These are the first 6 of my "Cells" series.
Cells #1 - Motion#2 graphite pencil on Strathmore 400 natural paper, 11"x14"
"Cells #1 - Motion" was an experiment; I had intended to shade the individual cells to give it a "cobblestone", 3-dimensional look, but instead was intrigued by the fluidity of the lines - how the undulations draw the eye back and forth.
Cells #2 - Hopscotch
#2 Graphite Pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 11"x14"
Cells #6 - Earl and Fiona
#1 Graphite Pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 8"x10"
"Cells #6" derives its subtitle - "Earl and Fiona" - from the pair of hurricanes that were active in the Atlantic at the time I was working on the drawing. While I did not consciously set out to depict the storms, the dual cyclone images - one neater, the other a little lopsided - do in a general way reflect the two hurricanes, one of which (Earl) was tightly wound and strong, the other (Fiona) never really was well-formed. This drawing also features a lot of interwoven elements.
When I first thought of contributing these pieces to PapergirlSF, I thought it would be good to copy the drawings and add some color - multi:
...or monochromatic, as in browns...
...or grays...
But as I worked on these variations, I found that the pieces looked better to me as black and white. I have started work on a seventh "Cells" drawing; I will post an image of that at a later date.
Cells #2 - Hopscotch#2 Graphite Pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 11"x14"
"Cells #2 - Hopscotch" came about after trying to describe to a friend the childhood game of Spiral Hopscotch. When I showed this drawing to him, he said it reminded him of the stones set in rings around ornamental trees planted in the sidewalk.
Cells #3
#2 Graphite pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 11"x14"
"Cells #3" was my first experiment using the "cells" with negative space, and my first experiment with weaving the lines - interlacing the longer lines with the circular elements. To my eye this gives the work more visual depth.
Cells #4
#2 Graphite Pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 11"x14"
With "Cells #4" I put in some long filament-like lines that intersected at a few points, breaking the field up into sections of uneven sizes and shapes. These sections I filled with swirling lines, and then shaded the long intersecting filaments to keep them from getting lost in the visual storm.
Cells #5 - Waiting for Word
#1 Graphite Pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 8"x10"
"Cells #5 - Waiting for Word" is a bit of a departure; it is done on smaller paper, and I went back to weaving the lines in one section, while using the spiral elements again. I also used a softer pencil. The title for this piece derives from the fact that I completed a large section of it while in a hospital waiting room with my sister, while her husband was in the ER.
Cells #3#2 Graphite pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 11"x14"
"Cells #3" was my first experiment using the "cells" with negative space, and my first experiment with weaving the lines - interlacing the longer lines with the circular elements. To my eye this gives the work more visual depth.
Cells #4#2 Graphite Pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 11"x14"
With "Cells #4" I put in some long filament-like lines that intersected at a few points, breaking the field up into sections of uneven sizes and shapes. These sections I filled with swirling lines, and then shaded the long intersecting filaments to keep them from getting lost in the visual storm.
Cells #5 - Waiting for Word#1 Graphite Pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 8"x10"
"Cells #5 - Waiting for Word" is a bit of a departure; it is done on smaller paper, and I went back to weaving the lines in one section, while using the spiral elements again. I also used a softer pencil. The title for this piece derives from the fact that I completed a large section of it while in a hospital waiting room with my sister, while her husband was in the ER.
Cells #6 - Earl and Fiona#1 Graphite Pencil on Strathmore 400 Natural paper, 8"x10"
"Cells #6" derives its subtitle - "Earl and Fiona" - from the pair of hurricanes that were active in the Atlantic at the time I was working on the drawing. While I did not consciously set out to depict the storms, the dual cyclone images - one neater, the other a little lopsided - do in a general way reflect the two hurricanes, one of which (Earl) was tightly wound and strong, the other (Fiona) never really was well-formed. This drawing also features a lot of interwoven elements.
When I first thought of contributing these pieces to PapergirlSF, I thought it would be good to copy the drawings and add some color - multi:
...or monochromatic, as in browns...
...or grays...
But as I worked on these variations, I found that the pieces looked better to me as black and white. I have started work on a seventh "Cells" drawing; I will post an image of that at a later date.
