Pewter Syrup Jar c. 1937

This is Harry Mann Waddell's "Pewter Syrup Jar", made with graphite on paper. Look at how Waddell uses shading to describe form; it’s all about the gradations, right? The way he builds up the metal’s reflective surfaces, not with harsh lines, but with these soft, smudgy marks. The thing about drawing, especially with graphite, is that it's all about touch, pressure. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the page, building up the density of the graphite, layering it to create this subtle sheen. The way the light catches on the curves of the jar, that’s not just about observation, it's about understanding how light and form interact, and how to translate that onto a flat surface. Notice how he's added decorative elements such as the small head on the lid and the repeating pattern around the centre, did he make the syrup or just draw the jar? Waddell has a few other very literal renderings of metal-wear, like this, I wonder if it was some kind of job? Whatever the reason for making it, it's a good rendering.