It's a long time since I actually spent all afternoon painting and have really just played. I have a commission I'm working on which I am finding tricky... 2 children... got him fine but struggling with his sister's mouth.... am hoping I don't have to start the whole thing again as there is so much I like about it but if I haven't captured her properly I might have to!!! So I left it alone, finished off a giraffe I had done a short while ago and did some practice looking at landscapes....it's one of my aims to get to grips with them this year and I am going on a short painting break to Anglesey with Joanne Boon Thomas (Joanne loves to paint en plein air and we will be doing a fair bit of that weather permitting) and a party of her friends who go each year and I am also going with my family as well to Anglesey for a long weekend... have never been before and now I'm going twice in one year!!
I have seen a demo
online about how to make a sketch book, no sewing, just a bit of folding and cutting so suits me perfectly as one of the reasons I don't use a sketch book is I hate the cartridge paper in the cheaper ones and the watercolour paper ones are so expensive.... I've used half imperial and it makes a book slightly smaller than A5 size which is fine and because of the way it is folded all sides can be used...for this size it makes 16 sheets, so I will be making a few more to take with me. I know Joanne does quite a lot of charcoal sketching en plein air so I will be taking a leaf out of her book!!
So for now here is the giraffe, am image from PMP by George J Pateman. I really must get to Chester Zoo... my family took me there for my 50th as I love it and it's an excellent zoo but I haven't been since so could do with checking out my new camera there.
Very limited palette here... couple of blues and burnt sienna, no drawing.....still trying for most of the time to go straight in with the paint, not always easy but I don't usually find animals too tricky and all good practice!!
Love the giraffe Judith! And soo lovely to hear you'll be visiting wonderful Wales - you will LOVE Anglesey! And you must get to Chester Zoo, a great place to practice your photography and to make small sketches - although I find it very difficult as the animals won't stay still! - so have all but given up and prefer to take plenty of reference photos instead (I know it's a bit of a cop out but anything to make life easier and it's certainly a lot quicker and a lot less daunting when you've got people looking over your shoulder!)
ReplyDeleteWell I do intend to do more plein air Sharon, but maybe not at such a busy place!! Really looking forward to Anglesey and the opportunities to paint and take photos, though spending time with the family is the no 1 priority.... we don't get chance to spend a lot of time together as my sons and partners all have such busy jobs, but good that they are making their way!!
DeleteYour giraffe is glorious. Love the looseness of the painting style. And the limited palette really works.
ReplyDeleteThanks Vandy.... I like him too, they look so comical... think I might lose a bit more of him if I painted it again.
DeleteHere's the link to the No Sew Journal… it is a Kate Johnson You Tube video… uses a single sheet of watercolor paper.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CffQyRdTDUc&feature=share&list=UU-0C-TE8q6f-AM_GadOvo7A
Thanks Elaine, have added it in to the text!!
DeleteGorgeous giraffe - love those blues.
ReplyDeleteI've seen one of those sketchbooks in the class I'm taking. Very cool - it's on my to do list definitely. Glad you are getting time to play :)
Hi Carmen, I have a few ready for Anglesey... not created hard backs for them yet but will do and yes really enjoyed my time. Haven't had much chance for playing recently so good fun to spend the afternoon!!
DeleteHello I saw the post shared by Artistic Blog and have a suggestion on the mouth. I have had same challenge and overcame the hard part. Take the picture and scale the mouth to your picture, meaning take a few measurements to get the layout right. This will give you the perspective of the correct angle of the mouth. The rest is up to shading. Best wishes, David of Ralston Art And Design
ReplyDeletewww.facebook.com/ralstonartdesign
Thanks you David... I have already done that... it's the teeth which I do know not to fully depict but the slightest bit which is off seems to be throwing it and spoiling the whole look of her... might try a bit of close gridding up see how that works.....
DeleteYou are welcome. Best of luck.
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