Class Thirteen

Project 4: Onions on Toned Paper, Part I

This lesson will focus on using the value of the paper as our middle value #3. We will still be using 5 values, except now, value #3 will already be given (paper). I have chosen onions because most students will have this available in their kitchen. We have practiced drawing onions in class. The color of the onions also relates to the materials we will use: Conte pencils- Sanguine and White pencils.

NOTE ON VIDEO: One error in the video. I showed you the kneaded eraser and called it the gum eraser. Use the kneaded eraser with the conte.

Assignment:

Materials:

  • 2 Onions
  • 9×12 sheet of brown toned paper (or a brown paper bag)
  • Sanguine conte pencil
  • White conte pencil
  • Kneaded eraser (for Conte)
  • Gum Eraser for clean up
  • #HB or #2B pencil (for initial sketch only)

Students will set up 2 onions on their work table near a window or illuminated with a desk light. You can check on “The New Format” how to place your light. I had given you a sheet of brown paper 9×12 on the last day of class. If you did not receive a sheet, please take a brown paper bag and cut it to 9″x12″. This is made of craft paper and will be adequate to use, just be gentle with the eraser.

  • Begin placing your onions this way: place one closer to you, and one slightly further away so that they occupy 2 different planes. Don’t make the tops face the same way. Add variety and create a simple composition that is interesting.
  • Secondly, sketch your 2 onions in pencil very lightly (HB or 2B). Check your drawing by making comparisons- vertical, horizontal, proportional. Re-draw and correct any mistakes. Lighten the graphite lines because conte will not go over the graphite easily.
  • Next, you will begin to add the sanguine pencil. Make sure the pencil is sharpened [your pencil sharpener has a large hole for this pencil. These pencils are fragile, so sharpen carefully]
  • Lightly, re-sketch your onions including the cast shadow on the table. Do not make a hard solid outline, keep the outline light. Next, define the form shadow pattern. Remember this onion is basically a sphere and follows a similar pattern to our sphere. There is a middle point on the onion that projects toward you the most. Always check the shadow pattern at this point to make sure you have drawn it correctly.
  • Add value #4 to this form shadow and the cast shadow. Conte is similar to charcoal, so use parallel diagonal lines, cross-contour lines to define these areas. We will not use cross-hatching or unified tone. Next, begin to work on value #5- shadow edge and dark part of cast shadow.
  • Now work on the light side with the White Pencil. Again, make sure it is sharp. Begin with value #0- the Highlight. This process is a little different than the Egg Project where we worked from the middle value to value #0. Next, add Value #1 and #2. Remember value #3 is the value of the paper.
  • MOST IMPORTANT RULE: Never, ever, ever mix the sanguine pencil and the white pencil. ALWAYS HAVE THE BROWN TONE OF THE PAPER BETWEEN THE RED AND THE WHITE CONTE.
  • If you need to blend some tones, you may use a stomp (this is the rolled paper sticks in your kit). Do not over-due this as it will make your image appear uninteresting if over-done.
  • You may add some values to the background as I have shown you previously- slightly lighter near the dark side, leaving the tone of the paper value#3 near the light side. Do not use too much white in the background. The #0 value on the onion should be the brightest spot.

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T/TH, Due:

M/W, Due:

Onions on toned paper. Here we are using sanguine conte for the form and cast shadows and white conte for the lights. Remember to leave the tone of the paper between the shadows and the brighter lights of white conte. The paper is value#3.
Close-up of near onion.
Close-up of far onion. Observe the light tone in the background created with the white conte with parallel diagonal lines.