Observe, Explore and Consider: Environmental Storytelling

For over Christmas, we were given a new brief in which we are to explore and develop our environmental storytelling. As part of the study task we have to go and visit 2 places we are unfamiliar with and one we know well and produce 5-10 drawings between A3 and A4 using a variety of materials. We are also encouraged to create a number a thumbnail sketches in order to decide which angles I would like to create my 5-10 images from.

For the place that is familiar to me I feel that Newmillerdam would be a really good place to visit. I feel that I would be able to get some really nice landscape drawings and some really good perspectives from this area. Whilst here, I'd like to be able to experiment with drawing from different perspectives and trying to convey texture within my drawings through my line work and materials I use. I'd also really like to focus on the colour pallet. I think that the best way to approach an area this big when drawing from it would be to create a number of different thumbnail sketches and to also take photographs to refer back to when I'm no longer in that space alongside the drawings that I will produce whilst there. Also, because the location is so close to home this means that I will be able to take a wide range of materials, as I won't have far to travel. This opens up a window for experimentation.

For a place I am unfamiliar with I have decided to go visit the Wakefield Cathedral, as I realised that although I am familiar with Wakefield and the Cathedral's location I'm not actually familiar with interior of the place. In particular I am interested in the architecture of the building, as I REALLY like old buildings and the atmosphere within them. This is something I would like to experiment with creating within my images whilst there. I'd also really like to try and convey the vast space within the building so my focus will most probably be on my line work and trying to create tone and depth within my drawings whilst there. Because this is a public place and I don't know how long I will be allowed to stay there and draw, I feel that taking pictures to refer to later might be a good idea just in case I don't get the drawings I want whilst there. Also, I feel that I should limit my materials for drawing and break out of my comfort zone. I'm always using pencil, so to avoid using this I will leave all pencils at home forcing me to use other materials.

So far that is all I have and I will have to think on a third place to visit that is unfamiliar to me whilst I get on with my work.