Trip to Belgium

Hard to enjoy sketching on this trip. It wasn't the focus of this visit. I actually did quite well, given the circumstances. Sketching as therapy!

 

Outside the wall

For this section of our adventure following the medieval wall of Dublin, we went from Cornmarket down to the Liffey, via St Augustine Street, which would be just outside the city wall, if the wall was still there. Some apartment blocks bear the names that remind you of what stood there, like West Gate.

So, I documented what was in front of me, rather than imagining what stood there before. PS: it's not the most salubrious part of town, and while there were interesting buildings on St Augustine Street, I did not linger.

When I got to Usher's Quay, I stood by the river wall and sketched the dilapidated buildings at Number 3 and 4, and part of the post office at Number 5. I get the feeling that these buildings won't be there in 10 years' time.

I briefly met up with the gang, then went to Yamamori South City for a lunch of yasai tempura.

mountain

Trying to develop that thought a bit more, playing with colours and shapes. Staying abstract as much as I can, but I'm still too tied to the photo I'm working from, and the composition needs thinking about. I like the colours.

Beara - the geology

Ok, I keep coming back to Kerry, in my art anyway. I wish I went there more often, but life is a tad too busy at the moment. So, the main thing I love about the Beara peninsula is the rocks and mountains - the landscape is so barren in places that all you see is the geology. I have been inspired to paint these mountains before, but I'm coming back to them now, trying to figure out how I give that feeling of that barren, yet stunning, land.

What I have here is barely a beginning, a thought forming in the back of my mind.

One Year of War

One year since Russia started full-on war against Ukraine. There was a rally to commemorate the event on O'Connell Street, facing away from the GPO. I couldn't see the stage with the speakers. Now, more than ever, we need to stand with Ukraine and help them defend their land.

слава україні!

 

Moving speeches by the Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland, Larysa Gerasko, and the Irish Tánaiste, Micheál Martin. I couldn't see them properly, so I drew the crowd in front of me.

Climate café

Extinction Rebellion Ireland were holding a "climate café" session in town and I decided to go and participate (and sketch). It was all very nice, good conversation and exchange of ideas. Not quite as rebellious as I had expected, but it wasn't what they call a "spicy" action, just a forum where people can talk about how they feel about the climate crisis. I came home buzzing.

PS: I have blurred people's names, although you would not recognise them from my sketches anyway!

 

Wilton Place

February in Dublin - when the sun comes out, it feels like spring (daffodils are out, forsythia is just about starting, there are bright green leaves popping up on trees), but as soon as the sun goes in, you're reminded it's still winter. 

When I arrived on location at Wilton Place to sketch with my friends, I was tempted to sketch the canal and the glorious reflections. But then I saw the building site, and I couldn't resist. It turned out to be the right choice, as the sun soon disappeared. It's rare to get a construction site that's not completely behind hoardings, so this was particularly special, as I could see through the gate!.

When I was done with it, I noticed the Living Canvas digital display, with its mesmerising coral reef interpretation! And then, I was really frozen, and headed to the pub!

 

Beara sky

It's about the sky!! Why did it takes me so many versions to figure that out!!! 

And in this version, I went back to pigments I know and love: Monte Amiata Natural Sienna, Quin Rose (PV19) and Cobalt Blue. And a tiny bit of Neutral tint and maybe a touch of Schmincke Shire Grey!!

Mountains in Beara

It's a good while since I painted the monochrome versions of this view. I can't find them on my blog right now, but it doesn't matter. They're there somewhere. For someone to see long after we're all gone!!

I should probably have done more flow exercises before I tackled this again, particularly as I was using pigments that I'm not completely familiar with! I used some Schmincke granulating pigments - galaxy brown and desert yellow, along with some cobalt blue and other more familiar pigments. 

The big lesson?? Know your pigments well before you use them for a sky!! 

And lesson 2 - these granulating pigments work better in an abstract landscape than in a traditional one!

And lesson 3 - don't have two mountains the same height

And lesson 4 - decide what I want to paint - the mountain on the left? the one on the right? or is it the clouds? Despite writing down a plan, I hadn't worked that one out properly!!

You'd think I'd know all of that by now!!

Self portrait - well eyes and nose

Drawing my own eyes while looking sideways in the mirror. That's hard work. Each time I turn my head to look, the angle has changed a little! It's like I'm a moving statue. But it's still me, though, at those few angles over that 20 minutes!

Yellow and Blue

Thinking about Ukraine, and practising watercolour washes.

 

A pepper, well, half a pepper actually

Continuing with drawing practise. How I draw a pepper from imagination versus from reality!! 

Drawing

I'm doing some drawing exercises from a book I found on Amazon. It was probably recommended by someone I know, but I can't remember now. I started working from the sample pages, but I'm enjoying it, so I probably will buy it on my Kindle.

I feel the need to draw more. My painting skills will no improve if I don't improve my drawing skills. So it's practise practise again!

So, here is my hand, from an unusual point of view. Which just shows, all you need is a pencil and your own hand!

