Sketching June 1

It was a rather busy day so I decided to keep this first sketch rather simple. Looked out my back window and saw a nice pot of pretty plants.

I’m hoping to do what Marc Taro Holmes refers to as direct watercolor painting. That means no pencil drawing and no ink drawing first. He would like to see everybody do a painting a day for the month of June. Check out https://citizensketcher.com/2018/05/15/announcing-30x30directwatercolor2018-lets-do-30-paintings-in-30-days/

                   
                 Bye for now.....
               

June 5

Hi again. I added a bit of watercolor to yesterday’s sketch.

 I sat outside this afternoon and sketched my neighbor’s back yard. It’s not direct watercolor but maybe I’ll find something tomorrow that feels like it might be a better subject for direct.

I also need to put some people in my sketches. 

Even though they aren’t there for real I think it would feel better.

Bye for now...

June 4

Sometimes the best plans just don’t come together. I thought I would be out and about today but instead it was a work at home day. I am trying to make sure I sketch something everyday though.
As a result my drawing skills have improved. I don’t seem to agonize over them as much as I used to.

So... here are my busy day sketches.

When I have some more time, I’ll put a bit of color on them. As Hubby and I had dinner this evening we enjoyed watching the robins flail around in the water fountain.

Have a good night...

June 3

Oh gosh! I thought I could get another one in today but alas I just finished this one from a few days ago. Maybe I can do 2 tomorrow... no pressure.

It’s nice to start with pencil or pen. I probably depend on them more than I need to. I tend toward detail and I’m trying to step away from that a bit.

Here is my little plein air sketch that I did yesterday. It’s incomplete yet. I’d like to put a couple of people in it. Maybe some chairs also. I think it would make it a little more inviting. As I was painting this, all I kept telling myself was “just put the shapes in”, leave the details until later. Hoping that will sink in more often... remember, no pressure.

Let’s call it a day... bye for now.

June 2

I was in Auburn today for a Plein Air paintout. I put together a pretty good piece and stopped before I was really done to go to lunch with hubby. When I came back to my spot I didn’t want to get out all my paints so instead I decided to do my direct watercolor sketch for today.
I really didn’t think I would do very well at the judging that afternoon anyway.

I quickly finished this piece and went to turn in my oil painting piece. While we waited for the judging we went and had a glass of wine and spent time talking with people. So of course you’re going to guess… I won 3rd place. Could have picked me up off the ground. Totally unexpected. I think I needed that bit of reinforcement and encouragement. To be truthful I’ve been a bit discouraged lately.


That’s it for now... bye.

Pouring Paint

A friend of mine has been having fun pouring paint. She uses oil paint and a few other ingredients and enjoys the surprising results. As a result she offered to give a little workshop for any of us that wanted to try it out.
How could I resist the temptation to get my fingers full of paint. Anyway this is the reuslts of a piece I did earlier in May. I’d like to experiment further but just haven’t taken the time to do so.

It was fun.

                          Bye for now...

Perspectives

I'm working on a painting that calls for several figures in the landscape. I love to create landscapes. It's my favorite thing to paint. However, up until now I have avoided putting any figures in them, even though my instructors have said some pieces would have more life if there were figures present.  

So with this in mind, I have spent the last little while with my nose in several books trying to train my brain in the vast spectrum of proportion and perspective as it pertains to accurate drawing.  Wow. That was a mouthful. 

Perhaps it has been easier because of the winter weather. We have been house bound for several days due to the extreme snow and cold. Lots of minus temperatures. Lots of time on my hands. 

Proportion has pretty much escaped me. My heads were too little or too big for the body or my legs were too long or too short.  So because of this nagging painting that has to have figures, I have pursued some answers.  At least I feel more confident with them than I did before. 

This is my favorite perspective book. It's been on my bookshelf for quite a while and I keep coming back to it every so often, learning more each time I get it out. 

These pages about people in the landscape have been quite helpful. 

  

Along with landscape perspective I have a figure drawing book. 

But..... We'll discuss that in the next post. In the meantime. I need to practice. 

Happy sketching !