and 0.5 lead. Thumbnail Sketches: Click on the photo above to see a large version of the drawing. This is an incomplete version of thumbnails studies. All of the drawings started out as scribbles like the upper two drawings on the left. As the design is formed the areas are filled in with gray tones show darker areas in the background and shadow areas. Below are versions that can be viewed in greater detail by clicking on the photos Click on the photo above to see a large version of the drawing. Thumbnails Completed Below are completed versions of the thumbnails. Thumbnails are important to the design process because they allow the artist to explore differing points of view on the same subject. This is the time to practice freely with your subject. There are no failures during this phase. Thumbnails are about discovering possibilities for the artist. Title: Roadside Stand Click on the photo above to see a large version of the drawing.
In my opinion, this design seemed to be the least interesting of the thumbnail drawings. The original intention was to create a roadside stand feeling. To remedy the situation on a final layout, additional varied sized containers of berries and/or other elements one might see on a table in a roadside stand need to be part of the design.
Title: Spring Tea
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There was very little work done between the original posting of this layout and the final thumbnail. The berries and leaves were given more definition. I like the concept and would like to add something unexpected to make the layout seem more like a spring tea. Often during exploration at the thumbnail stage a layout or two will develop that has possibilities. This would be a layout to save, explore and paint in the future.
Title: Botanical Print
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This drawing was in the scribble stage on the first thumbnail photogragh above. This is still a weak layout in thumbnail format. Adding more interesting elements such as a faded blossom that appeared to be in the background behind the lettering and the addition of other plant elements such as the root system and rough bark on the stem could enhance the final design.
Title: Salmon Berry
Above is the rough Salmon Berry layout for multiple tiles. This is the layout I'm choosing to use for the final painting.This design allows for exploration of the Salmon Berry from the drawing phase through the painting phase which was the intended goal for this piece. Standing back and looking at the drawing it appears that the space in the background needs further development. The background branches either need to be eliminated from the design or they could be added to the blossom and berry area to create more consistency in the design. This type of problem can be solved on the final drawing. Originally, the thumbnails were scaled to fit an 8" x 10" tile. In the final design stage this drawing will be rescaled to fit vertically on three 6" x 6" tiles.
Click on the photo above to see a large version of the drawing.
Remember, the purpose of a thumbnail drawings of a subject is to explore possible options before choosing a final layout for artistic expression. During this stage allow yourself the freedom and time to doodle, scribble and study your subject in different settings. The next step is a final full scale black and white drawing on tracing paper.
Progress of Final Drawing
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Above is a photograph of the drawing in progress. I apologize for the poor quality photograph. As this drawing gets closer to completion it will get darker and more defined making photographs and scans much easier. At this point, I wanted to share the drawing because it is always helpful to see a design in progress. This is a good time to share the flaws in the design. Correcting flaws at this stage is easy.
Below is a close-up photo of a problem area in the composition. While standing back and observing the drawing from a distance, it seemed as though the blossom and the unripened berry were on the same plane. This situation seems like a target and is too centered and falls right into the middle of the composition. To correct the composition, the un-ripened berry will be erased and moved lower than blossom. You will see this change on the final drawing.
At Last.....The Final Drawing
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Because this format is 18" long, it was necessary to scan the image in pieces. The artwork was placed together in Adobe Photoshop CS. I didn't use any of the artsy Adobe software tools to saddle stitch the image and make the line disappear because it seemed inappropriate to alter the original drawing. The goal is to show this artwork as an original pencil drawing with little computer enhancement. If this were going to be printed, then I would eliminate the seam.
In the original thumbnails there was a tangle of branches. Those branches appear to be separate from the rest of the tiles. Because this drawing needed to flow from one section to the next, there are fewer branches. Moss was added to emphasize the damp area in which these plants thrive. Also, there are additional unripe berries and buds at the top of the illustration.
That shadow on the ladybug needs to move towards the west. That change will take place on the final painting.
Test Firing Colors
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Test firing colors is a personal choice. In uncharted territory, I like to know if the color combinations that are intended for a piece are questionable or not. I personally feel it is best to test colors that are new or that will be used in new ways and which combinations of colors will make the best shadow areas on a painting. On porcelain and glass painting test firing answers these questions.
Click on the photo above to see a large version of the painting.
In addition to test firing the colors, I like to work up a couple of rough color tiles just to make sure that the color combinations used in the test fire are working together and fire as anticipated. On the final artwork, my goal is to achieve an overall warmer color composition and will work with combinations blues and reds in the deepest shadow areas to create depth.
Below is are photos of the painting in arranged in the order that they were fired. Click on each photo to review a large photo of each firing. (Please note that the second fire piece appears too yellow. The digital camera read too many yellows and greens, however, it is still represents the second fire adequately.
Click on the photos above to see a large version of the painting.
First Fire Painting Instructions
MATERIALS YOU WILL NEED:
These instructions are in progress. I am writing the instructions and will upload the first fire instructions soon. Please check back for later. Thanks! To follow the dialog with other artists on this drawing lesson please visit this link. http://porcelainartist.proboards25.com/index.cgi where you will find these photos and comments by other artists. Browse through the excellent lessons offered by other porcelain painters on the Chatty Teachers and Artists site. E-mail: labergedesign@netscape.net or paintl8dy@yahoo.com or call (360) 430-1212 for further information.
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