meldrum art
I have been a bit slow to publish here. These are my watercolours from this summer’s sailing trip. We did not sail so far this year. Just sailed with the wind, sometimes going south, other times sailing northward. We had a lovely three weeks in the archipelago anyway. It’s always beautiful there.
I came back from my annual visit to beautiful Brittany at the weekend. I had lots of family time and really good food. 
My pencil sketches from last year and the year before.
New video
My previous sketchbook video seems to be quite popular on my YouTube channel so here is the next one. I use these small sketchbooks because they are easy to always have in a pocket or shoulder bag. I like the texture of the paper, it’s called, Hand Book Journal.Co and it’s distributed by Speedball Art Products, Statesville, NC. It’s made in India. Here is a link to their website: https://www.speedballart.com/our-product-lines/paper/artist-journals-sketchbooks/travelogue-journals/
Trees, there are a lot of them in the Stockholm archipelago. So difficult to paint, green is an awful colour to work with, appears flat and lifeless any chance it gets. There is so much for me to master while out sailing, patience being number one.
Four small sketches of the the same scene, 18 x 13cm, Hasselö, 2022.07.20
I became very ill with depression last October and it’s only now that I am starting to feel good again. The summer repairs but in recent years the seasonal window has been getting smaller. I’m seeking treatment and in the worse case I’ll probably need to move south for the winter, let’s see what happens.
So while I’m all depressed my website crashed in November 2021, and I wasn’t able to fix it due to a scrambled brain – trashed by antidepressants. I’ve ditched the medication, it was impossible for me to be creative. It may work for others but it’s not the solution for me.
So, this is my first post for a while. I haven’t been so productive so nothing missed really. I am so happy that I’ve started painting again. I began in May, I visited Ireland, stayed with friends and sketched for a week. It was so beautiful, the weather was just wonderful. Recently, I was on my annual sailing adventure with my wife. I painted a lot of watercolours of the Stockholm archipelago.
These featured watercolours were painted one after the other on the 7th of July in a natural-harbour called Norra Gränholmsviken, Gällnö. 18 x 13 cm in size, it’s a quarter of a quarter sheet for those of you who paint watercolour. It’s really interesting to paint the same scene several times. I discovered new patterns, new shapes and new compositions each time. A really good exercise when trying to improve.
Nice to be back. See you again soon. 🙂
I am finally back in the studio. So much to deal with after almost three months away from my desk. I just thought I’d rescan these images, most I’ve shown before but I’d captured them on my old iPhone, nice to take proper photos of them here in the studio while listening to Tom Waits.
I just finish my little sketchbook. I like the size and the texture of the paper, it’s called, Hand Book Journal.Co and it’s distributed by Speedball Art Products, Statesville, NC. It’s made in India. Here is a link to their website: https://www.speedballart.com/our-prod…
If you like my channel and would like to support the making of my videos, visit my Patreon page. My supporters get to see my videos first plus there are more benefits to enjoy. Join and be a part of Meldrum Art. (Thank you! 😀 ) https://www.patreon.com/meldrummart I hope you find this a little journey through my sketchbook helpful and even inspiring. Cheers.
Yes, I am trying to paint a nude a day. My plan is to wake up, have breakfast and then paint a nude. I never have to think about what I will do, I just have to start painting a nude. Simple. I wonder how long I will be able to keep it going?
Click the thumbnail to see the full-sized image.
I had an amazing week staying mainly in the town of Calella but I also visited, Pals, Cadaqués and Girona.
Here are my watercolours from the trip. The great thing about painting outdoors for a week it that you gain such a connection with the landscape you are in. A photograph is only ever an image.
