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David Meldrum Sketch Stockholm urban sketching

Waiting for a watercolour

I’ve been drawing everyday at the Train Station since rediscovering it as an indoor sketching utopia. I had planed to watercolour today but I’m not confident enough with the environment. I am getting there though, it’s a mind-game. One has to believe that one can can do it.

Sketch of Central Station, Stockholm by David Meldrum
A4, HB pencil sketch, Central Station, Stockholm

Sketch of Central Station, Stockholm by David Meldrum
A4, HB pencil sketch, Central Station, Stockholm

Categories
David Meldrum Sketch Stockholm urban sketching

Fitting art into my everyday life

Like most people I have a day job, it pays the bills and helps keep a roof over my head. I dream of being an artist but the reality is that I work 9-5 and spend hours each day commuting back and forth to the office. After discovering, The Great Indoors of Stockholm (see last post), I stopped on my way to work today at Central Station and did this quick sketch. So it’s possible for me to sketch on the way to work, at lunch time and then again on the way home. Suddenly, I have so much time for my art!



On the way to work by David Meldrum
On the way to work. A4, HB pencil on Fabrino paper
Categories
David Meldrum Sketch Stockholm urban sketching

Urban sketching in a cold climate

As far as Urban Sketching is concerned I’ve always felt sorry for myself living this far north. In Stockholm your fingers go numb after 30 minutes for at least half the year. I have dreamt often of holidays in the sun sketching for weeks on end in sun-drenched villages with happy tourists and buildings to draw.

My solution is to go indoors. The Central Station of Stockholm is a wonderful place to sketch, there is also the bus station and the underground. They are all warm places and there are lots people waiting there to be drawn, watercoloured even. Wintertime also brings darkness but not in the Stations of Stockholm, I look forward to many hours of urban sketching throughout the winter months in the great indoors of Stockholm.

A4, HB pencil sketch, Central Station, Stockholm
A4, HB pencil sketch, Central Station, Stockholm

A4, HB pencil sketch, Central Station, Stockholm
A4, HB pencil sketch, Central Station, Stockholm

Categories
David Meldrum figure painting Nude Watercolouring Watercolours

Last watercolour for this year

My last watercolour for 2013. It’s been an interesting year. I’m excited about 2014 as I’ve promised myself to really start painting watercolours seriously.

Watercolour nude by David Meldrum 20131229
Watercolour nude by David Meldrum 20131229

Categories
David Meldrum figure painting Nude Sketch Watercolour Watercolouring

Life without a pencil

This is a great Christmas present! It seems I do not need to outline anymore. This is the second watercolour I have created without any initial pencil marks. I am happy enough with the result and I look forward now to 2014 and developing this new found skill. 🙂

Nude with no outlines by David Meldrum
Nude with no outlines. Saunders Waterford HP paper – 31 x 23 cm

Categories
David Meldrum figure painting Nude Sketch watercolor Watercolouring

The Naked Truth

Do I need to use a pencil initially when painting a watercolour nude? I didn’t here and I like the result, I just started painting the nude directly onto paper. I will continue down this path and see what develops. Merry Christmas!

Pencil free nude by David Meldrum
Pencil free nude. Saunders Waterford HP  paper – 31 x 23 cm
Categories
David Meldrum figure drawing My Life Drawing Nudes

Last life drawing for 2013

The final session at Basis, I look forward to next year already. Now I have to endure four weeks without any life drawing at all. Good job Christmas is coming to cheer me up. “Dear Santa, could I please have a beautiful studio with an endless supply of fantastic models for Christmas? Thank you!”.

2 minute nude.  A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.

2 minute nude.  A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.

2 minute nude.  A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.

Longer than 2 minute nude.  A3 Fabriano paper, 29.6 x 40.5cm 

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David Meldrum Sketch urban sketching

Happy accident

Earlier in the year, on my way to work I did this sketch of a commuter waiting for a train at Södra Station here in Stockholm. I wasn’t impressed with my drawing so I left it in my sketch book that I carry in my rucksack. I rediscovered it today after it had spent months being rubbed and smudged. To my great surprise it looks so much more interesting now.

Sketch by David Meldrum
Waiting for a train. A5 Fabriano paper.
Categories
David Meldrum figure drawing My Life Drawing Nudes Sketch

Keeping it simple

Venue: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm.

Yesterday evening all I had with me was an A4 block of paper and some pencils. It suits my current state of mind and to be honest, I think my drawings have improved because of it. “Keep it simple”, they say. I think this only comes about after hours of making ones art way too complicated.

Nude on A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.

Nude on A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.

Nude on A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.

Nude on A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.

Nude on A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.

Nude on A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.

Nude on A4 Fabriano paper, 21 x 29,7 cm.