Day 0045
I've been thinking a lot about how confidently Raphael commands individual strokes of the chalk in the portrait I've been working on. Being able to execute a complex curve in one stroke, varying its weight smoothly from light to heavy, sharp to broad, is real virtuosity. Getting it right first time, every time.
I want to get there, or at least try to, and I think using a more unforgiving medium will help train me to really think about every mark and try to get everything right first time. With pencil and chalk there is always the option to erase, to build up multiple attempts to one approximation of what should be correct. So I've bought some drawing ink and have made my first attempt at drawing with pen and ink. It's abominable, malproportioned and ugly, but I've learned something and enjoyed trying something new. Need the right paper so the water wash doesn't lift the colour and need to concentrate on the whole just as much as the individual line qualities. So much going on. It's a drawing after the peerless Rembrandt. Even more respect for his craft now.
There's also something wonderful about the feel of a sharp needle-thin steel nib on paper, leaving such a fragile and yet strong, indelible line behind. And ink washes? Wow, you can do so much in a few brief seconds, laying down so much tone and volume. I have a new respect and interest for artists like Tiepolo who worked in pen and ink, its extremely challenging.