Feeling the atmosphere while sketching – more plein air drawing

Sketching plein air is far more stimulating on the senses than sketching at home.

How so?

Well, there’s a tendency for elements of the environment like water, sand and mud to be incorporated in the sketch. Take today, sketching by the river with family and 2 dogs.

Dogs are so friendly, aren’t they? Don’t you just love the way they shake themselves right by you when they’ve had a dip in the river?

Or…

Or jump in puddles right beside you! Usually splashing the water right down the back of you neck!

My sketches were wet, muddy and smeary from attempts to wipe away mud before it dried. Important note to self, you should always check the ink is dry first!

Having said that, I escaped fairly well with these pages.

These are quick sketches. Children and dogs are very unforgiving so it’s an excellent discipline. I’ll hold the verdict on my success. There’s a hit of child and dogginess, I think, here at the top left. Forced to quit the right hand one due to time.

How do I sketch? Quick drawing of Buckingham Coach house.

A Sketch is one of the hardest types of drawing to master.
As an A level student, sketching was something that I did very little. I couldn’t see the point, or rather I couldn’t see the difference between sketching and drawing. So every time I set about “sketching” it would have to be done as a completed drawing. Looking back at these sketch books I see pages of skeleton drawings- abandoned before they were begun.
Sketching requires a degree of abandon which most people are reluctant to achieve ie they fear failure. I was such a person. When I decided to become an artist I knew it was something I needed to address. Having Read Doug Eyre’s book “Drawing Caricatures” I had started with his daily exercises, which were invaluable.
But, my lack of Art school training was felt acutely. Where and how could I find out about this elusive artist tool – the sketch? Books on art abound in copious quantities. Books on sketchbooks are virtual Hen’s teeth, or so I thought. I finally discovered what I needed on Amazon and then ordered it from the Book Depository (I’ve found they’re cheaper but use the reviews on Amazon to identify useful books).
 “An Illustrated life” by Danny Gregory is beautiful book crammed full of information. It looks at the sketch books of a variety of different artists and how each artist uses his/her sketchbook. Some are complete books in their own right and others show the workings of the creative mind at it’s most dynamic. He even has a superblog called Every Day Matters for those wishing to walk the walk!
I now Sketch daily. Not always well, but the habit is there. I’m less anxious about their imperfections, they are learning pieces. Because I’m learning I force myself to do the subject I detest! Buildings are my particular “bête noire” so they appear frequently. Sketching informs my artistic style and hones my drawing skill like a knife on stone. The only thing I regret, is that it took over 20 years to make this discovery.
This sketch was done earlier in the week, I see many flaws, but that’s OK, I’ve learnt so much!

So, how do you sketch? Do it often, do it quickly, do it habitually, do it happily and whatever your mood, just DO IT!

Peace at last

We managed to get some sleep last night, between 2.15 and and 7.15am. All visitors have now returned home and we have chance to unwind. I managed this sketch last night. It’s from a photo of my youngest taken a few years ago. I’m pleased with the likeness especially as it’s ink!

Today I had chance to do some sketching this afternoon but I felt like using watercolour pencils for a change.
Following the party, we have about 35 balloons up all over the house. They seemed the most obvious choice for a sketch. I also decided to use bright colours and not tone them down as I might usually have done.

Out and about

I spent most of today out at meetings and shopping for craft bits for the sleepover on Saturday. As a result I wasn’t at home much. I did manage to do the pencil work for THAT commission and also had time to do some quick sketches.
This little one was done quickly in the coffee shop at the garden centre.

I’ve also got to arrange collection of my rejected paintings, ho hum.
The Royal academy are promoting their Summer exhibition, already. Need to sign up for this year, not sure what to enter ye, though.

And it was all going so well!

Up until 5 minutes ago it was all going so well then I muffed the inking in. I’m not sure I will be able to resolve the errors but I’m waiting until the morning. Hopefully sleep will help me solve the issues.

This was a quick sketch I did waiting for my youngest to finish his swimming lesson. The perspective’s a bit off but it’s a pleasing effort. Might try it again next week- fills the time.

