Visual Studies: Sheep Skull 2 // Alberto Giacometti & Tracey Emin

This next set of visual studies was inspired by the same sheep skull but at a different angle, for variation.

Having investigated Giacometti’s work before, I decided to keep it simple and draw on a more neutral coloured card with a grey pen. I had learned from my mistake before, using a smudging media, which is why I opted for a pen so that I could use the quick messy lines for texture.

I began the study with a strong bold outline to show the stability and strength of the skull, then continued to work back in with the finer details.

I feel as though this study using these materials was better as it gave a clearer result and it was easier to separate the dense textural parts from the smooth cracks of the light skull.

That being said, I felt as though it was too boring and after taking inspiration from Tracey Emin, I created a colourful mixed media drawing.

I used an earthy coloured card for the nature element like my last drawing (see the previous post) but this time I added a layer of green tissue paper to symbolise the delicacy of this skull and the kind of food they would have eaten; grass.

I added into the drawing, some black and yellow oil pastels for extra texture but also using the colours to show danger, as the function of the horns were not something to be messed with.

All these elements combined together to show some sort of cumulative cycle of the sheep’s function, including what they ate, what parts of their bodies were used for and where they are now. It represents the decay of function and everything that involves this animal will eventually just turn back into dirt.