Thinking lots about line and tone lately. After having a hard look at the pirate book the thing that made me uncomfortable with the art was the uncertainty of the line work. It didn't know how to relate to the tone and would disapear or get scraggly or wimpy when I wasn't sure what to do. I've been looking at artists who use line and tone a lot to see what they do, artists like J.P. Vine and Annette Marnat. J.P. comes from animation and there's a real energy and focus to his line, it almost has the quality of performance. Annette's work is more of a graphic element worked into her elegant compostions. Historically, my guides in line and tone are Rackham and N.C. Wyeth. Rackham for his intelligent, elegant line Wyeth for his understanding of line and colour and tone; a painter's line. These drawings were done especially after looking at Annette's and J.P.'s work. Blogging has made me realize how high the standard is!
15 comments:
Hmmm... So what exactly is line and tone?
Paz
I love this type of line!
Hi Paz, Line is line and tone is shading that either describes shadows or contours.
Thanks Mirella!
Ahh! I see. Thanks, Eric. I like to learn something new every day. ;-)
Paz
Great Sketches! I'm going to have to research these artists your studying... I have such trouble translating line into the painting... I try to keep it loose but when I loose the line in certain parts (to try and keep focus on the focal point) it looks like it's not finished to me...
Your line work in the pirate book looks very good to me though... how will you work it more into your paintings?
Thanks Paz!
Thanks Anthony!
Well, looking closely at the printed book the line looks weak or something. I can't quite put my finger on it.
Thanks Eric! It's a boost to hear your own work referenced in such a way- especially after such a standard as is set in the pirates work. It does seem that your current drawings have a feel more elastic and sculptural.Trick is keeping that when you throw the paint on, eh?
Thanks JP! Didn't know if I should email a warning to you that I would be talking about your work today!Stuff seems to get lost when painting, things get stiff and less sculptural. I think that's why I've been drawing in pencil so much lately, it's so satisfying. I really appreciate the advice!
Very good sketches. Fresh!!
I'm all about the line. Never really got the knack of tone . . .
I think that you are very hard with yourself!!
I´ll take a look on the new pirate book, but your drawnings looks very good!
You have a personal great style!
But it's good to still learning all the time!
I love these sketches, Eric, and the way you use tone to create interest.
I know what you mean when you talk about line and tone. When I look at line illustrations by Dulac or Bauer, it seems so easy and fresh. But when I try to do some line art, ouch! it's next to impossible. Even the color of the line is some kind of an issue to me.
I think George Pratt's graphic novels and Ashley Wood's work are great contemporary line and tone pictures.
Thanks Mariam!
Yeah, you're more Herge than a...I can't think of any tone guys.
Thanks Kalo! That's very kind of you. Maybe I feel that if I'm not very critical with my work I won't try as hard.By the way, I talked to a girl in Oceanography at Dalhousie who knows your friend!
I agree on all accounts, Armel. I've tracked down a lot of bauer's books and his line is so fresh and alive and his tone so rich. And Wood's stuff is pure energy.
On the line/tone issue, three words: Charles. Dana. Gibson. He worked in pen and ink rather than pencil, but his work is all about playing the border where line and tone meet.
I've been working with his drawings as reference for a project I'm putting together and it's been pure pleasure spending time with them. Dover publishes several books of his work; the one I'm using is The Gibson Girl and her America.
The classic 'Gibson Girl' images are, by the way, less interesting to my eye than almost anything else he did. His secondary or 'character' characters are gorgeous, brilliant stuff. If virtuosity stimulates rather than depresses you (I can go either way on that, depending on the day), it's well worth hunting down.
Love Gibson!!Thanks Tim!Checked amazon and they have one dover book there so I put it on my wish list.
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