Tag: Drawing

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Ovum Nymphs in progress

In recent months I have been working on a large painting, Ovum Nymphs, which proved to be a challenge. It had been hung a prominent spot in my studio where it was easily viewed but ultimately was over contemplated. Yesterday I realised that its presence had started to sicken me, so I placed it in storage with the hope that it will give me the head space that I need to focus on my other pieces.

Dottie may Aston
180 x 90cm, oil on canvas.

The studio feels refreshed without the painting’s door-sized presence. My struggles with this canvas were partly due to not being comfortable working on this large scale. The sheer amount of paint used makes it discouraging to rework once applied — the background alone is made up of two large tubes of white. After using up all that paint before thinking that maybe it would be better a different shade, my relationship with this painting soured. Giving myself distance from this painting will allow me time to lay aside any negative feelings I have for it. In due course I will be able to rework this painting with a fresh mind. Although I do not dislike this painting in its current state, I have not brought it to a satisfactory conclusion and, I am unable to understand how I can improve it at the moment.

All images are protected under UK copyright law

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Drawing Uncategorized

Drawing at Night

Close Your Eyes to the Truth.

When writing an essay about Stalemate, an etching by Dutch artist Marcelle Hanselaar, I found myself very inspired by the way she works and conducts herself. Hanselaar says that painting is for the day and drawing is for the night, after hearing this, I tried it for myself, and I think she is right. Whenever I paint once the sun has gone down it feels a bit clumsy – the subtlety of colour is hard to detect in unnatural light. I have found that monochrome pencil drawing is about the relationship of tone which works even better at night.

Mollusca Study.

Inspired by Hanselaar’s words, I draw at night when my ideas and imagination are most active. Sometimes I work from reality when I feel I’m unable to depict what I’m imagining. Depicting from imagination is unplanned and flows from my head, to my hand, onto the paper. That is how the image below came into existence.

Somnum Murex

© 2021 Dottie-May Aston.

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Drawing Uncategorized

Drawing Before University

My foremost experience of drawing from life was within the months before starting my at university degree. Prior to studying, I was home-educated by my mother, due to my school lacking the support required for my learning disabilities. As part of my home-education, my mother encouraged me and my siblings to draw from imagination every day.

On the lead-up to university I decided to broaden my abilities through a sketchbook of observational drawings. Initially this sketchbook was just to improve my draughtsmanship but looking back, these drawings hold more feeling than a mere diagram. Although I don’t study these sketches for my current paintings, I feel there is a connection to my current approach to seeing as well as handling of different media.

© 2021 Dottie-May Aston.

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Drawing Uncategorized

Dissections

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© 2020 Dottie-May Aston. Nasal Cavity.

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At the start of this term me and Jonathan sat in on a horse dissection. To begin with it was horrid! After the initial shock of the situation and the overpowering smell, I was put at ease to be told that the animals had been ethically sourced. That is, they died from natural causes and their bodies used for educating future vets for them to better care for the animals. This information helped me get over the fact I was watching students cut open an animal. I was then able to focus on my sketches. The environment was no different from that of a painting workshop, people chatting about mundane subjects, giving the class a fairly normal vibe.

© 2020 Dottie-May Aston. Insides on the Outsides.

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Attending these dissections over several weeks had improved both my paintings and drawing ability. Drawing something that I have never seen before in person was an exciting challenge and it has changed my perception completely. After the first class my eyes had started to see differently, making me more conscious of what’s under the skin, and how movements are made in mammals.As the dissection is a continual process, the whole composition could change in an instant. This has forced me to look even harder than I would normally. I’ve found that it has made my abilities with mark making as well as my drawing skills from life and imagination have both noticeably improved.

© 2020 Dottie-May Aston. A Horse Kicking In the Bucket.

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The studies are all from my A5 sketchbook. To see all of them visit my sketchbook gallery. Most were done standing up which was somewhat intense, although I am used to standing up for art workshops. It is difficult to drawing without an easel, not to mention arriving at the dissection tiers due to it being a long steep walk to the campus. Like the smell, I slowly got used to this. I hope you found this interesting! Your welcome to share your thoughts in the comments, thank you.

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