My project this weekend is something I have been wanting to do for a long time. Not the usual still life, or flower or a pretty face but more of a social comment... or rather a social awareness.

I can't post the reference because in all probability it is copyrighted though I've had it for so long now I don't even remember where it came from. It shows a young weather beaten mother and the backs of her two small children... concerned, anguished, perplexed what the future might bring ... if there is a future at all.

It is a rather complicated drawing and almost twice the size I normally draw. It's on A3 Bristol smooth and the finished size will be about 14x11 (35x27 cms) or thereabouts and it will be in graphite.

As usual I started with my gridded drawing, the transfer to my good paper and I've only just started the shading - I finished the background first this time.

C & C welcomed and appreciated.

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Hi Rose.
That sounds very interesting and difficult. I like the social thought of it and it reminds me of "Mother Courage" (Brecht) - I don't know if someone knows this novel.

I look forward to the next post and to the finished drawing.

Yes Martina, that's another name I thought of for a title. I'm still trying to make up my mind. Mother Courage yes... I'm not quite sure though - there is perhaps too much fear in the woman's eyes... more than courage.

Maybe when it is finished we can decide together.

Rose do you erase those lines on the paper as you draw ?

This looks very interesting so far and the shading in the face looks good . Are you using the circulism technique? Shading is still somewhat a mistery to me and looks complicated. I will follow this thread with interest.

Christine

Kim: No I don't erase lines. The gridded drawing I do on very cheap printer paper. I have printed out several copies of blank grids on a size of paper which is the same size of drawing paper that I normally use so that I don't have to make one every time. Once I'm happy with the gridded drawing I transfer that to my good paper using a light box. I think I have referred to my method several times in my posts. Sometimes when the drawing is not as complicated as this I draw a much simpler grid - no more that 12 squares in all. In this case, since the drawing is going to be large it is two of my basic grids taped together. I always explain exactly what I do - it is no mystery.

Christine: The shading method depends on what I am trying to represent. For instance in this case the background (which is a tent) is mostly done in hatching which I then even out using a small piece of chamios leather - even a tissue would do in most cases. The same would apply to clothing, unless it is rough or shiny material when I might use squirkling as described by Brenda in her lessons. For skin I use a method which may not be circulism in the strict sense but possibly very close to it. I go round in not too tiny circles in one continuous line building my values as I go along. If this is done over a first "wash" of very light shading (i.e. hatching evened out with chamois or tissue) it would need no further blending and would appear much more realistic than simple hatching. The hair would be done in long individual lines in varying degrees of lightness and darkness.

Since my last post I have researched my reference. When I found it several months ago in a search on Google images I had thought it was some photograph from one of the Balkan wars, Bosnia or Kosovo. To my utter surprise however I discovered that this in fact is one of a series of photographs taken by Ameican photographer Dorothea Lange in 1936!!

This made me think of two things.... first of all that what it portrays is something so totally universal that it is timeless and then, since it dates back to 1936 I think it probably is now out of the realm of copyright. But that is of no consequence really. My aim in this piece is not to make a photocopy of the original but to create a feeling... a condition.

I have now basically finished the woman's face and part of her hand... that's where I left off last night and went to bed. Hands I find always very difficult and in this drawing there are two - the woman's and one of the children's. The chid's hand is even more difficult because it is locked in a fist and appears at a very strange angle apart from the fact that it is very grubby. Pleasures yet to come!

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You have really captured the anguish and worry on her face Rose.
Looking forward to the next installment...
Andrea

Wow Rose,

this picture will be very emotional, affecting. I think the expression of the mother is less fear but more desperation.
Maybe she was one of those women who did not know how to feed her chilren.

It is a great picture or will be. And the hand - you did a good job - but may I remark something? Somethins is wrong between pointing and middle-finger. It looks like one finger with two ends.

Yes Martina I noticed that too and have already fixed it... actually what you see is only part of the hand and it continues to be very difficult for me. But I'll keep trying.

And also quite true.. desperation does better in describing the look in the woman's eyes. That's why for the moment at least I am thinking of this as a big question about tomorrow. The aura surrounding the picture is as if there will be no tomorrow!

Rose,

Looks like you have an excellent start on this one.

I am some what famliar with this photo. I was taken during the Great Derpression in America. It was somewhere in the mid-west, in the Dust Bowl. This would have been most all of Oklahoma and part or all of Texas and Kansas.

