Grayson Perry and his cat Kevin
I was hoping to get a view of Grayson and Kevin together during the Second Episode of Grayson Perry’s Art Club (Channel 4, 8.00 p.m. on Mondays.) but Kevin is much too fast on his paws. I just kept getting glimpses of him disappearing around the furniture, and only one close up of his face and those marvelous eyes. Inspired by the programme i am going to have a go at a digital portrait.
A year ago I bought a graphics tablet. iPads too expensive, and the large screens to draw on directly, too big a commitment for something I might be useless at, so I bought a small Huion . This is a good little tablet , but there is a difficulty in drawing with the picture appearing on the screen of my PC. The problems of drawing and watching two different screens was not that difficult, but I found myself constantly trying to use the wrong screen for whatever I was trying to do. Confusing.
I also decided to use Photoshop. And here we enter the dark labrynths of a very complex piece of software. I had a knitting machine once, and there only had to be one lever not in the right position, one knob not pressed, and whoosh! the knitting would come off the needles or a big hole would appear in the work. Photoshop is a bit like that, some little detail not set in the myriad of options and – failure. I managed a few half OK pictures, and put it away in a cupboard (on top of the knitting machine).
Coward! I thought when I saw everybody doing their thing on Grayson’s programme. (Especially Harry Hill, joyously setting about a block of wood to release a dog.)Try again, do a portrait of Grayson on the tablet. So here goes.
I really would like to succeed with the tablet, as I think when I am put away in the old folks home, I won’t be able to take my art equipment with me, but I will be able to sit in my armchair with a tablet on my knee and draw and paint.
Get the thing out and make a start. I have signed on for a seven day free trial of Photoshop, Create. Background layer is always locked, so I just create a light grey colour layer, no drawing, because I won’t be able to change it.
First Try For some reason the lines were only progressing very slowly and not at the speed I was using the pen. Something not set right? Result this rather glum looking rough drawing . I’ll try again.
Second Try Beginning to get the idea. Pen now moving at the right speed. Created several layers, but skin tone pretty awful and hair looks like a clown wig. I shall keep trying. It can only get better.
My seven day free trial has finished, but I am going to subscribe and persevere. I do rather like working in layers. A mistake doesn’t have to ruin the whole picture – just put it in the “bin” and create a new layer. I like it.
I was hoping to add my third, and, of course much more successful try, but my new tablet has arrived, one that I draw on directly, and I am starting from scratch again!
Coincidence – my Granddaughter has just sent me her first try at a portrait on her iPad. Pretty good!