Friday, March 27, 2015

Wednesday's lunchtime painting

I could have been more subtle with the highlights but it was in my lunchtime rush. 45 minutes and done. :)

Lighthouse 17 x 12 cm, Fabriano HP 300g 20150325

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Tuesday's life drawing

Venue: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm 20150324

I used A3 paper instead of my normal A4 Fabriano, I was surprised by how much easier it was to draw curved lines. The only negative was that I could not use my scanner and had to photograph instead. Besides the latter, I really enjoyed sketching the model, she was great.

5 minute sketch

5 - 10 minute sketch

5 minute sketch

5 minute sketch

Add caption

5 minute sketch

5 minute sketch

Lunchtime watercolour

A little seascape completed during my lunch break.
Size: 14 x 9 cm på Fabriano HP 300g papper.
20150323

Seascape

Friday, March 20, 2015

Tuesday's life drawing

Venue: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm.

I had a good evening last Tuesday. I maintained a high level (says he) for the whole session which rarely happens, if ever. ( Click on one of the images to see a larger version.)

Figure drawing by David Meldrum
Five minute nude

Figure drawing by David Meldrum
Five minute nude

Figure drawing by David Meldrum
Five minute nude

Figure drawing by David Meldrum
Ten minute nude

Figure drawing by David Meldrum
Ten minute nude

Figure drawing by David Meldrum
Two minute nude

Figure drawing by David Meldrum
Two minute nude

Figure drawing by David Meldrum
Two minute nude

Figure drawing by David Meldrum
Two minute nude

Sunday, March 15, 2015

My first exhibition

I was delighted to have one of my paintings accepted  for the annual watercolour exhibition at Väsby Konsthall, an art gallery that's a short distance from Stockholm. This is my first time so it was a trill to be at the opening yesterday. One painting may be a modest start but for me it is a very important step in my development as an artist.

Yours truly ...
Väsby Konsthall
Väsby Konsthall

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Tuesday's life drawing

Venue: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, 20150310

A new model this week, at least I don't think I've drawn her before. She had a Egon Schiele type of body, skinny, long fingers and big hands with an unusual face. I really enjoyed sketching her, I hope I get to draw her again soon. It takes a few hours grind to get used to the contours of a new model.

Nude by David Meldrum 20150310
Five minute nude

Nude by David Meldrum 20150310
Five minute nude

Nude by David Meldrum 20150310
Five minute nude

Nude by David Meldrum 20150310
Five minute nude

Nude by David Meldrum 20150310
Two minute nude

Nude by David Meldrum 20150310
Two minute nude

Nude by David Meldrum 20150310
Two minute nude



Tuesday, March 10, 2015

A lunchtime watercolour

I was quite happy with this watercolour. I finished it within half an hour during my lunch break. I used two photographs as reference, one for subject and the other for lighting. It is very small at 7,8 x 11,5 cm. I used masking fluid for the lighthouse and reflection. I painted 3 layers and used my mini-hair dryer each time. Wish I could be this productive every lunchtime.

Watercolour by David Meldrum
30 minute watercolour. 7,8 x 11,5 cm.

Monday, March 09, 2015

Saturday's life drawing

Venue: Basis, Stockholm, 20150307

I love the social aspect of going to Saturday life drawing at Basis. The people there are so warm and friendly. It's a shame the lighting in the room is so bad, directional light is almost none existent. It gets better in the spring when natural light replaces the cold and cruel florescent tubes. I try not to let it affect me, this week I focused on line and detail - the shading was secondary. My bad period seems to be lifting, I feel more in harmony with my drawing. Grumpy artist, nothing worse.

10 minute nude, A4

10 minute nude

10 minute nude

2 minute nude

10 minute nude

Friday, March 06, 2015

Ups and downs

Venue; Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, 20150303

I am struggling at life drawing at the moment. That's the way it goes, up and down, great then bad. We even had a power-cut mid way through the last session, Had a great model but we were plunged into darkness during the coffee break and there was nothing else to do but go home early feeling a little bit depressed.
The good thing about a down period is that it is usually followed by an up.

Five minute nude by David Meldrum
5 minute nude

Five minute nude by David Meldrum
5 minute nude

Life drawing

Venue: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm. 20150219

Tired model. An uninspired artist. Not too many good drawings produced at this session.

10 minute nude 20150219

5 minute nude 20150219



Wednesday, March 04, 2015

Nordic watercolouring

Last Friday we went fishing on a frozen lake in Ljungdalen in the north of Sweden. The ice was one metre thick and it took us 30 minutes travelling uphill on our cross country skies to reach the lake. I painted, the water froze and the colour pigment behaved very weird on my paper but as luck would have it, I brought along my new mini-gas-burner. The first watercolour caught fire briefly, the masking tape flamed up on me, you can see the burn on the right hand side of the first painting. It was zero to minus five that day, I had fun trying to do some watercolouring in very extreme conditions. :)

Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden. by David Meldrum
Ljungdalen, Sweden. Moleskin watercolour notebook 200g, 29 x 21 cm

Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden by David Meldrum
Ljungdalen, Sweden. Moleskin watercolour notebook 200g, 29 x 21 cm

David Meldrum Painting on lake Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.
Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.

David Meldrum Painting on lake Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.
Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.

David Meldrum Painting on lake Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.
Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.

David Meldrum Painting on lake Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.
Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.

David Meldrum Painting on lake Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.
Öjön, Ljungdalen, Sweden.

Monday, March 02, 2015

Mini Still lifes

I was cross-country skiing in the mountains near Norway last week.When my aching body was trying to recover in the evenings, I painted. Here are two little still lifes from the trip: 7,8 x 11,5 cm.

Still life #1 
Still life #2