Reflected Light

This project explores patterns of light and shadow when there is more than one light source, such as a reflective surface:

EXERCISE- STUDY OF LIGHT REFLECTED FROM ONE OBJECT TO ANOTHER

The first exercise is to arrange two or three objects, at least one with a shiny surface side by side with a small space between them.  The brief suggests placing a light source to one side in order to cast clear shadows.

I arranged three objects, after-shave(shiny mirror like surface) with another aftershave (matt-black surface) and a small tube of shower gel(black reflective surface).  I elevated them on a box on my work desk so the light was directly to the right, a matter of about six inches away.  They were also lit from above by diffuse natural light through a velux window.  The shadows were not too clear underneath the objects so I covered the surface of the dark box with white paper

The brief doesn’t suggest media to use so I used  a B3 pencil on A3 cartridge paper.  I sketched a line drawing first and then drew the main shadow pattern underneath the subject.  It was quite soft, possible because the light source was so close but moving it further away affected the highlights and reflections too much.

The light aftershave spray has an almost mirror-like quality which reflected nicely.  The tube of shower gel also reflected the light and was lit underneath by light bouncing off the surface of the white paper.  The distorted reflection of the gel follows the cylindrical contour of the reflective surface and the black aftershave bottle is similarly distorted into a long thin reflection.  This might have been an interesting composition in colour as it was almost black and white. Only the writing reflected from the black aftershave was in colour, an intense red.

EXERCISE – SHADOWS AND REFLECTED LIGHT AND SHADE

This exercise used two objects, both of a reflective material to demonstrate the interplay of light and shade between the two.  This time the media to be used was charcoal/putty rubber and A1 or A2 paper.

The nature of this exercise introduced problems for me

1 – I have never used charcoal to draw (only in previous mark making exercise)

2 – A3 is the largest paper I have used so far

3 – Had to sketch from an easel for the first time due to space limitations

I selected a metal pan with highly reflective lid and a thermos flask with a reflective burnished steel-like surface.  Placing the two objects on the desk under the window I rearranged them several times.  To utilise the mirror like lid of the pan it was best to turn it on one side with the flask to the fore thus:

I then wrestled with the easel to get it to the right height and angle.  Then I stood adjacent it only to realise I was looking down on the subject from too high a perspective.  I wrestled the easel into submission at a lower height and dragged a chair back into position. Perfect height. Champion! However, as soon as I put charcoal to paper the legs slid away and I had to tackle my three legged nemesis again.  I finally got organised and began. Using broad strokes on A2 paper as suggested I produced the following drawing:

I was pleased with this first attempt, especially the reflection in the pan lid.  It was carried out quite quickly, but I was unhappy with the shape of the flask.  It looked a tad “wonky” and the ellipses were all over the place.  Deciding to have another go I changed the composition slightly to include the pan handle for a more pleasing composition(should have re-read the brief at this point). This was the set-up

I started again by sketching the outline to get the basic shape (should’ve re-read the brief)

I then completed the basic range of tones on the flask

Leaving the flask for the moment I began on the pan

Another half-hour it was about finished

I started messing about with it then realised I could overwork it now so retired for a cup of tea.  Returning with a fresh eye it seemed the shadows on the flask body were too dark in relation to the reflected highlights on the lid.  I set about it with a putty rubber and got an unexpectedly pleasing result. Sweeping around the cylinder of the flask lightened the tone and also reproduced it’s burnished appearance.  Result!  I stepped back and looked at it and realised once again as in previous exercises I had neglected the background.  I’d done the shadow but realised there was an awful lot of vacant space on the A2 sheet.  I hurriedly smudged some charcoal around to represent the table surface and on reading the brief again realised my mistake.  Horror of horrors, I was meant to fill the paper with the objects and “try to leave very little background space or negative space”

The first attempt had fulfilled the brief with a closely cropped composition but I was unhappy with the execution.  I had then got so wrapped up in depicting the subject matter that I had neglected to follow the brief, which also suggested filling in the shadows first.

This was a really useful exercise.  It was enjoyable and I learned that charcoal is:

Best suited for larger drawings, for a loose and broad sweeping style.  (my first drawing was completed much quicker than the second)

Mistakes can easily be rectified with charcoal on paper (Putty Rubber)

It is not suited for intricate detail (the second picture was too small to work easily, hence the longer time taken)

Try not to neglect the background, it should be considered much earlier in the composition

Read the brief carefully and try to focus on the task in hand rather than my idea of what I should be trying to reproduce.

Perhaps how the drawing should have ended up. (Cropped in software)