Overall Comments
Patricia, although you have tried out several of the exercises in this submission, it is not your strongest. There does not seem to be much development from initial sketches which are preliminary and do not lead towards refined or well executed pieces. You have explained your constraints in your blog and although you want to draw what you want, you need to use the course handbook to execute the exercises then add in your own interpretations.
Feedback on assignment
Project 1- There are many sketches which have shown you trying to work out composition and perspective and this is a good way of practicing. However, they do become repetitive as each one does not really lead onto another medium, focus on your strong points or show much development. You needed to try to involve how you could use different media in a variety of ways to capture an atmosphere, feeling of when you were in the space or more practice on the different formal elements such as textures, tones, colours and composition.
The clouds show some colour but the utilisation of the coloured media is not very skilled thus the images of the clouds look rushed and unconvincing. Although you have tried a few attempts, always review your work and see what can be improved.
Project 2- Not many examples of trying to get to grips with perspective. Although you say you have tried it before there still needs to be some evidence that you can do it accurately especially in context of this submission and drawing outdoors. I can see some accuracy in the second drawing but it does not go anywhere. How can you add colour, a scene and your personal voice into what you interpret? How are you seeing the outdoors?
Project 3- Townscapes. Again there seems to be a lot of preliminary drawings where you are trying out composition and perspective but none of them are resolved. You need to go back over them and refine them to make them more finalised (at least the ones you think have potential) with improving them each time. The ‘townscape line study, pencil and pen is the most successful in this series and because you have used another medium other than relying on pencil, there seems to be some potential in this.
Project 4- The larger study of the tree 42x 30cm has potential, as this piece is delicate and sensitive. This could have been done again on a larger scale taking the successful elements of detail and the depiction of the branches and with adding some colour. As a collection, this project shows a little expressionistic approach, which demonstrates a sense of thinking out of the box.
Assignment- There are several studies which show you are trying out different elements to make a successful assignment. However, they do look rushed and the final shows a lack of focus on the fundamentals such as consideration of line on the windows, use of media to create tone and a lack of a mood of a scene. However, depth is considered as a framed composition to draw the viewer in.
Sketchbooks/ Learning Logs/Critical essays
You continue to demonstrate your progression and journey throughout the exercises you have tackled. Your comments show self-criticality and a self-reflection but you have not always been aware of how you could improve but are very aware that you need to improve.
Your comment “I really must find my personal way of doing things without constantly feeling bad about every drawing I make,” is appropriate to this submission but you should try and have more confidence. You have done drawings and sketches but if you look at other students work on the OCA website you can see how they have tackled and overcome the same constraints you have. You must remember that other students are here too thinking the same. The course asks you to draw technically and learn but also part of the assessment is having that personal voice in your work. It would be a very good idea to read the grading criteria in the back of the handbook so you are aware of how your work will be assessed.
Suggested reading/viewing
Paul noble- For personal interpretation of townscapes in pencil.
Charlotte Verity- Trees for fluidity and sense of movement.
Piet Mondrian’s trees- again for the use of manipulation of media.
Leon Kossoff- energy and expressive drawings of his surroundings.
Pointers for the next assignment
You have started to look at more artists but there needs to be more investigations into others so you can be influenced in a way of moving forward. Ones that can inspire you and relate to your work so you can see how to progress.
As you have mentioned, after a break you might feel a little rusty getting back on track. This has been the case with your technical ability so be sure to practice different elements you struggle with more.
Work with different media and experiment with their suitability and potentials. Perhaps go back to earlier exercises to loosen yourself up and remind yourself of how they can be used.
Read the grading criteria as mentioned in the above comments.
Go onto the OCA student website and see other students work on the same course (as suggested before.)