Category: David Meldrum

Two sketches today

Solvalla Betting Kiosk

I found time to do two sketches today, one with detail and the other without. The sketch to the left I did during my lunch break. I work at the Solvalla horse trotting track just north of Stockholm and so this is why I picked a betting kiosk as my subject. I find it to be one of the more attractive buildings in the area.

The Sketch below I did on the way home from work, the sun was shining and Medborgplatsen (town square) was full of people. I needed to get home to my family for dinner so I used less detail.

A watercolour of a sunny Medborgplatsen by David Meldrum

Summertime in Medborgplatsen

David Meldrum Lunch Sketch Sketch Solvalla Stables Watercolour Watercolouring

Quickie

Post author By meldrum
Post date 2012/07/06
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No pencil was used for this watercolour sketch, time was short so I drew it with ink and at speed in a standing position. The lines are shaky and scratchy which I quite like, I find that the faster I sketch the better the result, I learned this with my life drawing, a two minute sketch being more free and alive than a 15 minute sketch. No time to think and using ones instinct isn’t a bad thing sometimes.

A watercolour sketch of Solvalla Stables by David Meldrum

Solvalla Stables, Stockholm.

David Meldrum Lunch Sketch Sketch

Trojan Horse outside my window

Post author By meldrum
Post date 2012/07/03
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Believe it or not there is a Trojan horse outside my office. I work at Solvalla, Sweden’s biggest horse trotting stadium. I used my new Moleskin Watercolour Sketchbook for this lunch time sketch (I listened to the advice of Luis from my previous post!).

David Meldrum Sketch Urban Sketchers

Meeting the Urban Sketchers

Post author By meldrum
Post date 2012/07/03
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A sketch by David Meldrum of Luis Simöes

Luis sketches in Stockholm.

I met Nina Johansson and Luis Simöes from Urban Sketchers last weekend, It was a very inspirational meeting. We sat outside a café on Nybrogatan and chatting but mostly sketched. I’m new to this Urban Sketching thing so it was a bit difficult just drawing whatever was in front of you. In the end I wanted to draw the shop opposite but Luis was in the way so I drew him too, it was fun! Luis told me to use better paper, which I took onboard. I also learned that composition is so important when Sketching, a quick drawing will never look good if it is squeezed into the confines of a page, not given enough white space to breath in other words.

Luis Simöes is currently on a World Sketching Tour, check out his blog and see where he has been sketching and where he plans to visit.

David Meldrum moleskin Sketch

Lunch Sketch

Pencil sketch of male head by David Meldrum

Pencil sketch by David Meldrum

I have not completed a Lunch Sketch for long time, at least it feels that way; I am trying to improve my line drawing skills. Charles Reid mentioned in one of his watercolour DVDs that drawing was 90% of a successful painting, I agree.

David Meldrum moleskin Sketch

Sketching more and more

Since I started drawing again I’ve been mainly going to life drawing evenings but now I find I’m starting to sketch other subjects, I’m diversifying. Is it time to start a ‘My Sketches’ page I wonder?

David Meldrum O Sketch Watercolour Watercolouring

Old trawler

Post author By meldrum
Post date 2012/06/17
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I arrived home from a one week holiday last night. I was in Paimpol, a beautiful old fishing harbour on the north-west coast of France. I managed to find time to do some watercolours. The painting below of the old trawler took me about 2 hours to complete, I am very happy with my progress in learning how to paint. I only wish I could spend more time with my new hobby, these last few months have been so busy both at work and privately. Still, the summer is here and in a few weeks I presume I will have more time for watercolours as the pressure at work diminishes during the holiday season.

Old trawler

David Meldrum Sketch Watercolour Watercolouring

My first tree!

A Tree by David Meldrum

The great thing about beginning something, like having art as a hobbie for instance, is that there are so many firsts! Like drawing this tree, I’ve never painted a tree before, at least I don’t remember ever doing one. I am currently on holidays, relaxing after a very busy period at work, coming down, looking forward to having a few days to sketch, sketch, sketch.

David Meldrum Lunch Sketch Sketch Watercolour Watercolouring

Lunch Sketch #11

This lunch time sketch was completed yesterday, it took two lunch breaks to finish (30 mins x 2). My learning curve is still pointing in a steep upward direction, so I am happy enough with this. I am studying from great watercolour artists on DVD but it is one thing to listen and another to execute. I have also noticed that it’s hard to be expressive on an A5 piece of paper, not much room for a daring stroke from my loaded brush but then again, maybe this is a good thing!

Watercolour sketch by David Meldrum