Quick sketch III

This was done in ultra-quick time. I had a load of small A5-sized paper with watercolour markings all over them and I started painting and drawing on them today allowing myself to be led by the marks. This one reminds me of the illustrations I used to love in childrens' books. I guess it is the innocence and softness of the lines.

"Avoiding the Day"

Pen, Watercolour, Gouache on Cartridge Paper - A5

Life Drawing Class....second time around.

Last night's second attempt at life drawing was inhibiting as we had a male model whose form was very difficult to depict and standing there in the squashed drawing room, I thought "what a strange way to spend an evening!". Yes, it was strange. My irritation subsided after acknowledging that I wasn't in the mood for stiff challenges, but I carried on and did some acceptable work. The 'head only' was the best but I had some additional problems because I thought the gouache tint I had painted on beforehand would be slightly more sturdy and permanent but all eraser marks wiped off a little of the colour which makes the finished work slightly untidy.  Two more classes and then a Summer break.  I am so out of practice.

 

Head in Profile

Graphite sanguine on gouache tinted paper - 30 x 21 cm

 

Head in Profile - Close up

Graphite and sanguine on gouache tinted paper - 30 x 21 cm
 

(Also posted on Anne C M Campbell : Art)

Sunday Sketches

I've often wondered how those brilliant (mostly American) illustrators were able to convey form and expression on a face with just cross-hatching so I tried it here. It does obviously convey more detail than charcoal ever could with a similar technique, but lots more practice is needed. Again, the photographs just don't show these small works properly. Maybe I should get a digital camera that can take good black and white shots. The paper is a creamy white in both sketches, but I just couldn't adjust them to look like the originals.  Not a problem really.

Portrait Sketch Pencil on Cartridge Paper - 9.5" x 7.5" (Approx.) 

Portrait Sketch Pencil on Cartridge Paper - 7" x 7.5" (Approx.)

Gesture Drawings 1.

Another first for the Drawing Vault - gesture drawings - and very quick ones at that. I found this super website that displays photographs of models specifically for artists to draw or paint from and as I haven't painted in front of a live model for years, this was a super find. I decided to start doing very quick drawings from this website tonight and to my dismay I find I am completely out of practice. I could draw better at school. I guess I shouldn't put any old drawing on this blog, but right now I'm not bothered as I want to see how my skills progress if I manage to draw each night, time permitting. These were done with pencil - charcoal is too messy for this late hour - and with a bit of luck my photography of drawings and sketches should improve over time as well.

"Three on the page"

"Head in Hand" - Close Up

"Foggy"

Back to the drawing board

I found this drawing half done in a folder tonight and decided to 'finish' it. It's based on a photograph which really isn't the best source material from which to create a portrait, but it was all I had and I just felt like letting rip for a while. I now know how much work needs to be done to get back to where I was some years ago before I started The Drawing Vault blog. It does look better in real life, I promise. I find photographing pencil and even the more matte charcoal very difficult. There's a trick somewhere to this genre of photography.

"Quick Portrait" 10" x 8" Pencil/Graphite on Cartridge paper