Dovecote

Over the bank holiday I had some time in the evening to watch a coupe of watercolour videos.

I liked the Tom Wilmot instructions and I gave one a try on a trip to some stables in Surrey. They have an old dovecote in the grounds and I was able to spend 90 minutes sketching and painting.

I did spend more time drawing the buildings that the Tom instructions, as i wanted to get the dimensions correct. I’m using a modified technique with a compass. I measure the mark on my drawing with a compass and then hold it up to the same place on the building. Keeping my arms at the same distance I move to another part of the building and adjust the compass to the new dimension. This is now the exact size I need for my drawing. The compass lead allows me to mark the paper and if the same dimension is needed on another place I can use it again. Neat. And I think it works. I only do this a couple of times then I can work normally.

I went too busy with the sky, trying to emulate TW video, not the best. A great start! However, as this was a trial I pressed on. TW’s style is more impressionistic and is quite loose. I’ve added a horse and rider for interest. They makes a square with the dovecote and also the riders head flows into the tree above, which curves over towards the dovecote. It was midday when I painted which did not help with the shadows. Would have been nicer to have them longer and darker.

I need to think more about colours and get a balance in the picture.

 

watercolour

Dovecote

A later drawing

Drawing

Dovecote drawing

 

 

Porto

On a recent revisit to Porto in Portugal, that had been booked up last year, I managed to find time for a couple of sketches.

The first one would make an interesting postcard and perhaps is something I can do more of in the future. It includes the famous Eiffel bridge, the cathedral, the statue outside the cathedral, the town hall tower, at typical roof top, a church close to the hotel, a custard tart, seagull, tourist boat, tram and Taylor’s port warehouse.

The second is of the Porto harbour and I was dodging rain showers and noisy teenagers.

 

pen and wash

Scenes of Porto

pen and ink

Porto harbour

Flo & Matilda

We had a visit from my nephew and  his family and it was great to see the two girls with so much energy and life. I took some photos while they were playing, with the idea of painting their portraits. I wanted to try out very subtle washes and also work on a larger scale than my previous efforts. I’m pleased with the efforts and may frame them up as a gift.

watercolour

Flo & Tilly

Down to the Duoro

I’m finding it very hard to try new techniques out. As soon as I lose concentration I fall back in to automation painting mode. A typical example is this painting of the Duoro at Oporto.

I started with the left hand side and tried so hard to get texture and tonal range with the washes. But when I got lost in the detail I painted the right hand side in the same old flat wash way. I could add another series of washes to this side but don’t have the knowledge of what to do next.

watercolour

Down to the Duoro

I’ve reviewed the painting and spoken to a couple of people and we feel the contrasts were not strong enough. The shadows down the steps and on the houses need to be deeper so that the blue of the river can really ‘pop’ out. Also we will get greater contrast with the vegetation and more depth in the distance – I hope.

watercolour

Down to the Duoro

this looks better in my opinion. Next… what about adding a little bit of life with some people?

 

Annecy

I’ve selected a very dramatic picture of Annecy to work on for my next project. I wanted to try out a wash with a reflection and this one was ideal. However, the subject was complex and I wanted to keep the style loose and the washes simple. I’ve manage to do this in parts but there is something not quite right about the result. It may take time before I can work out what it is that’s not clicking.

I used winsor blue green and cerulean for the sky and water, with Prussian blue at the base.

I like the sky, mountain, steeple and roof tops. The water works well but the buildings are doing something odd.

Watercolour

Annecy

The bridge is horizontal but taking a photo of painting like this is tricky.

 

Arch with mother and child

An earlier post contained small pictures of Moroccan people caught on camera. I was interested in developing these images with larger works and had an afternoon spare. So I’ve used a simple backdrop, continuing with the theme of arches, to try this out. There is a story and balance to the picture and I’ve kept it simple. There are more colours in the walls that I normally use, which I think has worked.

Essaouria

Moroccan Mother and Child

 

It came to me that the boy was looking at something. So I’ve added a Moroccan ginger tom, on the hunt. The cat is also looking around – at what? Question, does the cat looking around draw you out of the picture?

