Thursday 17 July 2008

Black on white, white on black

I've finished two drawings this week - and although they are very different in subject matter, they are similar in technique. The first is a Christmas card design of the three kings done as a black pen drawing on white paper. I was asked to design a card using which ever I felt was best regarding the three kings/stable/Bethlehem skyline and decided in the end to use all three, mostly because I fancied doing the star! It didn't take long to come up with the design and after a couple of preliminary sketches I knew what I was looking for - the darkened forms of the three kings on their camels, heading towards the stable, and pointing to the star above lighting their way. Plenty of dramatic interest and lighting. I drew it out in pencil first then the outline in black pen, but realised that if I was going to draw in the night sky and every star it was going to take me hours and hours. So the obvious thing was to speed up the process by using a paint brush instead! And that decision meant I finished it all in one sitting rather than half a dozen which meant the finished image worked better as a flowing image rather than an over-worked laboured one. I'm pleased with it, I'm pleased with the effect, and hopefully the people who have commissioned it will be happy too! Although I think the image perhaps should be entitled "camels bum" since that's what's in the middle of the foreground!



The second drawing was a white on black erotic one, using just a bit of red in the detail of the underwear. I'm half happy with the result of the half naked woman. I like the pose, and what I've drawn, but, there's no "oomph" in it. It hasn't got the wow factor. The woman in the drawing isn't alluring enough as she pulls down her panties to reveal her bum. I think she needs to be more aware of the viewer, and the fact she's got short hair makes her look too boyish. Perhaps I'll have to buy a wig for my model or ask her to grow her hair!! So I haven't named the drawing other than "red nix" as I don't think its fully worthy of a name.
And I've just had a thought - There can't be that many blog posts featuring the backside of a camel, a half naked woman, three kings, and a pair of red knickers! Still, who wants to be boring!!!! LOL

12 comments:

Trixie said...

LOVE the card, it's brill!

But I agree with you one 2nd one, I thought it was a bloke when I first looked at it!

Spiky Zora Jones said...

jackie: I love the three wise men picture. it's fantastic...I love the sky and...well I love all of it.
The red knickers...hum, I think your artistic eyes are dead on target. She is as you described and needs more sexy fem about her. will alter it...change it up a bit? I love the red knickers...hot idea to show red color in the picture.

I love your work sweetie...you definately love your job. :D

Anonymous said...

I wonder if a mirror might help. The girl could be looking at her lover in the mirror.....

Jackie Adshead said...

Trixie - Glad you like the card, and you've confirmed what I thought, it looks like a bloke. Back to the drawing board! LOL

Jackie Adshead said...

Spiky - Glad you love the card, its a success then!

The red knickers picture definately needs more femininity about it. I'll start again with the same theme of red but done differently somehow. I need to think about it a bit more.

And you're spot on with what you say about me loving my job - I certainly do!!

Jackie Adshead said...

Honrymaleuk - Yes, good idea, I love using mirrors, it makes a mundane pose far more exciting......

Indi said...

Yes I agree she does look like a bloke! But some times you can enhance peoples body's can't you so you could infact give her long hair? She's missing that certain 'Umph' though. Mirror sounds a good idea.

Jackie Adshead said...

Indigo - Yes, you're right, I could enhance the model so she looks like she's got long hair. And its definately not got the umph factor, with or without a mirror!

Joanna Cake said...

^^^
Wot trixie said.

And LMAO at the thought of anyone else doing a post on similar subjects this week!

Jackie Adshead said...

Having my cake - yeh, it looks like a bloke, I know!

Well, if anyone was going to do a similar blog post on this subject matter, it'd would have been you or Luka! LOL

Lucy Felthouse said...

You couldn't be boring if you tried! ;)

Jackie Adshead said...

Lucy - Nah, you're right, I don't do boring!!! :)