Sketches and Scribbles

It is another overcast day; a gloomy sky with various shades of grey.  It is hard to tell what time it is.
It is also a perfect afternoon to add some colour to a grey toned paper, and so transform a dull and dreary day.


Below are a couple of sketches and scribbles as warm ups to enjoy and relax prior to the days of serious painting to come ahead.  I will be working on commissioned paintings; two large acrylic paintings for a bedroom and a living room.  I have accepted one for now.  I will start working on it in a week.  Until then, I will take the opportunity to unwind and reconnect with the creative spirit.

"Beauty is unbearable, drives us to despair, offering us for a minute the glimpse of an eternity that we should like to stretch out over the whole of time."

-Albert Camus

Happy Spring!

Wishing you all a wonderful spring season full of love and happiness! :)

A Challenge ... in so many ways!

To test my analytical and interpretation skills, I chose a beautiful oil painting from 1879 by Sir Frederic Leighton (an English painter and sculptor) for my study.

Since I worked with graphite pencils, examining the nuances in value became the priority.  To make it my own, I changed the facial features just slightly. I think it turned out ok.
I now have a better understanding of why Sir Leighton is Sir Leighton. :)

Realizing what could be achieved and what needed improvement, I called this one done.

Anticipating the arrival of spring, I will now take a break from portraits.  

Glasses And The Hat

It looks like I spoke a little too soon.  A regular visit to the optometrist, and a few days later … my very first prescription glasses!

At +0.75, it is very mild.  I will be using them only for reading and drawing.  I now have something to blame all my previous art failures on.  :)

I put them to the test and doing detailed work feels much more comfortable.

An Exchange

"Work in the invisible world at least as hard as you do in the visible."

-Rumi

Portrait Drawing

I don't remember the last time I drew a portrait.  It is not my favourite subject to draw.  However, once in a while when I see a photo that I like, I do give it a try.

I saw a vintage photograph online a long time ago and had it on my computer to use as my drawing reference.  What I liked most about the photo was the elegant attire.  In terms of design, there is good contrast in values and variety in lines.

I used the grid method to do the initial contour drawing.  That is drawing a grid over the reference photo, and then one of equal ratio on my work surface (paper). 

Drawing from a reference photo is not difficult at all.  You just need to pay close attention to every detail.  You should not focus on drawing an eye for example, but on the change in value of abstract shapes!  

The border around the image measures 11 cm by 14 cm.  For the shading I used three pencils; 8H, 2H and 6B. 

I think I will continue working on drawing/painting portraits for a while.  

"Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence."

- Ovid

    

Mark Making

Our ability to draw depends on perceptual accuracy, visual memory and the necessary elements we select to draw.  This can significantly improve with practice.

During the beginning stages of our artistic journey, the aim for realism seems to be a priority.  At some point however, after a level of mastery over the basic skills of realistic rendering is achieved, we need to take risks and create something unique that becomes our artistic style.  "Mark making" is one of the contributing elements of artistic style.  Marks add expression to our art work.  Our style is the result of our skills, absorption of information and influence of artists whose work we love.  This means it can change as we continue to grow as artists.   In order to build our skills, we immerse ourselves in the works of artists whose creations we admire.  However, practicing is not the end.  The process of growth never ends.

my oil painting after C. Klein

"The artist sees what others only catch a glimpse of."

-Leonardo Da Vinci