Back then folks were not aware of farming techniques we have now. There was an extended drought. Crops failed and the exposed top soil was being blown away, hense the name Dust Bowl.

Someone mentioned that she could probably not feed her children. They would be correct. Lots of folks either went to soup kitchens or starved. If you have ever read "Grapes Of Wrath" the Dust Bowl era is where that book comes from.

I think you are capturing her fear and pain very well.

Chris

Thank you Chris.

Yes, according to what I read yesterday this picture was taken in 1936 somewhere in California. The family, a mother, her two small children and a baby are sitting in a tent which is actually little more than a slanted piece of canvas affording very little shelter. The children lean into their mother not even daring to look at the camera... the feeling of dejection and despair is really tangible.

But what I find so striking about it is it's universality. As I said, I came across the photo some months ago in a Google image search for facial expressions and up until last night I was under the impression these were some Bosnian or Albanian refugees in a picture taken maybe not more than ten years ago. So knowing the real facts about it now has made it even more meaningful to me as real art... the kind that portrays the human condition in its refined essence.

Really this picture could have been taken yesterday. The plight of migrants which today we choose to call refugees remains the same. People leaving their homes in search of a better life only to end up in even worse misery.

Right, I could sit here philosophising all day... but I'd better get back to my drawing!!

Here's another update. I think this is about ten to twleve hours in of solid drawing if you deduct all the little breaks I take. I like taking pics and seeing them on the monitor... it helps me see all the flaws. And if you guys also see anything that is amiss please point it out to me.

Don't mind the shiny bit to the left of the child's head.... the camera must have caught the light shining on the graphite.

Hi Rose, I love your drawing, it's really coming out wonderful!
It's just an idea, but you could give your drawing the same title as this topic: 'And tomorrow?'

I'm really curious to see the result of your drawing. I'm sure it will be something you can be very proud of!

Marijke, first of all welcome to the forum and thank you very much for your comments.


I have another update.. it's about 14 hours in now. The flesh and hair is all done, just a few touches on the woman's arm left to do. Now for the boring part - the clothing and the folds! God help me!

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P.S. Sorry for the glare in the photo.

Rose...thank you so much for your detailed description about shading! I have printed it for future reference.

Your image is coming along beautifully. You have captured her anguish and despair in the eyes and face so well. I look forward to see the rest of this work of art.

Christine

Thank you Christine and you are welcome. Ask away whatever you would like to know - I'll reply to the best of my ability.

I have an update at about 17 hours. I've finished the first coat. Now my teeth are really starting to chatter. Next on the cards is knitting! I've never done that in any great detail and I really don't wish to mess it up now. Brrrrrrrrrrrr. Any suggestions out there?

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This is about 25 hours in. I seem to be unable to take a good picture of the drawing and I can't scan it.. it's twice the size of my scanner and besides it's taped to my drawing board until I finish it. Maybe when it's done I can scan it in two halves and stitch them. Bur for now this will have to do.

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Rose I love the drawing ... and the way you put each stage in the post was very nice it told me how much time and patients you must have to do all that detail ...I mostly love the way you have done the hair .. very nice .

It's done - I think. This took close to 30 hours over three days and a half... I think it is the longest I have ever spent on a drawing - the finished size is 15x12.

Now maybe you can help me give it a name. Shall we retain the name "And Tomorrow?" Go for "Misery" or "Mother Courage" or maybe even make it more contemporary and call it "Refugees"... I really don't know what to call it.

Here it is (still a very bad photo of it) and some of the details.

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Awesome - so much detail - can't say I see anything bad with the picture. If there is, I'm not seeing it.

"And tomorrow" sounds good. What's about "Fear" or "Doubt"?

Great drawing, Rose!

Thank you girls.

Here's a better image. I scanned in two sections and joined together as a new image. Much better "colour" quality but I got that line in the middle.

Does anyone know how to stitch images seamlessly?

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This scan is much better to see. Especially the baby is better to see.

I don't know how to scan seemlessly - I am anyway at war with my scanner. It is a multifunctional apparat with muti disfunctions: The fax is lazy - the scanner hates to work for me and the printer went on strike last week.

I prefer to take a photo and to correct it and scale down with "photofiltre" - a very good french programm (free and totally good).
But I think we have some experts here who can help.

Good night...........

