It's a long time since I've done small thumbnails. I was checking out some colour combinations. Neither piece is completely satisfying, but the one with Grey of Grey and Bloodstone Genuine (and a Hansa Yellow Deep or Gamboge, not sure which_ does appeal to me the most. I'll park it for now, but will come back to the idea at some stage.
It's a long time since we had rain on a Sunday afternoon. We were not mentally prepared. The forecast only showed a 3% chance, but it happened. Not enough rain to green the grass. And I did find shelter and sketched some more. In my last sketch of the day, I actually included a little bit of the Jeanie Johnson. If you want to see better version of the boat, head to www.dublinsketchers.com!
Can't decide what paper to use. I thought hot press would be best, but I'm getting better results with rough paper! I thought I wasn't going to pursue results. I'm just experimenting and playing, right?
I haven't been painting much lately, busy with sketching and other distractions. It's really been a few months since I have painted anything I'm 100% happy with (apart from the big cloud over the beach, which I like a lot). Amazing how hard it is to get back to painting now.
I'm taking it one step at a time, looking at my own works that I like, thinking about what I want to take from this reflection. Also refocusing on shift words and how they might express in design elements. Basically going back to process and play, rather than trying to paint a painting worthy of an exhibition. It will take a while!
No prizes for guessing which ones I'm happy with! I just have to listen to my inner voice and remember not to try so hard!!
Practising drawing people using the 3 strategies taught by Jenny Jing Zhang on her Vivify class. Then I lost my Neocolor for flesh tones and had to use a Stabilo Woody - a bit chunky but good fun to use as it forces me to not be precious. I tested a few locations in town, and Trinity College is the best place, with lots of tourists who are too busy to notice me, as they are finding their way to the Book of Kells.
Drawing limbs first is not easy - one man ended up with 3 legs, as I realised that my original placement was not aligned with the body! And it's warm enough that people are wearing shorts and summer dresses. In a few weeks, the only bits of flesh we'll see will be heads and hands. Will try a different strategy then.
Every so often, I feel the need for an online course, to explore a different approach to sketching or painting. The course I'm doing at the moment is From Fear to Flow, Drawing lively figures in the city, taught by Jenny Jing Zhang. I'm enjoying her approach and I look forward to practising more.
It was weeks since I had logged in to the Pencils4Tea Zoom. I was a bit nervous. Yes, I have been drawing a lot, but portraits is a different matter. In my head anyway.
I do like a good construction site. And I'm sketching a good bit these days, making the most of the summer, before things get busy again in September. And also you could say I'm in avoidance mode. I haven't painted much in the last few months. Fear obscures the path.
Clearly I was interested in the red of the side of the building and the steels. I didn't even notice the slight proportion issue compared to the building on the left! The light kept changing, between sunshine and a few drops of rain. I might change that sky. Some colour pencil maybe?
