Northlight Art Studios where I have my studio are starting a new term of art classes from 12 April 2010. So if you live in Calderdale and have always fancied trying your hand at painting and drawing; or if you want to join a class with like minded artistic folk, take a look. The tutors are relaxed and friendly and have some inspiring exercises to help you produce work that you will be proud of!
Category Archives: Drawing
More sploshy watercolour …
Carpet baby in sepia watercolour
Sepia watercolour and a BIG brush. I’m enjoying this loose watercolour work. It helps me concentrate on negative spaces and tones.
Bathtime
- Bath
Sepia watercolour on fabriano paper. I was inspired by the watercolour drawings of Marlene Dumas to have a go at drawing with a very loose watercolour wash. I invested in a decent size watercolour brush, which cost what seemed like a ridiculous amount of money. But it is superb to use. It holds a lot of water, but also goes down to a tiny point at the end so that you can actually make very fine marks with it if you need to. I drew directly with the paint, without doing any pencil drawing first and I do enjoy this spontaneous way of working. You get what you get, basically, and that can be quite interesting.
Carpet baby in pastels
Baby on carpet in pastel
Pastels on paper.
I never know whether something rendered using pastels is defined as a drawing or a painting. What do you think?
Bouncing Baby
Baby in bouncy chair
Pencil in sketchbook.
Double-take
Two face baby
Pencil in sketchbook. This is one of those drawings which ‘went wrong’ but I didn’t erase the lines. I find this ‘two face’ effect quite interesting – a sort of double-take. Which is what I did when I realised it was going to be 2009 – I just wasn’t ready for it. 2008 went far too fast. Happy New Year anyway!
Dad’s hat sketch, and creative cooking
Dad's Hat Drawing
Pencil in sketchbook.
Drawing these photographs in my sketchbook helps me to think about which ones I might want to paint. It also helps me get to grips with the forms, which helps me when I do paint them. This is an image that I am now starting to paint onto canvas. I may post some works in progress to document how I make decisions in the process of making a painting.
Yesterday, I was cooking tea with bits and bobs, and I realised that I was approaching the process of ‘making tea’ in exactly the same way as I do a painting. I start with an idea (fry up some onions and chorizo), then make the rest up as I go along (need vegetables – how about courgettes – let’s chop them very small just for fun – now, how about some cannelini beans – oh look, it’s all gone creamy, perhaps I won’t put any tomatoes in – just season it with lots of black pepper and some herby salt and leave it alone.) Does anyone else find they use their creative skills in their cooking (or anything else?)
Drawn with love and care
toddler with blue eyes
Fine pencil in sketchbook.
‘Kiss’ Drawing
5b pencil drawing in sketchbook
I’ve been having a bit of a fallow period art-wise, having been busy with other things, and with less going on at college. I’m having to learn how to pick myself up, and work out what things will get me making art again. Drawing in my sketchbook seems to work – my sketchbook is like a cosy room where I can go and draw in privacy, and I don’t have to show anyone if I don’t want to. Another activity which is getting me inspired to start ‘doing’ again is reading about art. I picked up my copy of Artists’ Newsletter and started to read some articles, and that’s doing the trick nicely.
What kinds of things get you making art again after a fallow period?
Boy and bike drawing
5B pencil on fabriano paper
This is a preliminary drawing for a commission. There will be a painting to follow.