For our first main project in Drawing in Space, we explored atmospheric perspective. The inspiration for my drawing came from my camera roll- There’s a specific photo in my favorites I’ve always wanted to recreate, and I knew this would be the perfect opportunity. The scene is an abandoned school I photographed in the beginning of 2020, and the eerie fogginess of the scene really contributes to the “atmospheric” component of the project.

I started by importing the photo into a digital art program called Procreate, then I drafted the vanishing points and eye line on top of the image. Once I had a good grasp of the overall composition, I cut a sheet of tan paper down to 15”x 20” and began drawing the lines with graphite in estimated locations. I then drew basic figures like the ceiling tiles, wiring and chairs, and decided to add some imaginary plants in the foreground to emphasize perspective and frame the scene. I continued to refine figures, then slowly built up shading/highlights with graphite and white charcoal. 

If I could change anything about the final outcome of my piece, I would continue to push the contrast (which I worked on after critique) and maybe explore media outside of charcoal that can blend easily without bringing out too much of the paper texture. Overall, I’m satisfied with how this piece turned out. Success!