Woven
I was invited to spend a recent Saturday basket making with a group of women from my old home town. What a treat! Good company, summery refreshments, and a lovely day outdoors dedicated to creative pursuits. Basket making takes patience, I discovered, both in the weaving and in waiting for reeds to soak until they are pliable enough to work. I was glad I brought my sketchbook to fill the soaking time. I came away with a finished basket and a sketch in progress, which I completed at home.
Tips and Techniques: Toned tan paper proved perfect for this detailed sketch of a monochromatic subject. I used two pencils: F and 2B and a white Caran d’Ache non-water soluble pencil on Strathmore, 400 series, 80lb. paper. The precision of the weave led me to precision in the drawing and the text, but I didn’t feel it necessary to complete each basket. I like seeing the ribs and the work in progress. No need to make the entire basket twice.
Drawn In 
Beautiful sketches! The toned paper is an excellent choice for these sketches!
Thanks Rhonda! It worked well with the subject and the setting. It was easier to just stick to pencil and not pull out paints during basket making.
How absolutely beautiful!! Both the sketch and the basket. The photography is very nice too. I love that you did this.
I’m so glad I was invited. I was really pleased with the way both baskets turned out.
Thank you for taking us with you on your adventures. The information about the materials you used to do your sketches is appreciated. What a delightful day this must have been. Beautiful artistry all around.
It was, indeed, a delightful day! A gift!
BOTH came out beautifully.
I continue to enjoy my print of the nests – every day.
Thank you, again.
I realized that bird nests are in many ways much easier that woven baskets– which require a level of precision that I hadn’t anticipated. I was really pleased with both, too!
Love both the sketch and the basket! Very nice!
Thanks Annie– It was a really fun project!
Not bad Jean!! It is a pretty adventurous basket to make! Very beautiful.
Love the “down time” sketching as well. Great choice of paper, it really works.
Not bad!! Now I have even more respect for your level of basketry skills. Might have to work it’s way into our art adventures. But I really prefer painting!
Beautiful basket !!!
Thanks Helen. Isn’t it lovely?
Lovely!! both the drawing and the basket! Thank you for sharing this adventure!
You’re welcome…thanks for being along for the ride. I’m always a little unsure about straying into new territory, but I really liked the way this turned out. We need more artistic days in good company in our lives!
Jean, these are beautiful and I find they inspire some lovely thoughts along the lines of “Woven”. Might be back in touch with you about this 🙂 As always, thanks for your lovely work!
I’m all ears when you’re ready. Be well (and stay warm) in NZ!
I was pretty sure that your sketch and/or photo would be inspiring for creative types to use as a basis for further inspiration. Damien is a wonderful poet so I invited him to take a look and clearly he’s inspired! With your permission I’d put together a post on the topic “Woven” starting with your sketch and photo (clear credit and link back to you), and then showing nature photos where “weaving” occurs in nature! IF you permitted me to, I could open this up as an opportunity to anyone reading my page who feels inspired, to do their own creative post on this theme and I’d publish links to these works. I’ve done this once before with Snow Dragon (there’s a link on my top Menu for “Snow Dragon”) if you’d like to see what we did! Would you allow me? PS. Damien did a fab snow dragon post at https://deuxiemepeau.blog/2018/07/09/dreams-and-dragons/
Hi Jean, Liz from Exploring Colour introduced me to your site today, with reference to your beautiful delicate drawing of the weaving and I was wondering if I could use this in relation to a poem I am writing, inspired by your artwork? Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece, best wishes
Damien
Hi– Glad you found your way to my site and to the artwork of weaving. It would be helpful to know more about how you intend to use the artwork before I grant permission. Feel free to email me to discuss it. Thanks! — Jean
although I have only started looking at your posts and you really inspire me your drawings are amazing I wish i could draw like you
One day when I am older I would love to be a fashion designer one day love your drawings hope you reply
Hi Alice– the secret to drawing well is drawing. Steady practice and art classes at a young age will pay off! The other thing I would advise is not to be too self critical. Be creative, identify what you need to work on, and enjoy it! — Jean
Pingback: Theme: Woven – Exploring Colour
Jean,
What a great basket you made, and the picture is just superb. I’d love to play with that on a black backdrop.
That would present an interesting challenge. I don’t think I have a white pencil that is fine enough to make a sketch on black. I can’t quite imagine how to tackle it– in reverse or not… What would you do?
I tried it a few years ago and loved it – my profile pic for WordPress is that sketch I did at Chrysler Museum, Norfolk were they had black paper and white pencils available for sketching in their sculpture collection area! I mixed up shadows and light though while sketching white and black but still had fun 🙂 It was a challenge for me to keep reversing of values in mind while sketching !!!!
These are glorious in their apparent simplicity and perfection! And what a beautiful basket you made too 🙂