Paleotober 2020 – Days 1 to 5
Ammonites and trilobites are top of the list of my favourite fossils. What else would I draw for my first offering for Paleotober!
I chose to draw small, abstract sections of ammonities, and one little trilobite. I wanted to practice my linework. So in the image at the top left that is all that is there – just pen.
As I scanned my drawings in, I decided to digitally add shadow (top right) to help with some contrast.
And then, I thought I’d like to add a kraft paper background and add white and darker brown to the drawing to really bring out contrast.
I like the kraft paper ones the best. They really do bring out the contrast betwixt light and dark.
I found it quite challenging to do the line-work on these drawings. To begin with, I was trying to be as realistic as I could. But as I continued to work, more stylised artwork manifested, and I was much happier with them.
All of this takes me back to my AS and A Level art years, around 15 or so years ago now. I used to love to pick out a small area of a subject of interest and work with the lines, patterns, highlights and shadows. I’d then use these patterns to create artworks, sometimes using imaginative colours, but always bringing out the highlights and shadows.
Some things never change, and that love of playing with light and shadow in my artwork, along with intricate details, is still very much with me and part of my artistic heart-song.
Angela Porter 