A small composition test 34 x 24 cm on Fabriano fine grain. I plan to paint a large version today.
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I am trying to paint watercolour at life drawing again. I think my approach was quite successful. As the poses are generally only 5 minutes in duration I just painted the skin tones. Later, during a pose I did not find inspiring ( when the model had her back to me ) I painted the background and more shading, especially around the face.
I liked this model so I felt quite inspired. The lighting at ABF is awful, fluorescent tubes in a very large room, not very pleasing normally but a good model makes up for it.
Last week I attended my first Life drawing session. I am happy the figure drawing season has begun again but a bit sad that the summer is over. I do not usually go to ABF to draw but as my usual venue (Konstnärshuset) has not started yet so I gave it a try. The model was new to me, Alia was her name. Always nice to sketch a new life drawing model. I painted mostly watercolours that evening which I will publish in the next post.
I haven’t sailed all summer but now I am and it’s wonderful. The holiday season is over so the archipelago is quite empty of boats. No motor boats just a few sailing boats and most of them seem to be visiting from Europe. So it’s very peaceful. We have bought a new boat, not new exactly – it was built in 1975. So we are getting to know how everything works. Next week my wife returns to work but I intend to continue sailing as much of September I can. I want to sketch, paint and take reference photos. It’s going to be an experience.
This watercolour sketch was painted at our first stop on the trip, Gällnö is the name of the island, we stayed for a day then moved on.
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I sketched this at Boule & Berså, an outdoor bar close to Danvikstull bridge. The bridge is raised once an hour during the summer months at 38 minutes past the hour to allow sailing boats to pass though Stockholm. It’s very enjoyable to just sit down and have a beer and sketch especially on a Friday afternoon after work. My wife joined me later and so the sketchbook was put away and I finished it later that Sunday.
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I painted this very quickly on the way home from work yesterday. It makes me happy to achieve finishing one watercolour a day, it doesn’t matter if it’s a masterpiece or not. The most important thing is to practice, practice, practice. ( I think I am talking to myself here.)
Saunders Waterford 300g 28x19cm fine grain.
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