Category: Plein air

Categories
Plein air watercolor Watercolour

Painting plein air in the Stockholm autumn

Sandhamn

What a contrast to the week before. Then I was in Croatia enjoying warm and sunny conditions, on this day (last Monday) I took myself out to Sandhamn by ferry. Sandhamn is a popular harbour during the summer months but now in late autumn it’s empty.
It was a grey day, 7 degrees, rained from time to time and the wind gusted to 16m/s. It was important to somehow find shelter on the harbour. Thankfully I had a stool with me so I could keep a low profile behind some seating on the pier.

The highlight of the day was to go to the local pub/restaurant and eat freshly baked cod and drink a local beer.
It’s a short working day. The light started to fade around 3pm. I took the ferry back to Stockholm at 5pm, it was dark by then.

Categories
Plein air watercolor Watercolour

Painting on quarter sheets again.

Makarska

After two days of painting in a small format I took the step up to painting on a quarter-sheet ( 36.5 x 26.5 cm ). This is not a huge size or anything but for a person who hasn’t been well it’s a very big step. It feels really good to have my energy back or my mojo as I called it in yesterday’s post. I am now able to deal with the two hours or so it takes to complete a painting of this size.
I painted two watercolours a day for the rest of my time in Makarska. Not every watercolour was a success but I was happy enough with most of them.

Yesterday, I was back painting out in the archipelago here in Stockholm. Strong winds, 7 degrees, grey skies and rain from time to time. If I had the choice, I think I’d stay in the Mediterranean for the autumn. 😉

Makarska
Makarska
Makarska
Makarska
Makarska
Categories
Plein air sketching watercolor Watercolour

Painting in Croatia

Makarska, Croatia

I just spent a lovely week in Makarska, Croatia. I was painting non stop and getting as much autumn sun as I possibly could. It was an important trip for me. I feel that I have at last rediscovered my mojo after a number of bad years which are now behind me. I feel good, so nice to be painting at a level that feels rewarding. 

Makarska, Croatia
Makarska, Croatia
Makarska, Croatia
Makarska, Croatia
Makarska, Croatia
Makarska, Croatia
Makarska, Croatia

The first two days I painted in an *A5 format that I frequently use when out sketching. The first day I painted four and the next day I painted three watercolours. I just wandered around Makarska and found endless inspiration wherever I looked. The light was fantastic. I sat in the shade and didn´t shiver and I painted all day with just a break for lunch.

I will post more watercolours from the trip soon. I moved up to a larger quarter-sheet format, difficult in the beginning but I overcame the monster that was in my head. Poor self-confidence basically. 

I would recommend Croatia in the low season to anyone who wants to sketch outdoors and avoid the cold.

*17.5 x 12.5 cm

Categories
Plein air watercolor Watercolour

Practicing painting my skies with a new technique

I have been using perspex plastic on my watercolour sketching board. I wet the back of the paper then tape it down. After that I wet the front of the paper and let it settle. This isn’t actually my new technique. I am placing a damp cotton sheet between the paper and the perspex before I tape it down. This gives me lots of time to work on my clouds but I have to get used to it. My watercolours are a little pale at the moment but I’m working on it. Practice, practice.

Categories
Plein air watercolor Watercolour

Painting outdoors, it’s the life.

Custom's hut on Beckholmen
Custom's hut on Beckholmen

Last week I spent a wonderful day sketching with Daniel Luther on Beckholmen, a dry dock here in central Stockholm. It was so rewarding just trying one’s best to capture the surroundings on paper. Going out with a friend makes it all the more fun.

  • Custom's hut on Beckholmen
    Custom’s hut on Beckholmen
Categories
Plein air

My second day at Björnö: Mission – to paint better

Painting a rock at Björnö
The view from Björnö
The beach at Björnö
My easel on the beach at Björnö

My first day at Björnö was an amazing experience but I wasn’t happy with the watercolours I created. Rather than get all depressed about it I decided to just return to Björnö and try again. The important factor being that I was alone and so I could relax and really think about what I wanted to achieve. Basically, I wanted to paint better. Some important things I learned from the day before was to take my time, be precise and paint in the shade.
I had a wonderful day, it was colder but the sky was a summer blue. ( As I write this it is snowing outside my window, April weather in Sweden is pretty damn extreme. ) By the end of the day I had three nice little paintings and I went home with a smile on my face. It’s a nice sensation to feel one is progressing.

Categories
Plein air Watercolour

Two wonderful days on Björnö: Day 1

View from Björnö
The beach at Björnö
The woods at björnö beach

I spent two beautiful days in glorious sunshine painting on Björnö which is my favourite place to visit right now. On Monday I was with a friend who is much better than I am. I learned a lot by just watching his approach to painting a scene. I was a bit stressed to be in his presence to tell you the truth and so I rushed my work. I wasn’t so happy with my day’s efforts so I returned on Tuesday. Link to day 2 here. It’s important to say, I really enjoyed the day, I learned so much and probably the most important takeaway was to relax and take one’s time.

Categories
Plein air Sketch watercolor Watercolour

My first plein air for this year in 6 degrees

Björnö
Björnö

I managed my first plein air for this year. I visited Björnö Nature Reserve, which is east of Stockholm on Ingarö. The temperature almost reached 6 degrees! I had to use a gas burner to dry the painting, and yes, there is a burn mark. It’s becoming my signature. But seriously, it was so nice to get out and sketch. I had to trek for an hour to reach the spot I painted from but it was worth it.

  • My gas burner
  • Hygrometer/termometer
  • Björnö
  • Björnö pencil sketch
Categories
Plein air Sketch watercolor Watercolour

Sketching at Waldermarsudde with old friends

Waldermarsudde sketch
Waldermarsudde sketch

It is interestesting how people who used to be new friends are now old friends.
I have been life drawing since 2011 and along the way I have got to know many new people who share a love of trying to capture what they see in front of them. We would meet for coffee after each life drawing session and show our sketches and voice our frustrations at being so clumsy or just down-right awful. We all supported each other, never a bad word was said – just lots of positive vibes that have lead to the forming of great friendships.

The pandemic has affected our life drawing classes and we have not met so often this year which meant it was wonderful when we actually did meet last weekend. It was a grey day at Waldermarsudde but it didn’t matter to us, and besides, we had the promise of waffles afterwards at the café with outdoor heaters to keep the chill of autumn away.

I didn’t really care what I was going to sketch that day, I just sat close to the others. I sit alone and paint most days so no need to do that when the point was to socialise. I am happy with my sketch. In the background there is an old windmill without it’s sails. In the foreground is the statue of Carl Wilhelm Scheele by Carl Milles. My watercolour didn’t want to dry in the humidity of fall but luckily I had my blowtorch with me. It turns heads but I get the job done. It was a good day.

Please click the thumbnail below if you would like to see the full-sized image, 13 x 17 cm

Waldermarsudde sketch
Waldermarsudde sketch