great big charcoal drawing job

Ruth · #1 08-09-2003, 08:31 PM

Hi Y'all! I'm starting on another impossible task, and having a great time with it. Just have to show you.

My clients have a wall space above their foyer, the bottom of the wall is 10' above the floor, and the wall is 10' high and 12' wide. They've decided they want two charcoal drawings 40" wide and 70" high, depicting the foyer stairway and columns, and two family members dressed in Southern Belle style. Here are the two sketches I've come up with...

I'm using Arches watercolor paper because I could get a huge roll of it. It's taking some getting-used-to, but I think it will do. I taped the paper to a piece of masonite. Here it is, taking up most of my little studio...

... and here's a closer view, I've only just started on it today so this is about 2 hours' work. Long way to go yet.

Comments and helpful suggestions welcome!
Ruth

Cassiepeia · #2 08-09-2003, 09:19 PM

Wow!!!!!!!!!!

This is amazing, your clients will be so happy with this. It's fabulous!!!!! I can't wait to see them both finished. I hope you'll post a WIP of the second one too.

Cass.

Classical Vince · #3 08-09-2003, 10:36 PM

I cant believe the size of this! Inspirational!

You are doing a lovely job with the compositions.

pencils4me · #4 08-10-2003, 01:54 AM

Whoa!

Can't wait to see these completed! Beautiful so far.

TJ

Maysun · #5 08-10-2003, 04:08 AM

Hi, Ruth !

Oh, a great big project alright - and coming along so well too ! - can't wait to see the finished version !

Maysun

thewanderess · #6 08-10-2003, 05:13 AM

Wow, that's quite the size you've got there ! So far it looks excellent, and I'd love to see the finished work.
dina

MonicaB · #7 08-10-2003, 08:45 AM

Wow! Great job. Are the finals going to be framed? Feel sorry for the person who has to hang them!

artmom · #8 08-10-2003, 08:49 AM

Wow, what an undertaking! Looking good so far.

Atrsy · #9 08-10-2003, 09:18 AM

Wow! I never even would have imagined that paper would come this big. Did you have any reference photos for these? This would certainly be difficult to come out of an imagination, because being almost life sized, you will have to have alot of detail

You deserve an A+++++ for even attempting this and already it looks wonderful.

Congratulations

Atrsy

kahlua · #10 08-10-2003, 10:08 AM

WOW! Impossible task indeed, however I feel you will pull it off though. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

jawarriner · #11 08-10-2003, 02:12 PM

Most impressive! Being an original Georgia Southern Belle myself - I'll eagerly be awaiting your progress ya hear.
-Jen

Holly_Marie · #12 08-10-2003, 06:02 PM

Drawman · #13 08-10-2003, 08:30 PM

This is a very unique project, your work could be mistaken for very rare works in a couple of years (don't date them and add to the illusion). Great job.

Ruth · #14 09-05-2003, 10:48 AM

I've been on the road for the past couple of weeks, and have just now been able to get back to this. Here's an update. I've added some to the dark background and to the dresses, and a little more to the faces.

I'm going to try to get likenesses on these faces, but not making any promises! If I get it, I'll let you know!

Ruth

jawarriner · #15 09-05-2003, 11:00 AM

I was wondering about this the other day. Glad you haven't forgot about us. I was excited to see this pop up on my email. Looks great!
-Jen

BTDogMom · #16 09-05-2003, 01:37 PM

WOW!! This is HUMONGOUS!! Beaoutiful work, Ruth!

TeAnne · #17 09-07-2003, 06:09 AM

I just know this will turn our perfect.

Mandy Valin · #18 09-07-2003, 12:24 PM

Awesome!! So big!! I think Im inspired to do something big now!!

~Mandie

Nancy Anthony · #19 09-07-2003, 01:03 PM

Wow....this is amazing! I don't know how you're working on such a large scale. The pieces I usually work have heads that measue between 7"- 10" tall and I know that I need to constantly photograph it and upload it to my computer so i can step back and check the proportions and all...can't imagine anything this large!

This is being done on watercolor paper? I've heard some people us it for charcoal and graphite but I've never tried it...do you like it?

Can't wait to see an update...and I'm sure your clients will be thrilled!

Ophelia · #20 09-07-2003, 02:29 PM

Ruth,

I was thinking about this the other day and wondered if I had missed the update. It's looking wonderful! Thanks for sharing and please keep us posted on its progress.

Ophelia

GraphiteEllipse · #21 09-07-2003, 02:58 PM

I LOVE this - they are so realistic - great job!

impetuous · #22 09-07-2003, 05:29 PM

Ruth this is just incredible! I have always loved your charcoal drawings so this is a real treat for the eyes! Love the delicate way that you have handled the facial features.
Please keep posting updates.

