I was happy with my value study, so I returned to my drawing to finish it up. The basket still needed work! I had many landmarks in place already, so it wasn’t too hard to fill in missing strips. With such a complex object, it’s always hard in the beginning to know what goes where. Once you’ve determined where some of the basic parts are located, it’s easier to see how the other parts relate to them.
Drawing is a process of looking quickly back-and-forth between the object to be drawn and the drawing- always comparing. Speed is essential in order to keep the image of what you are drawing clearly in your mind so that you can remember it long enough to reproduce it accurately. When an object is complex, like my basket, it’s so easy for the eye to get lost in that back-and-forth journey. I might see a small shape on the basket, but when I look back to my drawing, I don’t know where to place it. There are so many bamboo strips! Where should I place that shape? Then, when I look back to the basket to re-check, It’s not easy to find the small shape I was originally looking at! Fortunately, the more pieces that are drawn, the easier it is to know where you are.
I find it very useful to use words to identify what I’m drawing. I might think to myself as I’m studying the basket- “I’m now going to draw this little horizontal strip on the right of the major vertical piece at the point where it bends.” When I glance back at my drawing, the major vertical piece is already drawn with it’s little bend. I know just where to add the new piece. This takes a long time to write, but it’s a very quick process. I’m constantly talking to myself to identify all of the bits I’m drawing. Putting it into words in my head makes it easier to retain the information.
Above is the finished drawing. My next step will be to transfer it onto the canvas.
Linda Mann Artist 