The day beckons!

Here I am, sitting at home on yet another day when a child is off, this time due to illness. Fortunately it’s the eldest and he lets me get on and work. I’m a heartless woman!!!!! More snow forecast for later on in the week. Let’s hope they’re a bit more organised with the gritting this time. Talking of snow here are some of the pictures I promised last week.

I think I need to work on lighting!

Today has been far more productive than I expected. I’ve managed to finish some abstracts and a couple of sketches today. A quick one of the dog, amazingly he stayed still long enough, and it’s a paint sketch. So here is Arrow asleep.

I also did one of my paintbox and brushes. It’s a bit more stylised and controlled than the one above

It’s my pressie!

I’m having extreme difficulty getting access to my computer at the moment. Normally we have another one that the children play games on but it’s broken – pretty completely at that. So everyone wants to use mine… it’s making posting a tad difficult but I’ll press on. Even when I do get near the computer, someone is usually hovering wondering when I will finish. Not that I have anything to post for yesterday. A couple of pencil scribbles but nothing finished or worthy of sharing. Spent most of the day either food shopping, sorting out the house or cleaning the cooker-yuk. By the time I’d finished all that It was a struggle to motivate myself to do anything. Had a drink and watched “Mr and Mrs Smith”

Today has been much better and I managed an indoor sketch, first thing. I will add it tomorrow, so if you’re reading this before then, sorry!

Here it is, the view from my bedroom.

Still some more cleaning, de-cluttering and general tidying to do – we’re having a party for Siobhan next Saturday. Eeeeeek! Why, oh why, oh why did I agree to that?

To add insult to injury, even Andrew’s hogging the laptop to scan in old slides with the slide/film scanner he’s just bought!!!!!!!

We have normality - a return to Heath Ledger

The children are all back at school, the snow is thawing, I’ve done a couple of quick sketches… finally some normality!

This is a sketch of Heath Ledger – it’s crude and I always feel I can do better but I’ve managed an essence of Heath I think!

I often have warring urges when drawing. My dilemma can be summed up by a story I read some years ago. A Pottery teacher divides her class into two group. The first set is told they only need to make one pot and will be graded on its quality. The other set is told that they must make as many pots as possible and will be graded only by the number of pots they make, whatever the quality.

The “Quality” set spend hours deliberating on what constitutes the best pot and ultimately produce a nice pot but it’s nothing special. The”Quantity” group spend hours industriously producing pots. Their early attempts are pretty pathetic but as time progresses the quality of the pots improves so that the end pots are equally good, if not better in quality, than the one produced by “Quality” group. Part of me naturally identifies with the “Quality” group. However, I’m trying to get my head around the fact that the best way to get quality is to produce in significant quantity.

The snow theme continues

(Hushed tones) I need to say this quietly, but I think I might have finished the commission!
Now, if you’ve picked yourself up on the floor I’ll continue. As I said I think I might have finished the commission! Obviously, it’s subject to approval…the nerve-wracking bit.
I managed a quick sketch in the snow. I ran out of time so had to finish some of it when I’d left – just missed out a window.

I took the dog for a long walk this morning – first time since injuring my foot in November. After a few minutes I felt like taking some pictures. However, I forgot the camera so used my phone, the quality suffers but I thought this one was intriguing- I was feeling a bit post modern.

Fishtank

This is a quick sketch I did of my fishtank! There are fish in it but they’re very small, kept moving around and, when I did draw them, they blended in with the background.

I’ve nearly finished the commission, hooray, just struggling with low light levels and the red hair!

Two children returned to school today and the last one returns tomorrow… I hear freedom beckoning!

The trouble with Hallowe'en... even with Christopher Lee

I never "celebrated" Hallowe'en as a child. We knew the date and that it was something to do with bad spirits but that was it. The only traditions we had were bobbing for apples and marshmallows on a string - all done without hands, of course. You'd end up wet and sticky. I think we'd play conkers as well

Come October our thoughts were on "Guy Fawkes night" also known as bonfire night. Sure kids would go around with homemade effigies of Guy Fawkes and chant "Penny for the Guy?" As an English Catholic I was always dubious about the emphasis on the Catholic plot to destroy Parliament but I would celebrate it because I could see that change needed to be within the law. Always felt sorry for the chap. The bonfire and fireworks were something different, to light up cold November evenings. Writing our names with sparklers and watching fireworks that went off. Even the ones that failed were entertaining. And the guy's were always a source of amusement, being pushed around in prams or dragged on go-karts.

