Sketch Book for the Artist

SERIES OF STUDIES

This stunning ghost of a boat comes into

view twice a day, when the sea recedes.

When you have found your subject, make a

series of drawings from different positions.

Each new drawing gives a different insight.

1

Here, I spent equal time looking at the

subject and the paper, marking straight,

careful lines to establish the skeleton that

gives this wreck its distinct form, character,

and structure.

2

In this tail-end view, I looked more boldly

at the planes and the dynamic of the

sculptural craft My lines have become darker

and more forceful as confidence in my

understanding of the vessel grew.

3

This impression notes the angle of the

broken boat, its overall balance, and the

order and shape of its component parts. I drew

with quick, unfussy lines, looking more at the

boat than at the paper

4

From this low position I have emphasized

how the boat is swallowed in mud by

outlining its shadow on the ground. The outline

ties a shape of darkness to the boat like a weight

so that it becomes part of its form.

Drawing in the Round

Decaying Boat