Sketchbook: Dolls

I experimented in my sketchbook today, continuing on with my toy theme. I was trying different media to explore effects.

I worked with two dolls. A fairy doll and a sleepy doll.

Sleeping doll

I first drew the doll in pastel. I smudged the pastel to blend it, the decided to smudge the face and add the smudged lips as I liked the look and effect. It did make the mood of the painting quite dark. I added an outline, i think it was charcoal, then smudged it. I used water to paint the charcoal, and blend it in, then added a blue watercolour wash underneath the doll. I added black ink to outline the doll, with a brush. I added the black drips with acrylic ink.

The whole effect of the image is quite dark. The doll looks like she has been in a nasty situation, or is dead!! I quite like the style though. It is quite simplistic. The pastel, having been affected by the water, looks quite like watercolour.

fairy in pastels and pen

I first drew the doll in pen, with a Pitt fineliner pen. I then added soft pastel, and a charcoal outline, which was blended with water. I added a watercolour wash. The effect is quite simplistic and a bit rustic looking. The water has made the image quite ‘grainy’ and dirty looking. I quite like the effect.

Doll with soft pastels

The final doll I decided to try just soft pastels. I added the colours in areas of shadows, then midtones, then highlights, blending with my finger. I added a black outline in pastel, which i then blended in with my finger. The image had no definition, so I added a fine black outline with the pastel stick. The image has a pleasant feel, whilst still looking a little moody.

I like all three dolls for different reasons. They are very different in style to each other. I like the darkness of the first doll, though she looks quite disturbing. The second and third dolls look more cheerful and less dark in ambience.

I have decided to use pastel for my drawing for exercise three, and continue on with the toy theme.