Traditionally we'd eat baked potatoes and black peas, toffee, toffee apples and "Parkin".

"Cop calling" was another tradition where we lived in Manchester. Children would knock on the door - with or without a Guy and start singing Guy Fawkes rhymes usually "We come a cop calling this Bonfire night..." There was more but I can't remember it - possibly because they were never allowed to get past the first line at our house. "You had the feeling they never got past the first line sometimes as the next line, if sung, was frequently mumbled. I've tried looking it up but can only find this rhyme.

Sadly I was reading today, this custom in in decline being replaced by the American custom's of Hallowe'en. I never went to a Hallowe'en party until the early nineties when I was nearly 30! "Trick or treating" being the most dubious in my mind. We, as a family, never encouraged cop calling because it was seen as begging but there was no harm done if you said no. The idea that it's OK to go around begging for treats and, if none are received, it's OK to threaten to play a trick on someone is immoral! It's begging with menaces! The idea that it is OK to scare people. What does that teach young minds? I know many an elderly person who feels threatened in their own homes at this time of year. My main gripe is that it's an American import, it's just not British! If we must import from America I'm sure there are more worthy imports.

I think I'm turning into a grumpy old woman...

So, drawings wise. In spite of what I've said against Hallowe'en it seems churlish not to do something relevant! Especially when Christopher Lee was knighted only yesterday. So, despite his request not to be so addressed....Here's Sir Christopher in what can only be described as a Hammer Horror classic image.

OK, it may not be Hammer but I love the association.

It's another quick sketch, the lines didn't go quite where I wanted them but I think it works.

I've also had a few cracks at Robbie Williams. No cigar yet. I'm getting cramp in my drawing hand so I think I'll call it a day now.

Oops...sound of sirens... GRUMPY OLD WOMAN ALERT!

Ronan Keating!

I've finally started my last entry for the BAFA competition - just over 2 weeks to go, nothing like leaving things to the last minute, huh! I spent a lovely couple of hours trying to create a face from self levelling gel which was supposed to be blood red. It's more shocking pink than blood red, trouble is, until it dries I won't know if it's right! Hopefully it is.

I did a sketch of the living room, inspired by watching Ewan pelt down the stairs. He sits at the top of the stairs with his legs and body stiff but flexed at the hips, arms held behind him, regulating his speed. Down he goes, again and again and again! Noticed that the view I had was very interesting, there is a hint of Ewan on the stairs in the picture, but not much.

I'm now off to do some more caricaturing, which I'll hopefully be able to post it later.

Here's my 4th attempt at a quick sketch of Ronan Keating. The first one had the best likeness but the body was a mess. The rest had some major flaws, well to my mind anyway.

Wow! I've just realised this is my 300th post. Never thought I'd keep the blogging up quite as well as I have. I'm now on twitter as well, need to work out how to link the 2.

Lily Allen

I decided to try again with Lily. The first picture was bugging me. This is better, I think. Another quick sketch.

I'm procrastinating again. I've one last piece to do for the art competition, but just can't bring myself to start. I keep planning and changing my mind. Maybe I'm over thinking again. I found a book in WH Smiths for "People who think too much" it may even had been Women. Anyway, I thought, that's me. I'd get so much more done if I stopped thinking so much and just got down to it. I'll try that now!

Better than yesterday

Household activities were less demanding today so I managed some sketching - even live people. I tried sketching Ewan, he holds a position for about 3 seconds before moving and has no concept of staying still while I draw. Despite this I managed a reasonable likeness, although he complained that I'd drawn his fingers in his mouth... no pleasing some people. I even managed a sketch of Andrew, makes him look old though, so not sure I should post it. That and he doesn't know I've done it!

