Drawing
River of Life
Jamila Hanan. 2024.
Charcoal on paper. 2.4m x 1.5m.
This scene is a combination of actual viewpoints in Longtimber Woods that I combined with memories and imagination. I worked on this over a period of one year, chipping away at it in between community art work.
Before beginning it I asked myself if I could make anything what would it be, wanting something exciting to hold my interest. Having spent much time in Longtimber Woods sketching with charcoal, I imagined a life sized image of water rapids.
I wanted the viewer to feel like they were right there next to the water, and it started initially with a viewpoint of sitting on rocks looking at the water rapids. I soon realised however, that I wanted the viewer to be in the water, so erased the rocks that were in the foreground.
The completion of the piece marked the end of my time in my studio at The Clay Factory in Ivybridge and relocation to a new chapter in my creative journey now started in Bristol. Close up photos of details can be viewed below.
River Sketches
Jamila Hanan. 2023 - 2024.
Charcoal in sketchbooks, A5, A4, A3.
Research for the large 'River of Life' above included began with setting every Tuesday of every week aside to make art outside. I did not initially know what I wanted to make but knew I wanted to be making art outside and some of this involved nature art which you can view on the Nature page.
Over the weeks I felt the call to return to the river in our local Longtimber Woods where I wondered around and made bark and stone rubbings, arranged leaves and sketched with charcoal, in different locations.
Gradually I narrowed down my area of interest to sketching water rapids and eventually was drawn to one particular spot and then one single angle where I would spend the whole day sketching.
At first my sketches were in frustration as I struggled to capture the movement of the water and I would find myself fighting with the charcoal, placing it down then rubbing out the highlights repeatedly. After some hours I would start to see the water and find myself satisfied with the sketch. Over the weeks I learnt to embrace this struggle as and essential part the process and grew in confidence that the sketch would always provide satisfaction in the end.
Sombrerity
Jamila Hanan. 2023.
Charcoal on recycled paper. A4.
Based on a reference photo by Alexander Krivitskiy on Unsplash. This drawing started as a rough study but I liked how it was progressing so continued it as far as a could. The paper was not ideal, so the detail was limited by how much charcoal it could hold. I did not trace or use the grid method but rather played 'spot the difference', comparing my work side by side with the reference photo at the end of each day over a period of 2 weeks, to look for any differences that I could amend. Each day I would spot an inaccuracy to fix that I had not noticed the day before.
Horizon
Jamila Hanan. 2023.
Charcoal on paper. A4.
This seascape was drawn from imagination, inspired by a combination of memories from time spent on the Devon coastline. I began with a thick dusting of charcoal which I drew into with an eraser and repeated the process, adding charcoal pencil and fixative towards the end.
Sketching Whilst Walking
Jamila Hanan. 2023.
A5 kraft paper sketchbook.
This series of sketches are from a very wet walk in Longtimber Woods, Ivybridge. I set myself the challenge of continuously walking whilst sketching, so the view is continuously changing. At times it was raining quite heavily so it became difficult for the charcoal to grip to the paper.
Kraft Sketches
Jamila Hanan. 2023.
A5 kraft paper sketchbook.
The first few sketches here are from my own reference photos taken whilst walking on Dartmoor. The following are sketches made on site. The last few are playing with marks made from rubbings (frottage). The kraft paper is nice when working with charcoal and white chalk. since the brown colour of the paper provides the mid tone.