Key words
drawing; unfinished
Questions to ask
Although this is an unfinished drawing, the subject really seems to come alive for the viewer. What is it about this image that makes the subject come alive?
Do you think that art galleries should display work that looks unfinished?
The subject of this drawing is Lady Edna Clarke. Can you tell this is a person of high rank? If so, how?
How this might inspire your work
Make a simple pencil drawing of a friend’s face, concentrating particularly on the eyes and the hair, keeping in mind the style of Augustus John.
Place a piece of tracing paper underneath your pencil drawing, and taking on old compass, use the point to prick over the lines of your drawing. The holes need to be spaced out a regular intervals, and must be fairly close together (no more than 5mm apart). When you have finished, lift up your drawing to see your portrait outlined in holes on the tracing paper.
Make charcoal dust by grinding up a piece of charcoal in a pestle and mortar. Place a white sheet of paper underneath your tracing paper image and use blue tack to secure in place. Load up a stiff brush with the charcoal dust and push it through the holes on the tracing paper. When you have finish, lift up the tracing paper to see the transferred image.
To add further details, use another piece of charcoal and some white chalk to work into the image.
Lady Edna Clarke Hall about 1900-1910, conte crayon by Augustus John (1879-1961).
In his energetic portrait of Edna Clarke Hall, we see her in quarter length with her head turned towards the viewer. John has used conte pencil marks and lines to great effect. Focusing the detail on her head, with the remainder only loosely suggested, the image tells of the fluent and spontaneous drawings that John had become well-known for in the early years of the twentieth century.
Enda Clarke Hall nee Waugh, was also an artist, and was a contemporary and friend of Augustus John, meeting at the Slade School of Art. John's reputation as a portraitist continues to grow, and he is still considered to be one of the finest British draftsmen of the twentieth centry.
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery collection, purchased by Sir William Rothenstein 1938
Image © reserved / Estate of Augustus Edwin John
Click here to view exhibitions designed for Secondary school students and their teachers.
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