Sharp
Metal
Battle
Clear
Mellow
Smokey
All of the above images were taken on my iPad mini, at the London National History Museum. Enjoy!
National History Museum – London
Contemplating Life and Drawing old friends…
So the past few weeks have been hectic to say the least… But what better way to drown your sorrows than to draw?! (Apart from alcohol!)
Here are some progress shots of me drawing my darling friend Jemma on my iPad 🙂 took me a total of 12 hours.
Revision/Drawing Playlist
I’m one of those people who needs some sort of melody in the background of my revision and/or drawing sessions. I find this useful, and even though it is constantly debated, i know it isn’t the same for most people! Many of the songs I do love even when I’m not revising or drawing, so it’s an added bonus!
Anyway! Let’s get to it shall we?
1. (MY MUST HAVE TUNE!) Champagne Supernova – Oasis
Rock
for the people who already know me, Oasis are a huge influence on my music taste, and whatever the mood, they’re in the queue somewhere! as the song has a steady repetitive and dreamy sound during the versus, it’s easy to keep your focus, and then with the heavier chorus, you’re still able have the guilty pleasure of a heavy electric guitar – And who doesn’t like the sound of waves hitting the shore?
2. White Flag – Dido
Pop
One word… Classic. This song goes unnoticed with her soft glowing voice, with the steady beat and the loving lyrics. It can makes any tough cookie melt in the center and truly relax.
3. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
Rock
Fleetwood, Fleetwood, Fleetwood. A huge shout-out to my Dad for bringing me up on the sound of the 70’s, and even now, I still find the beautiful voice of Stevie Nicks playing again and again on my iPod. #TeamFleetwood
4. Stay With Me (Acoustic) – You Me At Six
Rock
After meeting Josh himself at a recent All Time Low gig in London, I revisited my teenage obsession and I fell in love all over again. The simple and steady acoustic guitar makes you tap your feet yet his voice keeps the mellow vibe of the lyrics.
5. How Does it Feel? (Gabriel Gassi Remix) – Julia Vero
Dance
this song is a lot ‘fuller’ in terms of the electro layering, but this song really does lift you up without making you want to get up and lower the volume. Also a must-have for all the chilled-out-ibiza fans, as this one is great for in the warm summer days.
6. Earned It – The Weeknd
RnB
Really, I listen to most of the Weeknd’s albums when drawing, due to the spookiness and sexiness of Able’s voice, and the melodies are almost always atmospheric and allow you to really lock down on a huge workload. I also loved the Fifty Shade book trilogy ….shh!
7. Think About Me – The Artful Dodger feat. Michelle Escoffery
Garage
No, no, no, this isn’t an Oliver Twist remake guys! If you haven’t heard of Artful Dodger, or aren’t really big on the garage scene, seriously… check him out! I grew up on his first album, with many of my friends doing so too, and there’s a song for every mood on there for sure. This particular track holds a subtle garage beat whilst keeping the melodic piano and smooth soul voice.
8. Drown – Front Porch Step
Rock
Break-up song worthy? Guilty! And I must admit, this song is great for those aggressive ex-bashing days we all come across in our lives. But this melody is sweeping, with the husky and emotional voice, it really pushes you at your prime and gets you pumped for the final revision/drawing session of the day!
9. Right Here (Human Nature Radio Edit) – SWV
RnB
This is another independent woman track (We all have them right?!), which you’ll find it hard not to bob your head to. It’s smooth, soulful and slow. Michael Jackson’s original backing track also makes this one an RnB classic.
10. Gimmee Shelter – The Rolling Stones
Rock
Now this, is just *speechless*. To say that this song is a must-have would be an understatement. Those backing maracas are infectious, and those inner rockers become apparent in this uplifting ballad of the senses. This is a great song to uplift and pump you up, and if you’re not a fan of The Rolling Stones, you will be after giving this tune a listen.
Do you guys listen to music while you revise? Or have any more great songs you could share? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading! Joanna x
New Sketchbook!
After revising non-stop for the past few weeks I felt like I’m loosing out on valuable sketch practice… Until I bought a super adorable A5 Pink Pig sketchbook with Off-White paper!
I wanted to buy a small sketchbook to take with me in my handbag and at every opportunity (e.g on the train or waiting for a bus) I can just open it up and draw.
I’ve always used Pink Pig A3 sketchbooks for my A-levels and the paper quality is excellent for my graphite and charcoal drawings. Watercolour and acrylic are also great on the thick paper.
Here are my first drawings within the sketchbook – both finished this morning 🙂
Life Drawing Study Seminar – Summer ’14: TIPS + TRICKS
Being an Art Student in A-Level environments, both observational drawing skills and life drawing skills become embedded in your body and mind – and with great reason.
Many of the pieces I do today wouldn’t have been as successful as they are without that training and constant referral to both subject matter and their relation to their environment.
And I thought that maybe some of you guys would be interested in how I managed to draw my images, what tips and tricks I can give you, and you guys could also give back in return!
