meldrum art
I’ll be honest. Nudes are difficult. Shading human skin in watercolour must be one of the hardest skills to achieve. It feels that way at least. Luckily, I love just trying and trying, … and trying to master it. One day, maybe – maybe not.
I gave this one a good go, I did my best. It’s not fun admitting to oneself that one has a long way to go before mastering a watercolour nude.
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Why a sudden interest in painting nudes David? I guess it’s because it’s where I’m at at the moment. I am running my life drawing classes and I feel inspired because it is now and in the present. Landscapes have to wait, it’s too cold outside and I find little inspiration from my reference photos. I would love to paint outdoors even when it’s minus degrees but I’m not 100% fit so it’s not a good idea right now, the long winters here don’t agree with me. So it’s nudes at the moment. I hope you don’t mind.
To view a larger image, click the thumbnail below.
It’s true, I don’t paint male models as much as female ones. It’s just a preference. I enjoy the female form more, I like to draw the curves, a sketch is soft and smooth. Male models are more angular, more shapes and bumps to capture. Difficult when you only have a few minutes to capture the pose. Nothing wrong with male models, it’s just my preference.
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I am the first to admit, I made her too skinny. I like the pose and the lighting though. I should try again.
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Every Thursday I run my own life drawing class here in Stockholm and this means I need to create a drawing or a watercolour to help publicise the event. So yes, some weeks I am quite desperate to paint a model. Deadlines, deadlines – even artists stress sometimes.
My life drawing is streamed live because of the pandemic. If you would like to join please go to this page: https://www.meldrum.se/lifedrawing/
Please click the thumbnail below to see the full-sized image.
It’s true, I rarely sketch nudes these days which is ironic as I run a life drawing class every Thursday even during the pandemic. My problem is that I don’t have time to go to other life drawing classes and right now I don’t actually want to physically be in a classroom anyway. This is why I stream my own life drawing classes. It means extra work for me as a host so sketching has had to take a back seat.
I’m not complaining too much. I get a lot enjoyment out of running my class and I can sketch nudes anytime using photo resources that I have bought throughout the years. Actually, I think I am just making excuses. There is nothing preventing me from sketching or painting watercolour nudes, it’s up to me, I decide.
Please click the thumbnail below if you would like to see the full-sized image.
I have started painting nudes again. It’s a real challenge, human skin-tones are so fine, so delicate. I am enjoying it though. It takes a lot longer for me to complete a nude, I’m not used to that. I don’t really have the patience for it so I spread the painting over several days, I work for an hour or two each day until it is finished. This is the best way for me to work right now, I hope I can improve my concentration with the next watercolours that I plan to paint in the coming weeks. Nude: 36 x 26 cm
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Today is an exciting day, I will be streaming my first life drawing class using the popular app Zoom. I will continue using the Dieselverkstaden studio and will live stream from there every Thursday evening stating tonight. I have plans to reach out internationally with my class but the first step is to try it locally. The biggest problem I have with international participants is accepting payments. Locally we use a service called Swish here in Sweden. I am developing a way to accept payments from abroad and hopefully that will be fixed in the coming weeks.
If you are living in Sweden and have a Swish account then I invite you to the premiere of Meldrum Kroki on Zoom this evening. Please join Meldrum Kroki on Facebook which is private group to gain access, click the following link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/378766722540122/
Like I said already, I am really looking forward to offering life drawing live.
See you soon I hope whether you are international or Swedish.
Please note that my actual (physical) life drawing classes are on hold until the pandemic is under control.
Cheers,
David
A live streamed Meldrum Kroki will begin on the 10th of September. My actual life drawing classes are otherwise on hold until the pandemic is under control. More news on how to join my streamed life drawing classes very soon.
Meldrum Kroki startar igen torsdag den 10 september.
På grund av smittorisk kommer klasserna att enbart streamas, ingen deltagare alltså – bara streaming. Mer info om upplägget kommer snart.