Adventure in Bradgate Park.

I have a couple finals to show off in this work update. Yay! First is of the Student Union, used to practice 2 point perspective. I complained about the lack of nature in the Archway piece and clearly karma was out to get me, as this picture is 99% man made and took me an age to complete. The front blinds on the building and the window reflections were also a huge problem. If I get the chance to return to a piece this is one that I'll definitely want to try again, with a larger piece of paper too, so I can plot everything perfectly.

Student Union final

Next up is Bradgate Park, which is located just outside of Leicester. I wasn't really sure what to expect when I got there but the place would fit right in with a Skyrim or Fable landscape, I never knew a place like this could exist in the Midlands. After being caught in a mini-tsunami and dodging horny stags on the first trip there I had to make a second outing. When you can sit down and draw the vistas it is a great place to practice drawing landscapes.

Selection of Bradgate thumbs

With the final piece I took the opportunity to improve the composition of the picture. In the view of the trees on the left, the castle could not be seen (it was further right), however I wanted something interesting sitting on the right side of the page as the viewer explored my picture so I shifted the castle across to be included in the scene. I think Jack Hamm, an author of a great book about drawing scenery, explains this very well:

"When the student goes outdoors to sketch, he should not feel bound to the scene before him...certain freedoms may be taken if they are judged to improve the work without apparent distortion to the facts. Be a creator and not a mechanical man devoid of imagination!"  

Jack Hamm, 1972

Bradgate Park final

Life drawing had us working on A1, so scanning them in is not an option. We did have a task of drawing people in public places though, some I think I captured really well while others (mainly center, right page) I struggled with for whatever reason.

Random people and flatmates

This week I took the opportunity to have a mess about in 3DS Max, and after following a tutorial on various uses for modifiers I had this monument sort of thing. The poly count is so high it probably isn't worth mentioning and I didn't have any textures for it... yet.

After a bit of help, and using some of the default textures I had this to show for a days work. It somehow turned into a bizarre, pimped out monument closely related to a hotel reception bell. Time well spent!

At least the magpies will enjoy it