# Martin - Gradation Blocks **URL:** \ **Category:** WC: The Language of Drawing\ **Created:** [December 23, 2020, 8:40pm UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/martin-gradation-blocks/1237 "2020-12-23T20:40:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![martin](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/www.smartermarx.com/martin/32/1707_2.png) [@martin](https://www.smartermarx.com/u/martin)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 8:40pm UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/martin-gradation-blocks/1237/1 "2020-12-23T20:40:36Z")
I’ve done a couple of these now, the first wasn’t great as I didn’t go dark enough past the shadow line and I had a lack of chalk/charcoal media in the transition between values. My second attempt went better, although I wish I hadn’t done this on the bumpy side of the paper as I’m fighting the texture and having to build up a lot of material in the pitted grain which takes a while. Going to try a different gradation block next. Really enjoy trying to control the larger scale of these though and the fine-tuning involved. I expect I’ll appreciate the smooth side of the paper a lot when I get to it. Let me know if anything looks ‘off’ or I should be paying attention to anything in particular 🙂 ![gradient](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/smartmarx/original/2X/5/541e1a2610e1540b7fc92760ab33dc5bd82af181.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![daniel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/www.smartermarx.com/daniel/32/1355_2.png) [@daniel](https://www.smartermarx.com/u/daniel)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2020, 1:15am UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/martin-gradation-blocks/1237/2 "2020-12-24T01:15:12Z")
Looks GREAT! ---
**Author:** ![AWaichulis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/www.smartermarx.com/awaichulis/32/2859_2.png) [@AWaichulis](https://www.smartermarx.com/u/AWaichulis)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 10:11pm UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/martin-gradation-blocks/1237/3 "2020-12-27T22:11:31Z")
Nice job Martin!!! Looking great----pretty brave jumping into the rough side first. Don’t forget that we have some hi-res examples of these exercises available so that you can get a better idea of finish. They are here: [Language of Drawing Exercise Collection](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/language-of-drawing-exercise-collection/1049) ---
**Author:** ![martin](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/www.smartermarx.com/martin/32/1707_2.png) [@martin](https://www.smartermarx.com/u/martin)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 11:17am UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/martin-gradation-blocks/1237/4 "2021-06-08T11:17:36Z")
I eventually finished this half sheet after it hanging on my wall for months. It’s not too good but having watched Anthony’s recent video [Pits and a Pendulum: Dynamic Pressure with Dry Media. on Vimeo](https://vimeo.com/556655466) I’m ready to start afresh on these! ![IMG_3600](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/smartmarx/original/2X/2/2626539c7e2661c8b4a9d370cf22fc8d17e055bc.jpeg) last one on page close up:- ![IMG_3599](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/smartmarx/original/2X/3/3702e1ec3a6e99ff9990ad75b4b82df1728a19da.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![martin](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/www.smartermarx.com/martin/32/1707_2.png) [@martin](https://www.smartermarx.com/u/martin)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 4:45pm UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/martin-gradation-blocks/1237/5 "2021-06-10T16:45:12Z")
Those previous ones are rubbish looking back, think I had inadvertently rushed them due to time constraints and maybe slightly to get off the bumpy side… Fresh sheet, smooth side:- ![IMG_3609](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/smartmarx/original/2X/2/2a4faf0b3e63d99e66dcf868fc276fe0a972e2a1.jpeg) Got a feeling I was starting to wear the paper a touch too much in the middle but developing a feel for how this might work now 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![patrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b2d939/32.png) [@patrick](https://www.smartermarx.com/u/patrick)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 5:49pm UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/martin-gradation-blocks/1237/6 "2021-06-15T17:49:07Z")
looks nice im getting back into studying ---
**Author:** ![AWaichulis](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/www.smartermarx.com/awaichulis/32/2859_2.png) [@AWaichulis](https://www.smartermarx.com/u/AWaichulis)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://www.smartermarx.com/t/martin-gradation-blocks/1237/7 "2021-06-26T19:13:46Z")
Definitely getting better all the time. I am going to do a pit-pendulum video for transitions as well. I just had to wrap up that last painting for the LA Art show. I’m on it though!