Having developed an idea for a drawing, I then needed to get a better idea of what the component parts of the drawing might actually look like. These studies in my sketchbook are taken part from life, and part from photos sources from the internet.
Author Archives: Carole
Annelies Strba at the Bronte Parsonage Museum
Yesterday morning, a friend took me up to the Bronte Parsonage Museum to see an exhibition by Annelies Strba. Strba had produced a series of haunting images in response to the Brontes and their home. The images are digitally manipulated photographs of her daughters and granddaughters (I believe), and they have a fairy tale quality to them. They are displayed on small canvases, carefully placed throughout the rooms of the museum, as if they were objects that could have been owned by the Brontes. I found that these small, luminous images added a feminine spirit to the rooms, as if they were the spirits of the Bronte girls themselves. In fact, I think they represent dreams – actually, Strba’s dreams but they could be the dreams of poor Emily Bronte who died on the sofa in the house. The story of the Brontes is actually quite sad – the last remaining daughter, Charlotte, was only 38 when she died in childbirth – a death tragically prophesied by her Father who didn’t want her to marry her curate husband as he was afraid he would kill her. Some of Strba’s pictures are quite dark, possibly in response. Others explore feminine experience in quite an imaginative way, particularly one positioned over one of Branwell’s paintings of Madonna and Child, which I think explores what Mary’s actual experience might have been.
Overall, an extremely rewarding exhibition, and I would definitely recommend a visit. It’s on until 31 October this year.
Drawing from imagination
Pencil in sketchbook.
This is a new and challenging exercise for me. Usually, I find an image to paint or draw, and then work out what meanings can be read from it. To try something different, I tried to think how to express an idea through drawing. This is entirely done from imagination with no visual reference (can you tell?!) It is the first part of a series which I am working on, exploring my reactions to fairy tales – and the role of the ‘princess’ in particular.
Related to this, I’ve rediscovered the old Ladybird Books ‘Well Loved Tales’. I’ve managed to find a couple of these books which seem very familiar from my childhood – ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘The Princess and the Pea’. Looking at them again, some of the illustrations are very familiar indeed, whilst others I can’t remember at all. Obviously as a child, I had favourite pictures which I looked at again and again. I plan to use this somehow – but I’m not sure how yet!
Three more dolls
More observational drawing. Trying to loosen up a bit. Brush pen and watersoluble pencil in sketchbook.
Spank
Ink and wash. I need a lot more practice with watercolour washes. I think I am using too small a brush, so I’ve bought a size 14 round brush to have a play with.
Strange siblings
Charcoal and chalk on tinted fabriano paper
Soft sculpture and drawing practice
Remember ‘id’? Well, I made another one.
But what do you do with them? I decided to use them for drawing practice. Because I do a lot of my work from photographs, I need more experience drawing from life. I did the following small sketches (about A5 size) using the dolls as still life models. I used dip pen and indian ink, which forces me to focus on making an image using lines only, therefore thinking how to use a range of marks to suggest areas of tone. I also drew them fairly quickly, and directly with the pen.
Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade Update
Photo: from the Hebweb. See more photos.
Well, this is why I’ve been quiet around here. The last two weeks have been completely taken up with helping to make this fantastic parade happen. I’ve been helping the parade artists to run public workshops where people have been making their own costumes for the parade. This involved, amongst other things, finishing off, bagging up, and name-labelling over a hundred individual costumes.
The parade itself was just enormous fun. There were three bands, stilt performers and enormous puppets made by the artists to accompany the parade. The weather teased us with a few showers, but actually managed sunshine for a good part of the morning. Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun, and it is probably one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. My own role was to keep a bunch of frogs dancing, swimming, hopping, clapping and generally enjoying the parade. Today my calf muscles are complaining bitterly, but I’d do it all again tomorrow if I could. Roll on next year!
Bridesmaid (Painting)
Oil on canvas 2′ x 2’6″
I used a few new techniques with this one – mainly quite a lot of blending in with clumps of kitchen roll! I think fingers were used too. Sometimes a brush just doesn’t do the job. I’ve also used a glossy medium on the dress to make it sparkle (although I think some of it got into other areas too, but c’est la vie).
Auction Update
Well, I’m very pleased to report that both pictures sold! The auction went very well, and we raised nearly £1,000 for the Big Shed Arts community project.
In other news, I volunteered for my first community arts event yesterday. We spent the day with a primary school, doing block printing with them to create colourful flags which will be carried in the Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade on July 19th. I had a fabulous time (and so, hopefully, did the children!) but I have never been so tired in my life! I take my hat off to all teachers everywhere – they do an amazing job.