Part 2: ASSIGNMENT 2 - Point of sale display

One version of  Point of Sale display with Summer fruit. Used oil pastels to convey intensity of colour which I feel really aims at capturing 'quality' and 'freshness'. The odd angles are purposeful.

The brief was clearly to draw: from direct observation and so, my research was based purely on drawing from a real still life. I looked at Paul Cezanne below for inspiration for the form of the oranges and the way in which the vibrant reds and oranges were used.

Source: Paul Cezanne, www.zazzle.com [Accessed 12 May 2013]

Final drawing: Summer fruits. I cut these from the original so that I could play and place things to get a composition that felt comfortable. I wanted to show luminesence and highlight the colour values of the fruit bathed in light. I left a visual horizon out completely as I felt it would take the image into a different territory. I thought the background should be clear and buttery.

Final drawing: Winter vegetables. I cut these also from the original background which was white. I observed the odd angles of the composition and drew them as I saw them, then played about with the cut red pepper to complete the composition. The background is a slightly toothed cartridge paper, with brown to convey winter through colour and suggest earth/soil and less light. I wouldn't compromise on the light and colour of the vegetables because the brief insisted on 'freshness' and 'quality', and I interpreted this as crunchy, delicious and flavourful with the use of colour.

I started off by arranging different elements as a still life in front of me.

I tried different compositions and sketched them, using colour to understand how this would work at the end. I used pastels and graphite and then pencils in colour.

Winter vegetable composition. I swapped the mealie for a brinjal, I felt the mealie kernels might detract from the 'edible' factor...



 





 Was going to include the glass and then decided to leave it out - not sure how this would indicate the element of summer. I added a lemon blossom to the fruit collection instead.





Summative critique

I agree with my tutor that I have not been explorative enough. These drawings are extremely conservative and 'tightly' formed. I could have gone with my earlier drawings which had no reserve and are alive with movement and a more creative use of line.

Perhaps if I'd looked at actual illustrators and seen their work first I might have produced something better. I would draw on very different reference next time.