I am currently at a web conference here in London. It’s cold and wet, but I guess that’s the way if should be. Anyway, I managed to squeeze in this watercolour sketch during the lunch break.
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| Chiswell Street, London |
Category: Watercolour
“It’s challenging!” I think that’s all I need to say about trying to paint five and ten minute poses. The ten minute watercolour below was my best attempt.
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| Ten minute nude |
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| Two minute sketch |
Venue: The Swedish Academy of Realist Art (SARA)
I enjoyed this two hour session last Thursday, I took it easy and did not stress. I have been practising my skin tones in a watercolour-paper- sketchbook, I think it is starting to have an affect, all the practice I do. I’m starting to feel more and more confident with each stroke of the brush, practice, practice.
I haven’t been publishing much lately, I’m so busy with other things than art. Sweden is very much a place of two seasons, the ice has recently melted, I put the summer tyres on the car and this weekend it was the boat’s turn to be put in the water and the mast put on. Summer is coming! 🙂
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| The Body Builder, A3 watercolour, 2013.05.02 |
After one hour this painting was going real well. The pencil drawing was fine and the first watercolour wash felt good.
Then, for the last hour of the session I painted layer upon layer of bad decisions. By the end of the session I was totally frustrated at my limited technique. So I scrubbed a lot of the pigment from the model’s face, dropped it into my carrying case and went home grumpier than a newly-woken bear.
When I got home, I took a large black pencil to the painting and what you see below is the result. I’m actually happy with it, but I still wish I could paint better, then I wouldn’t have to use a pencil to rescue the portrait.
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| Male Nude 20130411 |
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A quick portrait
A quick portrait I did during two lunch breaks last week. I didn’t get the likeness but it’s not so important to me, my focus is on technique right now…
I had a lot of fun today sketching at the Swedish Museum of Natural History. I met up with Nina Johansson and Marie Flood. I had never visited the museum before so I began the day by taking a tour of the place. It was very interesting. I found it a bit uncomfortable looking at so many stuffed animals but then again they did not move, which makes life easier for a sketcher. I discovered today that Polar bears are very difficult to draw and watercolouring in a dimly lit museum is challenging to say the least. …But like I said in the beginning, it was fun.
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| Add caption |
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| 1.5 hour painting of two female nudes ( 27x50cm ) |
Venue: The Swedish Academy of Realistic Art, 20130314.
The first attempt at capturing these two pretty female models was discarded after a half an hour. I started again and this time I was able to find my way. I am finding it so hard to succeed when doing a two hour session. I just plan to keep trying, at some stage something must go click in my head! I am happy with this painting, I masked off the red-head in the back ground as she made the centre of focus confusing in the composition. Her red hair was beautiful but too distracting.
The first attempt at capturing these two pretty female models was discarded after a half an hour. I started again and this time I was able to find my way. I am finding it so hard to succeed when doing a two hour session. I just plan to keep trying, at some stage something must go click in my head! I am happy with this painting, I masked off the red-head in the back ground as she made the centre of focus confusing in the composition. Her red hair was beautiful but too distracting.
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Watercolour doodle
I painted this quickly last Friday during my lunch break. I want to improve my technique, so I practice as often as I can.

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| Watercolour doodle, 20130308 (A4 paper) |
This little attempt to capture Tom Waits was relatively successful I think. I’ve got a few levels to climb as far as execution is concerned but I’m happy enough with the painting.
I choose famous people because it is a good way to see if I have succeeded in capturing a likeness or not. I just ask people close to me, “Do you recognise this person?”.
I’ve started a portrait page on this blog, I’ve added a tab above.