08 September 2015

Drawing Tuesday - Barkcloth at the British Museum

The Pacific barkcloth exhibition is extended till 6 December. A nice quiet corner of the museum in which to draw. In fact the entire museum felt strangely quiet - but then, we didn't go to the Egyptian parts, which are always busy.
Just one room, but the patterns are addictive.

I started with this - it looks like medieval tiles on top, and Elizabethan blackwork below -
 and drew happily, with a propelling pencil, enjoying the "colouring in"-
but there wasn't time to start another - though I would have done something completely different, less orderly, wilder ... like this -
Ah well, next time...

More patterns and objects -
Fine, fine lines...
... and more fine lines
Bold!

A "beard" and a head dress

Cloths that tell stories, and that use indigo

Unfortunately the reflections get in the way
The little guy brings to mind Cousin Itt from the Addams Family

Not just pattern, but fringey shadows
Everyone did many drawings, and these are just some of them ...
Jo's dark, feathered head dress
Front view (Jo), side view (Cathy)...
... and another view (Sue)
Mags had been to the exhibition and had refreshed her memory by printing out photos
- then tackled the patterning overall and in small details
Mags' details of feather head dress 
Cathy tackled one of the cloths with lots and lots of fine lines
This venue needs another visit before the exhibition closes in December.

1 comment:

Charlton Stitcher said...

These wonderful artefacts and drawings put me in mind of the wonderfully quirky Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford ... but then I'm sure you know it well.