Rose, what a wonderful piece of work! I just love it!

Nice work Rose.

Here is an interesting peice of software... photofit4panorama.com/

I didnt add the www so as to not cause any spam issues...it has a free trial period to check it out!!

Cheers.

Paul

Wow, it's amazing Rose. I hadn't noticed the baby till now! I love the hair and the huge amount of detail. You were very brave to attempt it.
Well done Maestro!
You could call it anything, the picture speaks for itself!

Andrea

OK Andrea - now that you've said that I can let you into a little secret. I've had the reference pic for months and looked at it pretty often, always wishing to draw it. So I started drawing it and it was only after 24 hours of drawing it and zooming in to get all the details of the clothing that I realised that what I had thought was merely a bundle of folds also included a partial view of the baby's head!!

Believe me it was quite a shock! I had not even included it in my initial line drawing because I had never recognised it for what it actually was. In the reference the baby is very white skinned but also very grubby - really hardly distinguishable from the pile of cloth in the woman's lap.

And there were even more surprises in store for me. I was zooming in on the baby and trying to figure out what was hiding the rest of his face... I than realised there was actually also the woman's second hand leaning on the pole. All you see is the edge of the hand, part of the index finger and part of the thumb. It's all blurry and out of focus and the thumb actually looks superimposed on what lies behind it. This was a picture taken in 1936 so God knows what camera was used and with what results.

Really this drawing was an adventure in itself!

Paul: Thank you for the link. I am downloading that software although I fear that the discoloured line I am getting is actually from the fact that the paper is not lying flat on the scanner. It's like the discolouration you get when you photocopy a book and light enters where the center of the book is not actually touching the platten. So that is one problem I have to sort out first before I can really do a good job of this.

Thank you everyone for your comments... they are very much appreciated.

Hi Rose,
I love your drawing. I was surfing the net for photos of people from the depression era because the expression on their faces tell the struggles of the times.

As for the particular photo used for your drawing, I have some info you may be interested in.
The photograph, titled “Migrant Mother” was taken by Dorothea Lange in 1936. The woman is Florence Owens Thompson, age only 32 with three of her seven children. Her husband and sons had gone to seek help for their broken down car. The family was destitute pea pickers on a migrant worker's campsite in California.

Dorothea Lange (1895-1965)

Thank you John for this info.
I searched Florence Owens with google and found her interesting story - and the reference photo and now I must say:

Rose - awfully great job!

Hi Rose,

Yes you are quite right about the grey edge on the scan...there are some scanners that actually are completely flat, which means the glass face is NOT inset into the scanner top, in an attempt to combat this issue...so next time you are looking for a scanner, keep that in mind...

Even if they are greyed on the edges, it shouldnt be an issue to 'crop' them off when you stitch them together...just remember to overlap your scans, so that you wont loose the cropped section when you stitch them together...

Kudos again on the great job.

Cheers.

Paul

Rose,

What an incredibly lovely and moving piece!!!! You have conveyed the tension and worry of the mother perfectly!!! And the love and concern of the children!!!! So glad I didn't mis this!!!

Laura

[quote name='Farfallina' date='Apr 24 2007, 02:28 AM' post='19546']
OK Andrea - now that you've said that I can let you into a little secret. I've had the reference pic for months and looked at it pretty often, always wishing to draw it. So I started drawing it and it was only after 24 hours of drawing it and zooming in to get all the details of the clothing that I realised that what I had thought was merely a bundle of folds also included a partial view of the baby's head!!



Rose...You have created an outstanding piece of art! I am impressed with the detail in every little fold. This is the first time I had noticed the baby too.

It is quite enjoyable and encouraging to see someone else's growth develop as an artist. That gives me hope as a beginner, that with lots of practice, one can become a master of the pencil.

Christine

Excellent!
Paulette

That is a reel piece work.

Hi

Rose is amazing how you capture the drama in this drawing, well-done.

I find in this place in section studio tips a tutorial called "Joining Multiple Scans" maybe this help you with scan your work.

http://www.sibleyfineart.com/

Rafael

Rose
Just one word.
Bravo!

I love it.

rose--awesome just beautiful. this is really great. cant say enough
Lori

I've been wanting to thank you all for the past two days but couldn't post.

Now that I can I really wish to thank you so much for your support. Your comments mean a lot to me.

And yes Christine, lots of practice does take you where you wish to go!