I've settled for a quick caricature I did this evening, another attempt at Gwyneth Paltrow. I drew one several weeks ago, which didn't turn out brilliantly. I thought I'd posted it, but I can't find her! This one is better than my last attempt!

I've just noticed the scanner has picked up a background image, interesting effect.

Kate Winslett

I'm still trying to decide whether today has been better than yesterday. I think on balance yes. We missed a bus this morning so I had to drive in. After that I had craft club. Decided to face the Craft robo demons and - after some searching, found a phone number in the UK. The chap was really helpful and now it all works. The downside is... I now want Adobe illustrator.

I did this quick caricature of Kate Winslett this evening. I'm happy with the face but the rest of it leaves a lot to be desired, especially the brolly!

Despite my usual activities today, I've managed a couple of sketches. One of a pub and the other of some houses.

Back on track...

Another virtuous start to the day, children breakfasted and delivered to the relevant stops, Dog walked and I even managed to bake some rock cakes.

All this before 9.30am.

(Nominations for Super-Mum of the year gratefully received...Ha, ha!)

I have to record this as it happens rarely, well... actually this is the first time, but I digress.

After about an hour fiddling with shopping list, emails and tea break I wandered into Buckingham and did the usual shopping bit. Picked up some new watercolour paper, I bought a block this time (so called because all the sheets are glues together on all 4 sides. Which means you can paint on them directly without them cockling! No need to stretch the paper. The latter being a particular bane at the moment.) I loaded the car up but the road was blocked by an ambulance. I decided to wait for him to move and used the opportunity for a little sketching. The ambulance in the street would have been good, but I reckoned they might be leaving quickly so I'd better just do the ambulance. I did the street once he'd driven off.

Here's the ambulance... and here's the street...

My cars are definitely improving... ambulances, I'm not so sure - helps when they don't drive away before you do the wheels. I'm not complaining, I hope the elderly lady they took to hospital will be OK.

The rest of the day went quite well. I've now reached the point in the exhibition painting where I can apply paint. Second time around. I've also started a night scene, more info on that another day. No caricatures today. Will have to start a "caricature a day" again.

I escaped...WOOHOO!

I snuck out for a few hours this afternoon. Freedom, love my kids but love my space too. I managed to do some sketching. I managed 2, this one of a bridge which looks more than a little rough and the other a view at the garden centre - while I was having a coffee. I let Andrew decide which one to post, he chose this one.

I finished the abstracts this morning. It takes a while to remove the masking fluid without ripping the paper, but they've come out well.
I really must do some portraits or caricatures, I haven't done any since Monday. I'm awaiting some details before I start with the commission. So now to do a portrait...or caricature... who and what style? Decisions, decisions...

More sketchbook studies

Today was my craft day, so not much drawing done. I managed the sketch on the right this afternoon. The ink sketch on the left was done on Saturday.

Out and about, again!

Finally, I had a day without children. Ewan was off Wednesday to Friday last week, sigh! He's much better now. I had a few small tasks to do in Buckingham today, so I took advantage of the situation to do some sketching. It was going to be a watercolour pencil sketch but got converted into a line and wash, seems to work better for buildings.

I've left the sketchbook edges, for artistic effect, yes, that's it. I've been doing a lot of buildings over the last year as they're something I've tended to avoid. I never felt I was any good at them, I'm coming around. I also tend to be put off by complex buildings, but I'm realising that they're actually easier.
I've also started a two abstracts, I love days when I get some control over what I do!

Sketchbook

My brain has been functioning like a sponge today. Not in a "good at absorbing information and ideas" way but in an "everything just pours out the moment you try and do anything" way. Not good if you're trying to focus your ideas.

I managed to finish this little sketch of a house in Buckingham. I've managed to get to grips with watercolour in my moleskine sketchbook. Something I've been actively avoiding since my first disastrous attempt. As usual with art, different absorbencies of paper require slightly different approaches

but otherwise I've been focusing on sales avenues and I still haven't managed to complete a support document to go with my online gallery application. I think I'll do some drawing for the rest of the evening and come back to it tomorrow!