Warm Cool exploration

Indigo and Burnt Umber. Didn't like these much, and have mucked about with white acrylic marker. When I see these photos, I'm sorry I didn't let them be.

Indigo and Transparent Red Oxide - just experimenting. Sprayed most of the dark paint off the page. And I added a little bit of Cerulean Blue

Added more Cerulean blue, and Quin Rose. And lots of water. Having fun.

Statues around the world

I missed the last few StreetViewWorldTour sessions. So I was doubly glad when the guest this month was Oliver Hoeller. The theme was statues. We travelled all around the world. And no, I was not that teenage girl who drew horses in school. But I do remember one of my classmates was that person and I was so envious of her skill. Look at me now! Drawing a horse! And lots more!

 

When your hairdresser's is a place where you can experiment with your art!

I'm so lucky that my hairdresser, Eddie Doyle in Blackrock, loves art. He's always happy to watch me sketch while he's cutting my hair (and on this occasion, while applying colour). I'm in an experimental phase, trying out lots of tools that have been lingering in a drawer for too long. Mark making squiggles. Trying left hand/right hand drawing. And then I saw the scissors! Had to draw the scissors!

 

The Last Corner Shop

We're in April, and it's still so cold. I was standing on the street corner, across from Dun Laoghaire's Last Corner Shop and the cold certainly motivated me to sketch faster. It was too miserable for watercolours, so I just added a little bit of grey marker and red pencil when I got to the café afterwards.

 

Then, I drew the house across the way from the café. After warming myself up with a hot chocolate and a scone. And, no, I cannot draw a straight line.

St Stephen's Green

It was Easter Sunday. I wasn't expecting many sketchers to turn up. But I counted 17 of us in the pub. Not bad for a day when most people have family commitments and public transport is not running everywhere. It was lovely to chat with everyone in the pub. 

The sun was shining. It was still a bit cold. And I decided to explore trees and water reflections in direct watercolour (and with a Pilot parallel pen for the last sketch).

It felt good.

Sketching while watching art videos

I like sketching while watching art videos. Actually, I think it enables me to listen better... 

I'm on a few art journeys at the moment. Probably another procrastination technique, but that's another day's work. I am following Louise Fletcher and I am a member of her Art Tribe. A lot of her content is video-based, which is not great for me. My brain works better with written instructions. But she is a compelling speaker and there's always gold nuggets in her videos. 

So, on this occasion, I decided to sketch while listening. I started with blind contours of stuff on my desk, then Louise herself. After her while, I noticed how animated her hands are, so I sketched them on the fly, using a fine liner and a few Ecoline markers. I also took note of a few things she said that resonated with me. 

Tiny Sketchbook while travelling

I only brought a tiny sketchbook with me on my last trip to Belgium. I knew I wouldn't have much time to sketch. I also brought tools that I don't use very often, like a Kuretake brushpen that I find hard to wield.

I sketched a good bit at Dublin airport, on the way out. I had a lot of time before my flight, and sketching helps to soothe my nerves. I'm not a nervous flyer. But I am an anxious traveller. Schedules, expectations, people everywhere, loud announcements, those are not good things for me. 

I also sketched on the two evenings I was on my own at the hotel, with room service. I didn't sketch the food. I just wanted to eat. But I did enjoy sketching the salt and pepper shakers.

I also enjoyed doing tiny colour mixing dots with my Art Toolkit palette

And, strange for me, I didn't sketch at all in Brussels airport. I had lots of time. I just wasn't in the mood.

The Iveagh Markets

I was told by one of our sketchers that this is part of the building used to be the laundry actually, with the Iveagh Markets just next to it. Although I do read it was built as accommodation for the market superintendent. I must find out more about it. I just loved all the angles going up and down and in and out. I worked hard at the perspective, although it's still wonky. Anyways, I used colour to distract, and also because I love colour more than line, let's be honest about it! Felt a great sense of community, as we were all sitting on the widened footpath. Yes, I know we're part of the gentrification of the area. But it is nice to be able to sketch in peace, knowing that you are surrounded by fellow urban sketchers! 

Hopefully some day in my lifetime, this wonderful building will reopen to the public, even if it is gentrified. Better than letting it decay and fall to pieces.

 

Mark-making with ink

Shellac inks, pencils and other bits and pieces, but mostly ink really. Some inspired by random photos, others are just revisiting themes I have already explored before, or even random marking. I do like some of them. I think the inks are Sennelier. The purple one is supposed to be Neutral Tint. Nothing neutral about it. The brown one is Walnut tint, which I like. I was happiest when I was just applying squiggles to paper!

Use your art supplies

These Sennelier brushpens were impulse buys last year. Every so often, I pick them up and try to do something with them. Never really works for me. But that's because I don't really explore all the possibilities. I like two of these four. That's progress, I guess.

Value studies - retroactively applied

I applied the Value Study app to the thumbnails I did earlier. This is the one where I'm happiest with the value contrast

But if you look at all four of them, there are interesting shapes and values in the others too!