With added cat

With added cat

South Kensington

Excited about an artist I’ve just found on this site, http://www.artgallery.co.uk/artist/paul_burgess and I’m thinking about how I can take my art away from total Representational. Paul has a philosophy that moves his thinking forward. I’m not there yet but this is a journey (cliche) and I’m starting with a painting.

I want to do well in the summer at Pinto Rapido and so this subject is taken from the borough of Kensington & Chelsea. As always, it starts with a drawing. Here it is. I’m inspired by the different colours in the scene and when included will transform this busy scene. Tonal range will be important as well as perspective. BUMFROPP? – well not all of it but I need to think about these values.

Pencil drawing

South Kensington

Why this particular scene. Well its one that’s typical of the area, it has the tall white buildings, the tube and the Natural History  towers in the back ground. The trees provide green and perspective and there will be other colours included from the buildings. Also not too many cars will spoil the scene. Finally I think there is a space to sit and view this scene PleinAir  without being in the way and hopefully with shade.

Later……

This is a little study of the building on the side, with the first tree.

South Kensington

South Ken building and tree

And this one of the tube station, still to add some people.

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South Kensington station

Well, here is the almost completed version. Its not come out as expected. The composition is wrong. Far too busy in the background and too simple in the foreground. The trees help perspective but they have become the focus and this is not right. There should be a meaning to the picture if only a sense of mystery or reason. But there is nothing here. Also I’ve tried to get everything into the picture and made it all too small. Perhaps people in the foreground or a London bus, but where? So I need to think it all through again. Better now that on the day.

Watercolour

South Ken

Carpet Shop

Once again I’ve managed to be both pleased and disappointed. Perhaps its the fact that the painting is over and its not quite achieved the potential I was hoping for. With a painting that takes a bit longer than normal you need to keep your ideas fresh, the vision on track and the momentum going so that a painting is finished.

I think I did lose track of this one. Forgot some of the ideas and composition concepts I was hoping to employ. Its very bright and busy and it might appeal to someone who has been to Morocco.

Essaouria

Carpet Shop with cats

 

Frozen on camera

Searching for a new subject to inspire and create from is always a challenge and the Moroccan trip has been a rich seam to tap. On the pictures I’ve used and the resources I have to hand are characters frozen in time. In some of the paintings I’ve recently produced I’ve included some characters, such as the sleeping boy in the fabric seller and the dock manager in Dry Dock. (I’m sure he owns the Range Rover on the other side of the painting).

It seems animals are safer to add – cats, dogs, horses or seagulls but people are tricky. Too much  detail and they can become cartoons or caricatures. As usual I’ve been looking at how other artists attempt people.

Edward Seago is a master of the simple wash.

Edward Seago

Edward Seago

Geoffrey Wynne often creates coloured silhouettes

Geoffrey Wynne

Geoffrey Wynne

David Howell develops delightful characters (so French)

David Howell

David Howell

I’ve been looking through my Moroccan photos and pulling out some characters wearing traditional dress. The three girls had ventured onto a sea wall and were chatting together. The rear view of the donkey cart driver, a man striding across a square, a couple shopping in the Medina and three musicians walking to their next victims. All to be included in another painting, one day.

Moroccans

Moroccans

Night Market Marrakech

I had the idea of creating an atmospheric painting of the Night Market in Marrakech. It was to be a more impressionistic painting and create the feeling of a huge crowd gathering for the night’s entertainment around the tented stalls and benches of the street food in the square. I had taken a picture of the scene and had a wonderful sunset to work on and the remarkable event itself. The painting style was to be looser than I normally go for as the poor light would diffuse hard edges and reduce detail. The sky was harder than I had bargained for but I think I’ve learnt some lessons for next time. (?) Recreating spotlights from a photo with watercolor is a challenge, better to use acrylic or oil I think. Well here it is. Not completely sure what it is…

Morocco

Night Market, Marrakech