Two steps forward...

...and one backwards. The last week has been a bit of a backward step for me. Seven days ago, I thought I had mastered it, watercolouring. I was silly of course to think this way. I was painfully reminded that I am in fact a student of art. My last four watercolours have been flops, very frustrating. This quick watercolour below, which I painted this evening may mean that I am starting to move in a forward direction again. What a relief if this is the case, but then again, I haven't started my next watecolour yet, so we will see.

Moleskin watercolour notebook, 13 x 20.5 cm.

Sketching in Stockholm

Once a month a small group of sketchers and I meet and have great fun doing what we enjoy most - having coffee!

Långholmen, Stockholm, 20130825

Långholmen, Stockholm, 20130825

Monday's naked hand

I gave this hand two washes and then stopped, I was planning to add a few more but realised that I was happy with it after two. It is interesting when one gets the message to stop. Sometimes, it comes too late of course.

Moleskin watercolour notebook, 9 x 14 cm.

Porn?

Firstly, I would just like to say that I am very happy with the execution of this painting. It was the first time I used 100% cotton paper (Arches Rough, 300gsm),  and wow, what a difference it makes. It is so much easier to paint on high quality paper.
The only problem I have with this painting is the subject matter. Why is it that a naked person who looks you in the eye, feel pornographic? Why do naked models who look away from you or have their eyes closed feel like classic art nudes? I have a problem with this, Lucian Freud did not but then again, he was not exactly glamorising his subjects either. The next nude I paint will have a cloth over her head, let's see how that feels!
I paint, I learn and I paint some more...

Autumn, 38 x 76cm / 15 x 22"

Two naked hands

I managed to draw and paint two hands during my lunch break today. I'm quite happy with them, it's difficult to paint on such a small format. I feel that my watercolouring skills are improving, this feels very rewarding.

Naked hands

Lunch sketch painted in my mini-watercolour Moleskin.

Introducing The Naked Hand

I try and do a sketch or a painting during my lunch break at work as often as possible. I really would like to practice my figure painting but having pictures of naked people on my computer screen is a bit of a sensitive issue to say the least. So, I have found the solution - hands! Yes, naked hands! Nude hands! It's genius, I can practice my watercolour skin tones and hand drawing at the same time. Only I see the naked truth.

The Naked Hand (24x32cm, Canson 200 g/m²)

Watercolour sketches from Corfu

I had big plans to do a whole bunch of watercolours on my sailing trip. In reality it was almost impossible to concentrate for any length of time in the 35-36 degrees of heat. Still, I had a wonderful holiday and my batteries are charged. The sketches are A5 in size approximately.

Reversed perspective. ( It felt right at the time! )

Home from Corfu

Here are a few more A5 pencil sketches from my holiday sailing around Corfu. The sketch book was a present from my son. :)

Sailing around Corfu

I have been sailing around Corfu for the last week. 35 degrees, almost too hot to do anything, even sketch. ;)