The theme of this drawing workout was personal memory, with a focus on the specific details. The idea was not to pick a general memory but to concentrate on a single event and with smaller details.
As a stimulus, I sketched a man in a crouched pose and then a couple hugging, using charcoal to make swift marks. I then associated these poses with memories of being confined and of a specific hug and brainstormed every detail I could remember- including the setting, the emotions and the other people involved. This allowed me to come up with ideas that had a lot of energy and resonated with me personally.
I decided to develop the 'confinement' idea, which I associated with my experiences in Coronavirus quarantine. I turned the figure on its side to make it seem uncomfortable, and made it hold on to the window, as if trying to pull itself up to see the outside world. I added the repeated bottle to show that the man has been there for a long time, and a mouse to make the room seem uninhabitable. I then made the figure more personal and played with the proportions. I made the door very small, to show the sense of entrapment I felt.
I further developed my drawing by incorporating the stark, white walls and view out of the window from the 'Worlds Within Worlds' task. I contrasted the background with the oversized, colourful figure, which I drew using expressive soft pastel marks. The colours represent the vibrant imagination of the character, who is dulled by the bleak surroundings. I used the skills I learnt from the life drawing sessions to draw my figure in a closed-off, vulnerable position that further shows her isolation. She seems tired of staring out of the window at a monotonous view, and wishes she could be out in the world.
I like the personal element of these drawings and the clear progression I have made when developing my ideas. In future work, I would like to include small details about my own memories, to give my pieces a stronger identity.
Comments