meldrum art
I just published a video of me painting this view from Kvarnholmen, click here to see it. I simplified the watercolour composition a lot and I really like it. It takes a lot of experience to start seeing what is a good composition and what is not. Believe me, I have made a lot of bad compositions in the past to get to this stage in my development as an artist.
Click the thumbnail below to see the full sized image.
This week I am home and I tend to spend too much time in my studio. I therefore make sure I go for a walk or cycle each day. I always bring my sketch bag with me. The weather has been really amazing lately so I am doing a lot of light studies. Watercolour for me is about capturing the light, it’s amazing how hard it is to catch. I just practice and practice and hopefully one day I will master it.
The sketch “Södermalm” is 13 x 17.5 cm on 300g Saunders Waterford paper.
Click the thumbnail below for full sized image
The weather has been so good recently, I made sure I got away from the studio and explored the countryside close to home. The countryside usually means water and islands that are crowned with Scots pine. At least I seem to be always drawn to the sea, I feel best there by the waters edge or better still, sailing in the archipelago.
Click the thumbnail if you wish to see the full sized image.
View from Boda, 17.5 x 13 cm
I just love driving down to Nacka Strand, which is close to where I live. There I practice my clouds, my reflections and at the same time unwind enjoying the view.
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Cheers!
Yes, on Sunday I met more art friends. This time it was an unofficial Urban Sketchers meetup. We met at Humlegården in central Stockholm and enjoyed the sun soaked day.
I managed to do two sketches, one trying to capture the light in the trees and the other is of the statue of Linné, the famous Swedish botanist.
It was so nice to meet my friends. I know now it is really important to have social contact, I feel so much better for it. Luckily sketching is an outdoors activity and so it’s relatively safe to meet friends in this the year of Corona.
I came to a point early last week when I said to myself, enough is enough, I have to meet friends. Sweden has a very relaxed approach to the Corona virus pandemic so it’s no problem whatever to meet people, it’s our responsibly in other words. All of us have been shy about meeting up. But I met my artist friend Daniel on Skeppsholmen in central Stockholm for a morning of plein air and a lovely lunch last Friday. Thanks Daniel for treating me, my turn next time.
I wouldn’t call the watercolour a masterpiece by any means but just getting out in the early summer sun and meeting a friend made it special.
I have been challenging myself to paint better street scenes. This watercolour is of Piampol, Brittany, France – my wife’s hometown. I did this in the studio but I wouldn’t mind being in France for June. That won’t happen of course because of the pandemic. I’ll just have to use my many photo references that I have amassed through the years. Have a nice, and safe weekend.
Click the thumbnail below to see full sized image.
I published the YouTube video of me painting this watercolour yesterday. Here is the final painting. Today I am painting something totally different, life is always interesting for a watercolour artist. 🙂
If you haven’t seen the video click this link here: Gustavsbergshamn – From sketch to final watercolour
For a full sized image of the watercolour click the thumbnail below.
It was early Saturday morning, I broke the plastic sealing wrapper from around a William Turner book I had purchased – The ‘Skies’ Sketchbook by David Blayney Brown. Once I had studied it for a while I had this enormous urge to get outside and paint some clouds. Luckily the sky was very beautiful during the weekend, the soft pillow type cushions sailed past quickly which meant the scene in front of me changed completely every few minutes. I sat in my new camper van at Nacka Strand protected from the cool wind, I was inspired and I enjoyed every moment of it.
