Three Wheel Glory

I went out for a ride on my new bike this morning, saw this little van and I just had to sketch it.

Biro, A6 moleskin, Skeppsholmen, Stockholm, 20130629

Midsummer's eve in central Stockholm

Stockholm is empty on midsummer's eve, only tourists walk the streets. Swedes are celebrating the year's mid-point out in the country side and the archipelago. I decided to go for a cycle into town late in the afternoon and did this watercolour sketch of Stockholm's Town Hall.

Stockholm Town Hall, A5 watercolour, Moleskin note book.

One more

Ha, I squeezed in this sketch into my lunch break too! 

Lunch sketch

No opportunities to watercolour at the moment. A quick sketch from my screen at work the only possibility. 

Upside down world

For the last three weeks we've had a carpenter re flooring the apartment. It's was a crazy idea to live there while it was being done, and painting watercolours was just not a possibility. Anyway, the apartment is finished now and it's looking great. Once all the dust has been removed, and the furniture put back in place - I'll be back in business. Last night I did this quick sketch, I had no reference, so it's from the mind, strange place; my mind.

Summer break from life drawing

Venue: Konstnärshuset

This was the last life drawing session before the summer break. I guess I'll have to sketch from photos I find on the internet for a few months. I certainly don't want to stop drawing the human form just because of holidays! 

Five minute watercolour sketch

Five minute watercolour sketch

Five minute watercolour sketch

Two minute pencil sketch

Two minute pencil sketch

Charles de Gaulle Airport

I sketched this bored traveller in the airport bar on the way home from France at the weekend.



Bored

Old wrecks and me

I have had a lot of time to reflect on what I actually want to sketch and paint while on holidays. Basically, there is an awful lot of subjects that do not inspire me and a few that do. One of the few that do are old boat wrecks here in the harbour of Paimpol, Brittany.

Wrecks in Paimpol, Brittany. A4 Fabriano Paper, 50% cotton.

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