DRAWING COMPETITION 2020

This year's drawing competition at Fish Hoek Art Society is without doubt one of the strangest ever. We're not gathering, we won't be chatting over a cup of tea, nor will we be folding up voting ballots.

BUT we are asking you to vote online to give your appreciation for good work done. Just leave a comment on the website itself. You'll see the comment box like this at the bottom of the page.

But first I'm taking a moment to reflect on our current artistic situation.

Are you painting? Are you drawing? Are you creating?

Most of you - I'm guessing - are going to reply: no!

It's a shame, isn't it! All this confinement time and no motivation. I heard that our sometime special guest Hazel Soan, is just delighted to have such a large amount of uninterrupted time at her disposal and no doubt we'll see some of the results later this year.

I, for one, wonder if I shall look back at the end of the year on this extraordinary period and reflect on why I didn't do more. Most probably!

For the Drawing Competition this year trees, pets and portraits were the most popular themes. Pencil/graphite was the medium and the drawings show what a variety one can achieve with the good old pencil - and remember they do come in all different degrees of hardness and softness which make them a brilliant medium in which to work.

Drawing in graphite is all about tone. Some artists opt for cross hatching to build up depth of tone, others use the flat side of a soft pencil and yet others realise the value of a contour and let you do a bit of imagining.

Here, below, you can look at the work that those keen artists have put together and thank them for the effort under these trying times.




Number 1 found this magnificent ancient olive tree in Portugal and recreated it in two dimensions.



Number 2 was taken by this spreading tree and used graphite to bring it back to life on paper.

Number 3 popped into the kitchen (honestly you don't have to go much further) and gave us a realistic onion.







Number 4 doesn't reveal where he/she found this rather impressive chap - perhaps it was from a photograph - but the artist has garnered a great range of tone in graphic!



 

Number 5 above is a portrait of a security guard in Fish Hoek and was done later from a cellphone photo. 

Number 6 - the portrait with text was pencilled while the artist waited - pre-lockdown - at the airport for a flight. It indicates that we are never far from a subject if we just have a pencil and paper.

Number 7 is thoughtful pose that this artist captured simply but very succinctly in pencil.
Contours are important here.



In Number 8  the artist witnessed preparations for a marriage in Kyoto and worked from photo. Difficult to get the blacks really dark but a 6B helps.

Number 9: we're intrigued! Did someone pose for this unusual and very successful drawing?

Number 10 found inspiration in his/her fish and produced this realistic graphite rendition. Note how a frame concentrates the image.

Number 11 . That glint in the eye really brings the bird to life. You. don't have to paint the whole creature or person to make a statement.

Number 12 again turned for inspiration to the family pets (and seafood?!?) in the house and did this whimsical drawing of frustrated seagulls (number 12), and (number 13) the furry cat.

Number 14 captured the keen expression of a pet dog in this graphite drawing.

 Number 15 is another family pet with a fine furry coat.

Number 16 worked on the shaggy dog look.

Thanks all who made the effort to contribute.

Now we ask you to go onto the website - if you are not already reading this online - and click on the  comment box at the bottom of the webpage and leave your first, second and third choices. We'll count them next week.