Aibrean · #23 09-08-2003, 12:02 AM

very awesome work, i can't wait to see what this looks like when you upload it again

great progress

Meisie · #24 09-08-2003, 03:34 AM

This is beautiful! Thanks for showing us, and keeping us updated.
Meisie

Ruth · #25 09-23-2003, 12:39 PM

Hi y'all! Thanks for all your replies!

This is pretty much finished, awaiting approval from clients. I will probably tweak a few little things, as I always find something to fix after seeing it on the computer screen!

Meisie · #26 09-23-2003, 01:09 PM

Oh my goodness, this is beautiful! The size of it intimidates, but you did an amazing job!

Is the background a 'wallpaper' effect?
I know the clients are going to be over the moon!

Meisie

nithos · #27 09-23-2003, 01:33 PM

And I think I am working big when I go 11x14.

Only thing I could point out, is that there is a little bit of a halo effect around the heads of the two figures. The contrast is just slightly too much, IMHO.

I like how the marble??? tiles give that slight reflection and appear to be glossy.

MonicaB · #28 09-23-2003, 01:56 PM

Holy cow, Ruth, this is gorgeous. Be sure to let us know your clients' reaction. How many cans of fixative will this take?!

Nicolart · #29 09-23-2003, 02:30 PM

WOW Ruth,,,this is riveting

Ruth · #30 09-23-2003, 04:37 PM

Thanks for comments, y'all!

Clients have suggested a couple of improvements, so I'm going to darken the hair a little on the lady on the left, and fancy up the mirror frame to make it look more ornate.

Here's the value study for the next one:

Comments and helpful suggestions always appreciated!

Ruth

Meisie · #31 09-23-2003, 07:54 PM

Ruth is the height of those stairrails accurate on this next drawing? They seem to be low?
Meisie

Holly_Marie · #32 09-23-2003, 08:05 PM

Is that just a sketch on a seperate paper or the beginning of your drawing? Because the rail, by her hand where she's touching it, kinda bows out-ward... just to help ya before you start on the big thing.

Dyin · #33 09-23-2003, 10:07 PM

just now saw this...not many answers to questions! Do you have to stand on a stool to work on this? Is it to be framed? This is really neat to see something done on such a large scale...waiting for more!

**Alan Cross** · #34 09-23-2003, 10:09 PM

Frist one came out great now I am in time for the second one I will just sit quite in the back....
Alan

**pampe** · #35 09-23-2003, 11:23 PM

OHMIGAWD, Ruth...what an endeavor....

wonderful outcome!!!!

boopie · #36 09-24-2003, 12:03 AM

Ruth These are just bueatiful Can't wait to see this one done.

Ruth · #37 09-24-2003, 08:35 AM

Thanks for comments, y'all. I haven't had much time to work on this, obviously. And when I get online and try to do anything, the computer freezes up and has to be shut down and restarted. Very frustrating.

Anyway, to answer some questions:

I like the watercolor paper in one way. It's Arches paper and it has a lovely tooth. I think I'll absolutely love it for pastels. I'm used to using a smoother paper for charcoal and I'm having to adjust to the difference. On smoother paper, the charcoal just lifts right off so it's easy to correct and make changes. Once the charcoal is on this paper, it's harder to take it off.

I have a little two-step stool to stand on to reach the very top of this. I have 8-foot ceilings in my house, and the top of this is about 6 inches from the ceiling.

There will be two drawings this size, they will be framed and they will hang side by side in the foyer of this house. This first one has two of the columns and the wall of the dining room with the mirror/painting. The next one will have the stairway and chandelier of the same foyer.

I do have reference photos for this.

The sketch for the second drawing is just a value study, I know some things are off. I did it to plan how the lights and darks will fit together.

I don't know how many cans of fixative it will take!

I never used fixative, so any suggestions will be appreciated. I know I'll have to use some on this.

Thanks for all your encouragement!
Ruth

Ruth · #38 09-25-2003, 10:57 AM

Here it is with some additions and corrections. Comments and critiques welcome. I can still make changes!

Thanks for looking.

Ruth

Meisie · #39 09-25-2003, 01:12 PM

I can't say much more than 'wow'.....my jaw is still on the ground

This is too beautiful!
Meisie
And I do like it with the changes that they suggested, especially the mirror frame.

Ruth · #40 09-30-2003, 12:03 PM

Here's the full-size rough sketch for the second drawing. Helpful suggestions welcome, changes are easy to make at this point. Would the chandelier be better if I moved it over to the right side?

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