Shading: Final(s)

Graphite detail

Charcoal Full 

1.  I'm pretty sure that I used all nine values. I mean, it looks that way to me, and I certainly made an attempt to distinguish between values while I was drawing.  I believe that this is evident in the both drawings because of the details in the creases. 

2.  My knowledge of values really helped in these pieces, because without it, I wouldn't have been able to draw them.  And the studies also helped, as well.  I almost think that the studies look better than the finished pieces, but creating the studies helped me recognize how the fabric was going to fall, and what I could do to mimic that. 

3.  For the charcoal, it was really difficult to achieve all of the values.  I was using vine charcoal, and then it was suggested I switch to pencil, which was insanely easier, but I didn't like how it looked.  It looked pretty much like a rougher 6B, and I'd just done that. But, I had to be really careful with the vine charcoal because if I felt like I only had control over 2 of the nine values, and I would up touching it a bunch and smudging it anyways.  With pencil, it was a lot easier.  Looking at the photo now, I probably didn't go as dark as I should have with the pencil, but varying the pressure was a lot easier and had more noticeable results.  

    I think that the transitions all went pretty well for both pieces, except for maybe a couple times on the graphite when it was a little abrupt. 

4.  I think that I managed to make the fabric look really drape-y in both pictures, so I'm really proud of that. I also think that the creases on both pieces are well-developed, as are the highlights.  Those are really the things that are essential to capturing the texture of cloth, because of it's free-flowing nature. 

5.  If I could recreate my piece, I would probably put a lot more time onto both.  Maybe I would have chosen a more interesting portion of the curtain to draw for the graphite picture, and I definitely would have done the charcoal on a larger scale (I'd forgotten that we were supposed to do that).  I also would have touched the charcoal one less, so there wouldn't be any fingerprints on it.