Exercise : Stipples and Dots

In my excitement at moving forward I nearly overlooked this exercise and am pleased I didn't.

I determined to draw a shell I had brought back from Brittany and was surprised at how very difficult it was to get the basic shape right - so much so I abandoned the instruction to use a pen and did several sketches of the shell in pencil first, simply to get a sense of where the curves 'sat' and how the lines formed. I also toyed with abandoning the shell and finding a new subject but determined to stick to it as I am keen to combine the shells and the cones for a future piece. I am also (somewhat reluctantly!) learning that the harder I find things the more I am learning - generally!

I put away my earlier sketches and pencil (as per the exercise instructions) and determined a new approach. Concentrating on the pattern, line and shape of the shell I used a drawing pen and a black felt pen to create the image of the shell - approaching the picture not as a 'whole' piece but as a small section at a time to build up the shape and rhythm as naturally and interestingly as possible. Small stipples added the necessary 'pointy' bits raised from the shell surface whilst swirls and small circles emphasised divots.

I'm sincerely sorry that I added the strange criss cross shadow - big mistake. I am however pleased with the overall effect and will use stipples and other shapes in future work.