meldrum art
Buildings are a bunch of boxes, straight lines and a few curves, rigid things that demand to be stiff and upright. I am trying to create an impression of what I see – to this point I have failed every time. I enjoy the challenge though, trying to find what is missing.
This is a larger version of a painting I did the other week, click here to see that one. It is a challenge to paint larger formats, this watercolour is 70 x 50 cm and painted on Arches rough paper. I added a touch of autumn as the trees outside my window have wonderful colours right now. I am happy enough with the painting, I completed 70% of it and became scared, I think this is a common problem for watercolourists. It is so easy to screw the whole thing up. It’s a real challenge to stay loose and free to the end.
Click image below for full sized watercolour
Two sketches from my Moleskin watercolour journal (not cotton paper and it shows). I plan to develop and paint these during the week.
Click image below for full sized watercolour
Life drawing at Basis means lots of quick sketches, one is quite exhausted afterwards. I use a half A3 sketchbook each time. It’s very good of course for me, my drawings become more instintive and I have to econemise which my lines otherwise it is impossible to draw much in one or two minutes. The model is one of my favourites, Katrina is her name. Very expressive poses and at angels that make perspective drawing a challenge to say the least.
I want to paint more street scenes than I do. I don’t feel as comfortable painting urban scenes compared to boats and nature. I want to have a broad repertoire and there is only one way to achieve that, … paint everything and paint them often.
Click the thumbnail below for a larger image
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.
Click image below for full size image.
