Darkness on the edge of town...



Above: This sketch was done from a photograph
quickly and using charcoal.



Looking at my earlier photograph of the doorway; the shadow and the evocative mood of the image itself began to inspire me.  I understand that my response to these images is a very personal and objective thing and not everyone is going at them as I do.  So I set out to try and capture this mood on paper. 



I wanted to work on a larger scale, whilst still trying to keep the picture very loose and focusing more on the energy and emotion behind it.

Above: I did this drawing on A2-sized paper.  I experimented with oil pastels and scraping,
I thought the effect was very interesting and it allowed me to layer and scrape away at the image to reveal lighter/darker areas (contrasting light and shadows).

With the scrapings that were removed, instead of throwing them away, I decided to use them to create texture and to resemble the rubble and dirt that littered the floors of some of the decrepit houses I had looked at earlier in the week.