Practice Round

Movie: Masculin Fémenin

Director: Jean-Luc Godard

Director of Photography: Willy Kurant

Year: 1966

Notes:

I’m not finished yet, just taking a break. 25 minutes might be too ambitious for something I’ve barely done. And this is a fairly detailed study. I was maybe halfway done when the timer sounded. I know I need to go from light to dark (especially when using watercolor) but it’s hard to keep that in mind while bouncing around. I could use the value scale above and do a step for each square, maybe?

My spacing and proportions are a bit off, but that’s not surprising, I wasn’t focusing so hard on those. However I want to spend time observing and noticing how each section is arranged. For example, I made the person on the left a bit too squat and the person on the right is scooted a bit too close to the lamp.

I can already tell this will be a HELPFUL exercise. I’m noticing shapes, layering, side by side values, etc. that I wouldn’t normally consider. I use line as a clarity crutch where good value application should be used. Keep going!

Started again. I worked with the watercolor for a while and then switched to a black watercolor pencil for the smaller areas. I think it will be good to map out the size and location of the lightest and darkest areas up front.

I don’t know how long this took me. I stopped timing it. The little bits of stacked papers and books in the background and on the table were the hardest! (and honestly the least fun to do) I have to plan things like that better, and make them interesting/important enough to include if I’m going to bother drawing them.

I used watercolor, a watercolor pencil (with no water), and a white gel pen