 

Beyond the wall

We're continuing with our journey following what's left of Dublin's medieval wall. Again, I wish we wouldn't rush so much. There was interesting angles on Ross Road and St Nicholas Road, but I didn't have time to explore them. So I settled at a lovely cul-de-sac off John Dillon Street, called Power's Square. It's peaceful, with possible remains of the wall in the background, or at least the line  of where the wall used to run. And again, I turned my back to it and sketched the back of one of the house on John Dillon Street. I worked in pencil and watercolour, then extended the pencil a little at the end, and did another sketch in pen, at a different scale, but without changing location. So the corner in pen looks much larger than it actually is. I just love the angles of it all, the trees and the car parked further down.

I also sketched part of a fancy motorbike, but ran out of space and time, so I might have to do some work on that page before I show it to you.

It was a beautiful spring day, but by the time I was finished, I felt really cold. It's still only February.

St Brigid festival at Richmond Barracks

You know I'm having a good sketching day when I fill 4 spreads! I was so grateful that Laura picked a lively event for our Sunday sketching! It was the St Brigid Fair at Richmond Barracks in Inchicore, organised by the Dublin City Council Culture Company. There was a craft fair, food trucks, and various activities. When I heard juggling, I went straight to the room where it was about to begin, and I asked if it was ok to sketch. I found a quiet spot slightly out of the way and I set to work. After an hour and a half of frantic sketching, I was exhausted, but happy! I added colour and extra text later, to tie everything together. I painted the juggling balls pink so they would stand out. They look a bit like apples, so maybe I could have picked another colour!

 

Then I went outside and sketched some more, while chatting with fellow sketchers, until the sun went behind the building and it got too cold! 

Here are the single pages, so you can see them better.

Slow cars?

It took me longer to paint the cars than anything else. I did them mostly in negative space. And when it came to painting the houses behind the wall, I had lost my energy. Don't ask me what colours I used. I'm trying to empty some old palettes. There was a yellow, and orange and two blues. But that's as much as I can say!Again, all done in direct watercolour. No drawing beforehand.

 

And here's a version in which I've added gouache in Procreate. I'm not sure why the colours look different.

Fast cars

This time, I wanted to focus on painting the cars without drawing first, without transferring a drawing. So, I reduced my pigments to the bare minimum, for me anyway -  Moonglow, Hansa Yellow Medium, Monte Amiata Natural Sienna. It wasn't a fast process, but I worked in negative space for the cars, and I'm happy with how they turned out, even if the first one looks completely different from the previous version.

I used gouache to add extra highlights in the car lights, and then when I added the streetlights, I decided to create a foggy effect. 

Will I do one more?

Haircut

Drawing is essential to painting. And I feel that lately, I have been neglecting that side of my craft. So I brought my sketchbook to the hairdressers and I drew! And PS: Eddie is much more handsome than that, but he moves a lot. Next time, I need to focus on the hands and keep sketching! 

Cars - will it ever end?

I am pushing myself to draw and paint cars more. I feel that's the only way I will ever be able to incorporate them in my art. But it's hard!! Full disclosure - I traced these cars below, because I wanted to get a feel for what it would be like to paint them without having to obsess about each angle . So the cars and the road, they kind of look alright. But the houses and the sky are way way too heavy. Conclusion? My brain can't focus on two things at the same time. And second conclusion? Gouache is useful, until you go too far with it!

The moat

Have you ever left Dublin Castle through its gate on Little Ship Street? Well if you have, then, you have walked right beside Dublin's medieval wall, dating back to c. 1100/1260! Dublin's defense wall was built initially by the Vikings, then reinforced and extended by the Anglo-Normans. Some of it is in good shape, some not so much. Some has disappeared altogether. But I find it amazing that we're not celebrating these walls more! Thankfully, thanks to intrepid urban sketchers like Chris, we can all follow in the footsteps of those who defended Dublin against those that wanted to attack our fair city. 

Of course you know me by now. I often sketch the other side. So I sat against the wall, with the wall behind me, and I looked back towards the gate to Dublin Castle. I hope I'm not misquoting here, but I think Chris mentioned that there used to be a drawbridge here. Because there was a moat all around, or maybe the Poddle? I'm vague on historical details, but I am fascinated by the sense of history when I sit and sketch in a spot like this.

You might notice at the bottom left of the small pedestrian gate something that looks like a public bin. It's actually a commemorative stone with a bronze plaque marking the location of the wall. A little further on, on Ross Road and Nicholas Street for instance, you will find these plaques, but nothing remains of the medieval defense wall, above ground anyway. Pat's brother worked on putting up these stones and plaques around the city. I forget how many there are in total. Until today, I had only been aware of one, near City Hall. But I discovered 4 today. I was so thrilled!

After a break to warm up, I went back to Ship Street Little, past Stanihurst's Tower, and sketched a bit of the wall itself. I chose a part which is not in perfect repair, but which instead shows the layers of history present in Dublin, as in many cities. You just have to look for them. Then it was time for lunch and a chat. 

Here are the sketches as done on location, before I added text and headings.

 And my Urban Sketcher photos. I'm actually happy enough with that arch!

And a photo of me in action, thanks to our wonderful Laura!