Drawing 3: Layout

Today I completed the draft layout for the third drawing in the series. This will be a more dramatic composition with large deep areas of shadow and a strong juxtaposition of circular elements in the background with linear elements in the foreground. The rotation in this composition places wheels at opposing corners, which lends a sense of tension and movement to the piece.

I've given some thought to why I choose a particular composition to draw at any given time. These are pretty abstract works and the idea that they somehow reflect anything about me, the artist, can seem a stretch, but there are strong connections. Drawing 2 was rotated upside down. I've just finished a set of life changes that have in fact flipped my world on its head. I can't say I willfully set out to reflect that in the artwork; but it found its way there nevertheless. Seems there's a healthy dose of my subconscious at work in these drawings.

This composition reflects my state as well. The wheels feel like they are rotating, yin/yang like, perhaps toward a place of stability or an alignment that could be considered normal. The linear elements provide a strong feeling of connectedness between the wheels; holding the whole show together as it spins around. That's a good summation of where I'm at just now, settling out after a big change. Again, I didn't pick the drawing with that in mind - it's as though it came to me as the right one to draw now.

Here's the photo composition and the rough layout. The next step is to setup the drawing on water colour paper and then begin the rendering. I'm looking forward to it!