Colin Bradley’s Rustic Cottage Exercise 3.
This exercise will enable you to try your hand at producing a section of the ‘Rustic Cottage featured on the members site. The
picture was completed using Faber-Castell’s Pitt pastel pencils. If you do not have these pencils then you could try other
makes or even different types of pencil using the colours I am listing below. But I would strongly recommend that you use
the Pitt pencils I am suggesting as they will produce the best results.
The Pitt pastel pencils used in this exercise are selected from - 101, 103, 270, 273, 104, 170, 168, 174, 159, 165, 167,182,
169, 187, 118, 181, 192, 283, 189, 175, 143 and 199.
Optional extras:
No. 2 grey chisel ended Colour Shaper (or Paper Blender), Carb-Othello pastel pencil 140** (175 can be substituted for this)
This exercise relies on an accurate line drawing, you can either freehand
draw this or you can use the line drawing you have downloaded from the
members site as your guide. place the line drawing on top of your pastel
paper, slip a sheet of ‘Transtrace’ or a black carbon between the line
drawing and the pastel paper and draw over the outlines with a sharp HB
pencil. You can make the size of your picture any size that suits you. It
would be best to start with the bushes and foliage at the top of the picture
above and to the side of the hedge. Apply 168 and 172 to this area, fill in
most of the paper using these colours alternatively. Add the following
colours in a random way to the whole area following the tones on the
reference picture—170, 182, 273 and 183. These are mid tone colours,
now you need to strengthen and separate the foliage using 174, 167, 175,
192, 177 and 199. Sharpen the following pencils and then using the points
‘squiggle’ in these colours to create the effect shown on the reference
picture - 170, 104, 143, 118, 101 and 183. Use the same procedure as
above for the plants to the left and beneath the small hedge on the left
hand side of the reference picture. Apply 270 to the top of the large hedge
creating a light base the apply 168 to the whole of the both the large and
the small hedge. Follow this with 170, 167, 174 and 182. Apply 175 to
add depth to the darker shadow areas with just a touch of 199 to add extra
shadow. Time now to lighten the hedge using 170 and 104 for the small
hedge and 170, 172 and 104 for the large hedge, 101 can also be applied on top of the 172 colour.
Gate and Gateposts
All Grass Areas and flowers
Start with the gateposts apply 270 to the whole area and blend
with your colour shaper. Apply 170 on top of 270 and blend
again. Apply 168 to the shadowed section followed by 174
and blend these colours too. You can also apply touches of
273 and 182 if you wish to add a little more interest, don’t
blend the colours though.
Use a sharpened 199 to draw in the gate following the
reference picture. You can use a sharp 101 to add highlights.
Start the grass by applying 103 over the whole area
blending this in with the colour shaper. Apply 170 on top
of the 103 with 182 added at the same time for the ochre
areas seen in the picture. Apply 168 to add a variation in
tone of the grass with touches of 174 and 167 in the
shadow areas. 175 and even 199 can also be used to add
extra depth , under the hedge, wheelbarrow etc. 104 and
183 can be added to provide the finishing touch to the
grass.
For the flowers in the centre of the grass use the stronger
colours only sharpened so that they cut through the other
colours.. Start with 174 then use 167, 175 and 199 to
darken. Use a sharp 175 to draw in the twigs and stems.
Use the point of a sharpened 118 then 192 to create the
red flowers. Use 273, 182, 177 and 199 for the earth area
under the flowers.
Wheelbarrow
Start this feature using 270 for the light inside area of the
wheelbarrow and 273 for the outside darker areas, blend this
in with your colour shaper. Apply 187 on top of the 273 to
add colour to the outside and 273 on top of 270 for the inside
again these colours need to be blended. The inside will
probably be finished now so you can concentrate on the
outside areas. Apply 283 on top of the 187 then use 177 to ad
extra shadow to the back section of the wheelbarrow. Apply
199 to darken the back of the wheelbarrow still further. Now
apply 177 to shade in the side facing us graduating the
shading as seen in the reference picture. You can add more
283 and 187 as needed to create the effect in the picture. Use
199 to draw in the wheel, handles and legs of the
wheelbarrow
Pathway and Stones
Apply 270 to the pathway and stones surrounding it
followed by 273 and 182. 175 can be used to separate and
add shadow to this area. The same colours can be used for
the stone edging around the flower bed in the middle of
the grass. Use 101 to apply the highlights on the top of
this edging.
If you have enjoyed this exercise and would like to try more of Colin’s drawing aids visit the product page of his website
www.colinbradleyart.co.uk to view his range of exercises, workshop packs and instruction booklets.