I love seeing people's sketchbooks. When you imagine a scene in your head are you able to see every detail or do you just get little glimpses and then have to try to fit them together best you can (like me)? I'm suspecting the former because I find it sooo hard to do this kind of painting and you're obviously very good at it!
Thanks Lesley, I'll try to explain ….. I think it is more the latter, a spontaneous sketch which happens quite quickly and you have to be alert to its unfolding, sometimes they go wrong, but that’s part of the experience! I did several quick paintings after looking landscape studies/sketches by the American artist, Andrew Wyeth, just as a starting point. They are very spontaneous water colour paintings using paints which dissolve easily ('St Petersburg'). The marks can suggest things, and bits just happen, rather like nature seems to just happen. I use good quality sable, one pretty large, no 48 I think to get paint on fast, and maybe a handy flexible Chinese brush. The paint suggests forms so one follows and often unexpected things happen. It can be quite exciting and fun to do but tricky – I may work on 2 or 3 simultaneously so they have drying time. Scratching and splashing can help too. I did this a while ago and didn't rate it at all till I needed a present for someone, so took a photo of it and then thought it has some interesting qualities. It is a very free way of working. In the past I have found some Chinese painting fascinating and in some way it has similarities. Hope that helps. PS I enjoy Your drawings - they are always show accurate observation and a good eye.
(NFS)
I love seeing people's sketchbooks. When you imagine a scene in your head are you able to see every detail or do you just get little glimpses and then have to try to fit them together best you can (like me)? I'm suspecting the former because I find it sooo hard to do this kind of painting and you're obviously very good at it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lesley, I'll try to explain ….. I think it is more the latter, a spontaneous sketch which happens quite quickly and you have to be alert to its unfolding, sometimes they go wrong, but that’s part of the experience! I did several quick paintings after looking landscape studies/sketches by the American artist, Andrew Wyeth, just as a starting point. They are very spontaneous water colour paintings using paints which dissolve easily ('St Petersburg'). The marks can suggest things, and bits just happen, rather like nature seems to just happen. I use good quality sable, one pretty large, no 48 I think to get paint on fast, and maybe a handy flexible Chinese brush. The paint suggests forms so one follows and often unexpected things happen. It can be quite exciting and fun to do but tricky – I may work on 2 or 3 simultaneously so they have drying time. Scratching and splashing can help too. I did this a while ago and didn't rate it at all till I needed a present for someone, so took a photo of it and then thought it has some interesting qualities. It is a very free way of working. In the past I have found some Chinese painting fascinating and in some way it has similarities. Hope that helps. PS I enjoy Your drawings - they are always show accurate observation and a good eye.
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