Representing Lights and Darks: the Squint Test I continue to have to make conscious choice each time I set out to draw: discouragement and frustration, or discovery and curiosity. It is not easy, but is a valuable skill. Drawing is completely new to me, and I find it more than a little difficult to make accurate representations of shapes and proportions.  I can see where and how they are wrong, but can not replicate them. It is an interesting look into the brain.  Meanwhile, I have now dedicated a full sized new eraser to my drawing box! I am also very slow. It would take several more sessions to "finish" my stick (which is how I did my "Jump Right In" warbler), but sometimes I don't want to spend repeated sessions on one drawing.  If you are slow and outdoors, the light changes faster than you can capture it. However, the squint test really works! Sometimes squinting helps me "find" the shape, as well. I added a scribbly background of a tree trunk, palo verde sapling, brush pile, and bird boxes, which is not actually behind my "value stick" but was to my right. You can do that when drawing, unlike photography! (Photoshop not withstanding.) I hope my skills improve on shapes and proportions. Next up: chiaroscuro.

(Still haven't been able to upload images) It wasn't difficult to see where each could be applied and I'm starting to feel more comfortable doing anything!  Unfortunately, I think I chose natural items that were too complicated for my initial practice.  The areas of light/dark were too small for me to really distinguish the different effects - kind of frustrating but interesting - so instead I applied different shadings to a stuffed toy penguin to build confidence.  Better. It is still tough to maintain proportions, even with short pencil strokes.  I use the eraser a lot.  I expect everyone comes up with their own process - where to start, what comes next, etc.  My question - are there guidelines about this for starting out? I am really enjoying this course.

Actually, I don't feel comfortable putting marks on the page. The chiaroscuro is not really clear to me and i feel rubbish about it. I have seen the others are they are really good, while mine is a bit ugly 

I began with the pear, using a 5” circular fluorescent bulb for illumination, which gave a strange shape highlight. I then moved on to the juggling ball with the same lamp. The Roku pot was illuminated with an LED point source and the texture of the pot resulted in a second shadow below the reflected light.

This was an excellent exercise and the video clips are great. Thank you for the mention of the blending tool. I had forgotten the existence of it and after a search, I found one in a box of drawing odds and ends. I love it for making smooth lights and darks.

I have been working with pictures, trying to  improve my skills.  I think I am improving.

Having difficulty following through with posting. Finally figured it out. Will get back to drawing again.   Don’t know if I’m posting on someone else’s page or mine

I I really enjoy watching the instructional videos - thank you, Liz! And the exercises are great, so helpful.  Getting the texture and the lighting and shadow are ALL so challenging, but I realize it takes LOTS of practice.  Very inspiring to read and see everyone’s posts!

Such a good “looking” exercise!

I'm definitely starting to feel more comfortable, but I'm working hard on chiaroscuro because I still feel that is quite hard to distinguish the lights and darks on an object or composition

It is clear that all my skills will be needed to sketch realistically! I need a great deal more practice I think before I can use both light value and 3D markings both accurately and relatively quickly. I think practicing all techniques together will be the most useful for me. It is gratifying to see tiny improvements!

Oranges are hard to texture.  But I think this shows Chiaroscuro, the 3D, I am not as sure of.          I thought I submitted this last night but don't see it this morning so if it is duplicate, I sorry.

How can I show an area of whiteness that occurs at the edge of the object?  It becomes white on white page!  I'm am becoming less hesitant to open my journal and am enjoying the exercises.

I'm getting quite comfortable, but it's still a bit hard to find the reflective light.

Yes it was easier

I have been working from photographs because I find I can see the light better.  The fur on this vixen was a challenge.  Tomorrow I will try some real fruit.

I am always using value scales, still life set ups with my students to keep them in practice depicting every day objects. I use pencil,charcoal and graphite with them so I ache for color at the end of the day for me sometimes. I think I need it just to give me another challenge. Still learning....