So… Here we go!
- Always refer to the object you are drawing every 10 seconds or so. I bet many of you are thinking “Well, duh?”, but actually I think this is one of the most important must-dos when outlining any subject matter! It gives you more chance to gain proportions correctly, perfect line and movement of a piece, and, let’s not forget, the original outline is the foundation for the whole outcome!
- Do not rush yourself. It is easy, I know, to imagine the final outcome of the piece when you’ve barely even started, but trust me when I say – layering is vital. And in my own experience, where I learned to layer shading, colour and definition, my drawing technique became faster and more accurate. It really does pay off.
- Draw how it comes naturally. If you’re thinking “oh I draw differently to the guy next to me… I must be doing it wrong…” DONT! Honesty is, everyone is different, and if you draw differently to someone else it doesn’t matter, art is great for being so broad that really it’s you and the paper – and that’s all that matters.
- Try not to lean on the paper. In this particular seminar I worked in chalk pastels so smudging was imminent but as a helpful piece of advice – draw onto a easel not a flat surface like a table because chances are you might accidentally smudge and, by golly, is it annoying!
Just remember guys this isn’t me saying “do this or fail“, I just wanted to give you some advice on what I’ve learned over the years. Just do what you find comfortable!
Thanks for reading!
Digital Revelations and Stressful Contemplations
So, with the new year, I decided to ditch the pencil for a few days and start something more out of my comfort zone – digital drawing….
Can I hear a “woot woot”?!
I must admit, I was very hesitant of the new technique. All seemed alien – drawing with the end of my finger and being able to zoom in and sharpen edges up etc. But then again, it felt a lot easier to gain experience from it, with it being so malleable. There’s also so much at a small touch of a finger tip!
I use the app called “Procreate” (a paid app) in which I discovered during my second year of A-levels. The prime task was simple – add further developments to my current sketchbook work and easily create composition plans. And, boy, was it easy! The aesthetics are simple and easy to use (with some being less obvious), but it never got in the way when starting to use the app, and the brush and colour range are both excellent. There are options to layer images from both your own photo library and online – presuming you’re using your phone or tablet – so you can easily reference shapes, colours and lines easily, and with the swatch tool in particular you can transfer exact tones of colour to and from different layers!
Being a young whizz-kid on the technology side of things, you don’t have to be technically advanced for this app, so it appeals to all abilities and ages. And yes, there are free versions out there, but it’s not a bank breaker I assure you!
So, even if you’re a old time artist wanting to tread in new waters or you’re a new-time doodler – this app will get you there with it’s simplistic aesthetics and easy user interface.
All above works belong to me, and were designed and completed on the app Procreate.
The Inevitable (Yet Helpful) Future
September.
The single scariest word within my vocabulary of recent weeks… Yes, my dearest word-pressers, University is lingering, and closer I am coming to the dreaded September month, the more I want to bury my head deep in the sand.
And yes again, it is because of all the obvious reasons.
In my experience as a youngster growing up through the British schooling system (including high school and sixth form), regularity and educational routines do not phase me in the slightest. A-Levels were tough, but with my pure enjoyment and security within the subjects i endured, they really gave me the confidence to work hard and achieve my goals to get into my chosen University. But I suppose always being twenty minutes from the school site never helped me in the long run… as now moving away from friends, family and my boyfriend really does bother me – and lots of other students in the exact same boat. Being with my boyfriend has been an easy process in terms of always being close, he drives me most places and there are a few days a week made specifically for our days together… not any more. And as I roll my eyes at the constant leaving-the-door-open scenarios and calling me downstairs for dinner when its not even ready, I realize my Mum wont be there to do those annoying things anymore, which in itself leaves me with nothing but anxiety and home sickness – and I haven’t even left!
But… is all bad news? Of course not!
With all of the heart-sinking goodbyes and moving away, there comes great journeys, great memories and great experience. With many of my friends and colleagues University is the norm, balancing work with essays and lives at home… and, well, if they can do it… Why can’t I?
The course I wish to join is a (BA) Hons in Art in which i will study at The University of Reading, and from the bottom of my heart I cannot be more excited to finally settle down in my own space and let my creative juices flow. Not having to battle other creative subjects and lessons in the mean time with, not to forget, every other aspect of an adolescent lifestyle.
Ugh. These are going to be a long four years.
Fresh Soil…
Well, here we are. After long consideration and debate with myself, I have made the decision to start my own blog!
As many of my friends and family know, I am one for the creative and outgoing… whether that includes fashion, art or music. Alongside being a “newbie” to blogging, I want to give some well needed TLC to my own artwork – with that including anything from getting my foot in the door in terms of views and support, to technique hints and tips from anybody who has any feedback for me! Not to forget, I will be writing about life as an art student and my every day encounters and thought processes!
So with every visitor to this page: I wish you a warm welcome, and I hope that my posts inspire, impress and interest every one of you!
See Below for my own Flickr page containing uncompleted/completed pieces of my own artwork:
joannatalulah.wordpress.com 