#striped patterns

This was a very interesting session which clarified for me that a stripiness is not to be taken lightly! Drawn well, stripes on a material can bring out underlying form.

 Woolly jumper in coloured pencils by Angela (above) and David (below).

Although both are well-observed in their stripe-mapping, Angela’s somehow seems warmer and woollier. I suspect her choice of either pencils or paper (or both) helped achieve that soft texture. But it’s also the careful placement of shadows under the stripes that bring a 3d quality that David hasn’t really managed.

(Above) Shirt by David, which really needs more careful mapping of the stripes to get the feel of the form. It is more of a challenge than it might at first seem, to follow the stripes and be aware of the way they are distorted by folds and undulations. It’s easy for the eye to lose its way in this exercise. But if you get it right, the stripes work for you in bringing out the form and giving it volume.

(Below) Crumpled shirt by Prue. Mostly this works well, firstly because of careful mapping of the stripes and secondly because of the underlying shadows. It is let down just by one area, top left. It looks like a dip in concentration, and the result is flatness.

(Above) Cushion with flat fringe by Prue. This works for me, with both stripes and shadows helping to create a bit of volume.

(Above) Scarf by Maria. Patiently drawn and well-observed.

Angela wearing scarf, by Nneka. Somehow I failed to brief Nneka that this exercise was all about stripes. She was all poised to draw a stripey shirt when her eye was caught by this elegant model in her scarf. What can I say? Lovely drawing.

Dressing gown hanging on lampstand, by Julie (above) and Steve (below). An interesting comparison.Both were attracted to the compositional qualities of this set-up. Julie has got life and personality in her dressing gown more from her lively use of coloured pencil than by tackling the pattern of stripes. With Steve’s drawing, it is the careful work on the stripes which give the garment personality and interest.