EBMC #1: Value

Just before I slipped away to the sunshine, I posted my first 'sketches' for my first assignment for my first month in Elizabeth Barton's Master Class.  Thank you, Gentle Readers, for re-assuring me about my drawing abilities.  :-)

EB, too, was very encouraging, as in her first critique of my work she pointed out the 'linear quality' of my initial outline drawing, which she particularly liked.  She thought, though, that the piece might be more interesting if the front opening in the fence were a bit more off-centre (and I agree).

She also liked the varied lines and shadings in the "value contrast" drawing, and then she read my mind!  ;-)  I'd been looking at the drawing with the thought of cropping it somehow, when she suggested doing so...

With those suggestions in mind, I've played around with the drawings -- cropping, enlarging, reversing the image...

And I came up with this version, from which I'm working to block out the piece in fabric:

Yes...the gate in the fence still looks too 'centred' (sigh)...but I'll work on that!  First, I blocked out the background.  I decided, as it's a prairie scene, to go with various shades of brown, and auditioned them thus:

Auditioning fabric on the design wall

Next, I plunged into cutting the fabric shapes.  I created some bias strips for the dark shadows on the tops of the hills, and then decided to use the "wrong" side of the strips for more subtlety...and some unexpected texture due to the nature of the print:

Today's mission?  Work on that fence!

Gettin' ready to fence 'er in!

Stay tuned...

Meanwhile, it may be Monday, but I'm going to link up to Nina Marie's Off the Wall Friday...because I still can!

P.S. Feedback always appreciated...