Watercolouring in Brittany

Yes, I have a whole week to myself and I'm sketching and watercolouring intensely. The painting of the three boats below is my effort from this afternoon. I messed up the sky, I lost the white clouds I tried to create but otherwise I am happy with the result. Tonight, I will look at my Charles Reid DVD again and try and improve my cloud-forming-technique. There is always something to learn! :)

Holiday in Brittany. 20130528, A3 watercolour.

Sketching in Brittany

I am enjoying a short holiday in Paimpol, Brittany. My goal is to sketch and paint as much as I can while I am here. Unfortunately the weather has other ideas, it's very windy, showers expected and 14 degrees. Artists have to be tough! ;)

The Hardware Store, Paimpol, Brittany, 20130527

The Body Builder Returns

Venue: The Swedish Academy of Realist Art (SARA) 20130523

I spent two hours trying my best to capture the body builder's character. I'm relatively pleased with it, learned a lot as I painted. I'm using cheap 508x406mm / 20x16 inches, 300g watercolour paper, I think at this stage it is time to move up to Arches or some equivalent quality paper, I'm creating fewer disasters these days. ;)

The Body Builder 20130523

Life drawing again - wonderful feeling

Venue: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm.

It was only a short break, but it felt so much longer. It was so good to be life drawing again. I was relaxed too and not stressed which is so important when drawing. The model was excellent, very professional and expressive. It's not good to stress, it's better to sketch! ;) All sketches were on A4 sized paper, actually the watercolour paper (200g) was a little larger but I don't know the actual measurements.

5 minute watercolour sketch. 20130521

10 minute watercolour sketch. 20130521

5 minute watercolour sketch. 20130521

5 minute watercolour sketch. 20130521 by David Meldrum (Cropped)

10 minute watercolour sketch. 20130521

2 minute pencil sketch. 20130521

2 minute pencil sketch. 20130521

2 minute pencil sketch. 20130521

Joaquín Sorolla

A Spanish impressionist that I admire. This one is for sale at Sotheby's in London! Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) Niños en la playa, Valencia, 27.5 X 39.5 in, oil on canvas.

Visit WikiPainting.org to see his work.

Other Sorolla links here:

I've been too busy to focus on my own art, but tonight I hope to go to life drawing  :)

Aleah Chapin

Aleah Chapin won the BP portrait award last year. Visit her site and you will understand why. Absolutely, brilliant work, so honest and beautiful in it's execution. Visit her site here.

Painting by Aleah Chapin

The City of London Sketch

I am currently at a web conference here in London. It's cold and wet, but I guess that's the way if should be. Anyway, I managed to squeeze in this watercolour sketch during the lunch break.

Chiswell Street, London

Margaret Bowland - Painter of beauty.

I like her choice of subject matter. Taboo breaking is healthy and refreshing. She is also a very talented portrait painter, which is the icing on the cake! Visit her web site here.

Painting by Margaret Bowland

David Bowie at the V&A, London

I visited the David Bowie exhibition at the V&A yesterday. I'm a moderate fan of his music so I wasn't totally blown over by what I experienced. If you're mad about Bowie then it's a must! 

Watercolouring at life drawing again

"It's challenging!" I think that's all I need to say about trying to paint five and ten minute poses. The ten minute watercolour below was my best attempt.

Ten minute nude

Two minute sketch

The Body Builder

Venue: The Swedish Academy of Realist Art (SARA)

I enjoyed this two hour session last Thursday, I took it easy and did not stress. I have been practising my skin tones in a watercolour-paper- sketchbook, I think it is starting to have an affect, all the practice I do. I'm starting to feel more and more confident with each stroke of the brush, practice, practice. 
I haven't been publishing much lately, I'm so busy with other things than art. Sweden is very much a place of two seasons, the ice has recently melted, I put the summer tyres on the car and this weekend it was the boat's turn to be put in the water and the mast put on. Summer is coming! :)

The Body Builder, A3 watercolour, 2013.05.02