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Monday 28 August 2017

Drawing of another era

This drawing and watercolour was influenced by another painting - a sort of homage but I can't find out who the artist is; I screen-grabbed the image so long ago. I adore the viewpoint. This was my first attempt and it was done very quickly for an online challenge. I will work up this style when I have more time but, in the process of making of it, I was inundated with new ideas for bigger works. Lovely to work with pen on a ready-made background which consists of splashes of watercolour.




"Long Time Ago"
Waterolour, Pen, Gouache on Cartridge Paper - A5

Quick Sketch III

This was done in ultra-quick time. I had a load of small A5-sized paper with watercolour markings all over them and I started painting and drawing on them today allowing myself to be led by the marks. This one reminds me of the illustrations I used to love in childrens' books. I guess it is the innocence and softness of the lines.




"Avoiding the Day"
Pen, Watercolour, Gouache on Cartridge Paper - A5

Sunday 27 August 2017

Quick Pencil Drawing II

This was done very quickly last night while watching television. I just had the urge to sketch something, anything. The problems in doing portrait sketches from photographs are many, but the light in the room was pretty poor, but the end result is passable enough to post here. At least something got down on paper.  I see many mistakes, but I'm not fixing them.  No point really.


"Portrait in front of the television"
Pencil on Cartridge Paper - 11.5" x 7.5"

Saturday 12 August 2017

Another quick drawing this time with gouache.

Another quick drawing/sketch this afternoon. Same subject, different photo. I cannot replicate the sitter's face as I am so out of practice. Again the lighting for the photography defeated me. I do see some improvement over the last effort though, so that's something.


"Inspired by Anna (2)"
 Pencil, Watercolour & Gouache on Cartridge Paper - A5

Saturday 5 August 2017

Quick Pencil Drawing

This didn't go exactly as planned, but certain aspects of it surprised me. I haven't done representational work like this for years and years and it was quite liberating.  If the photography was better, the sitter's clothes would be much darker.  I honestly have to find a way to photograph pencil and charcoal works.



"Inspired by Anna" 
Pencil on Cartridge Paper

Friday 4 August 2017

A Sketch and a Drawing

I felt like putting up some drawings on the blog today, and found these two. I haven't shown the complete work in either case.  The first is a section of a full life drawing and the other, a close-up of a charcoal portrait of no particular distinction.  In the latter, I rather liked the transformation of the original drawing by getting up close and personal and in the end, the close up can almost not be recognised as fragment of the original. That's photography for you. More drawings to come in the next few days I hope.


Close-Up - Life Drawing - Pencil on Cartridge Paper


Close-Up - Portrait - Charcoal on Cartridge Paper

Saturday 17 June 2017

Mini Abstract 4.

I've had this unfinished mini-abstract on the easel for months now. I took advantage of being in a positive mood this afternoon and completed it. These mini-abstracts are entirely personal and will cease once I buy some larger format panels to paint on. However, I am learning a lot. The first lesson is, obviously, to get the effect I desire, I need panels four times the size.


Mini Abstract 4.
"A Corner of Someone Else's Forest"
12"x 12" - Oil on Gessoed Panel

Sunday 5 March 2017

Mini Abstract 3.

Another one. This is more assured and again, the expressionistic markings require a bigger format but I learned a lot using colours I have never used together. I'm not sure I liked them but something is out of my system.


"Mini Abstract 3.
Oil on gessoed board - 6" x 6"

Saturday 4 February 2017

Mini Abstract 2.

Another mini abstract hot off the easel. This one was easier than the last one probably because it was so small, but harder because the 'concept' required a larger format. More to come, hopefully.  Lessons learned.


 Mini Abstract 2.
Oil on Gessoed Panel - 6" x 6"

Mini Abstract 1.

I am re-posting this work as I deleted the original post by mistake I can't remember too much of what I wrote except to say these sketches are inspired by larger finished works, either representational or abstract. A small detail of a finished work is isolated and then that section is painted much larger as if it is an original work. Well, it is original in one sense, but it is possible to see what section of the original work was chosen and worked on when finished. We learned this method at University as a method to get us into abstract painting.  (It's not the optimum method, by the way, but it is revealing as to what goes into a painting).


Mini Abstract 1.
Oil on Gessoed Panel - 12" x 12"