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| Alberto Giacometti pencil sketch on Fabriano A4, 21 x 29,7 cm |
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Lunch time portrait
I seem to want to draw and paint artists that I admire. This week's offering is Alberto Giacometti. I should have made his nose a little longer and a little bigger but otherwise I am happy with the result. Normally I tend to draw very quickly so this was an exercise in patience for my part. It took 90 minutes roughly to complete.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Tuesday's life drawing
Location: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, 20140225
This weeks model enjoyed testing our abilities to the limits. He formed all sorts of strange angles and shapes with his body. I enjoyed it immensely, although I did feel quite tired after the two hour session was over.
This weeks model enjoyed testing our abilities to the limits. He formed all sorts of strange angles and shapes with his body. I enjoyed it immensely, although I did feel quite tired after the two hour session was over.
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| Five minute pose |
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| Five minute pose |
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| Five minute pose |
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| Two minute pose |
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| Two minute pose |
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Suddenly there was magic
Location: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, 20140218
Well, normally I am very self-critical but this time I have to admit that I'm totally happy with my life drawings. Instead of shading with a 6B lead, I used pastels. A friend uses charcoal and I was envious of the amount of shading he was able to achieve for each pose. With a 6B one has to shade carefully otherwise it looks rough and unattractive to the eye. This takes time and time is short at the life drawing sessions. So using pastels is perfect, they are quick, colourful and create smooth fills. I do not like charcoal as it creates intense contrasts. This results in very dramatic drawings which is something I do not want achieve. I'm searching for a more sensual, softer approach.
Well, normally I am very self-critical but this time I have to admit that I'm totally happy with my life drawings. Instead of shading with a 6B lead, I used pastels. A friend uses charcoal and I was envious of the amount of shading he was able to achieve for each pose. With a 6B one has to shade carefully otherwise it looks rough and unattractive to the eye. This takes time and time is short at the life drawing sessions. So using pastels is perfect, they are quick, colourful and create smooth fills. I do not like charcoal as it creates intense contrasts. This results in very dramatic drawings which is something I do not want achieve. I'm searching for a more sensual, softer approach.
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| Five minute nude |
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| Five minute nude |
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| Five minute nude |
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| Five minute nude |
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| Five minute nude |
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| Two minute nude |
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| Five minute nude |
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Lars the Body Builder
Location: Basis, Stockholm, 20140215
I've drawn Lars many times. He is fun, he has a name for each of his poses, like the ones below: "The Base Ball Player", "The Prisoner", "Björn Borg" and "The Egg". I cannot remember the title of the first pose unfortunately.
I've drawn Lars many times. He is fun, he has a name for each of his poses, like the ones below: "The Base Ball Player", "The Prisoner", "Björn Borg" and "The Egg". I cannot remember the title of the first pose unfortunately.
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| Ten minutes |
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| Ten minutes |
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| Two minutes |
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| Two minutes |
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| Ten minutes |
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Tuesday's Life Drawing
Location: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, 20140211
Today I improved some of the sketches I did at yesterday evening's life drawing session, the first drawing especially, it was originally just a two minute sketch with little detail. I enjoyed finishing it and adding some design into the mix.
Today I improved some of the sketches I did at yesterday evening's life drawing session, the first drawing especially, it was originally just a two minute sketch with little detail. I enjoyed finishing it and adding some design into the mix.
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| Two minutes plus ten |
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| Ten minutes |
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| Two minutes |
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| Five minutes + two |
Monday, February 10, 2014
Dear Charles,
"Dear Charles Reid, sorry for painting you in such a way that you look like you just survived a bar fight."
Yes, too much red but I still enjoyed this lunch time watercolour. I used Arches 300g NOT paper, 18 x 26 cm.
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| Charles Reid - Watercolour Artist and Teacher |
Karl Mårtens - A Quest For The Unexpected
I bought this wonderful book by Karl Mårtens at, Konst & Folk Gallery. I really like karl's approach to watercolouring, a mixture of Zen Buddhism, Scandinavian simplicity, Japanese calligraphy and natural artistic talent. I had a look around on the internet and have not found it so you'll need to visit the gallery if you want to buy it.
Visit Karl Mårtens website here.
Konst och Folk
Hornsgatan 32-34,
11820 Stockholm
Tel: +46 8 644 60 60
Email: galleriet@konstochfolk.se
http://www.konstochfolk.se/
Sunday, February 09, 2014
The less time the better
Honestly, the more time I spend on a drawing the more I wreck it with uncertainty. Keeping it pure isn't easy after two minutes. This is why I haven't shown any of my drawings that were longer that two minutes this time around.
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| Two minutes |
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| Two minutes |
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| Two minutes |
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| Two minutes |
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| Two minutes - plus a little more shading |
Saturday, February 08, 2014
How to pass time on the train
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| Batman |
I found this while wasting time surfing, it made me smile.
Click here to view the Tumblr page full of these wonderful images.
Wednesday, February 05, 2014
Struggle and reward
Location: Könstnärshuset, Stockholm, 20140204
It was a struggle to begin with, I have not drawn a male model for a while and so the muscular torso threw me at the start. He was a dancer, skinny, with small butt and bird-like legs. After a few drawings I started to tune in to what I was seeing. I think I'm drawing lines at a slower pace these days, I look often at the subject as I draw the contour. I think that is key, draw what you see and not what you think you see. Anyway, I got a lot of satisfaction out of yesterday evening.
It was a struggle to begin with, I have not drawn a male model for a while and so the muscular torso threw me at the start. He was a dancer, skinny, with small butt and bird-like legs. After a few drawings I started to tune in to what I was seeing. I think I'm drawing lines at a slower pace these days, I look often at the subject as I draw the contour. I think that is key, draw what you see and not what you think you see. Anyway, I got a lot of satisfaction out of yesterday evening.
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| Ten minutes |
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| Five minutes |
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| Five minutes |
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| Two minutes |
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| Five minutes |
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| Ten minutes |
Sunday, February 02, 2014
Madame Flex
Location: Basis, Stockholm, Saturday, 20140201.
Saturday's model was incredible in the way she could flex and bend her body into the most impossible positions. What was even more impressive was the fact that she could hold these poses for ten minutes without much effort. She left us feeling exhausted after trying to work out the lines of her anatomy during the two hour session. It was fun.
Saturday's model was incredible in the way she could flex and bend her body into the most impossible positions. What was even more impressive was the fact that she could hold these poses for ten minutes without much effort. She left us feeling exhausted after trying to work out the lines of her anatomy during the two hour session. It was fun.
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| Two minutes |
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| Two minutes |
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| Two minutes |
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| Between five and ten minutes |
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| Ten minutes |
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| Two minutes |
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
A favourite of mine
Location: Konstnärshuset, Stockholm
It is always easier to sketch when one enjoys the subject that one is trying to capture on paper. This was the case for me yesterday evening when I drew one of my favourite models.
It is always easier to sketch when one enjoys the subject that one is trying to capture on paper. This was the case for me yesterday evening when I drew one of my favourite models.
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| 5 minutes |
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| 5 minutes |
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| 5 minutes |
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| 5 minutes |
Social sketching
Normally, for the last few weeks at any rate, I have been alone sketching each day at the Central Station here in Stockholm. Last Sunday was a different story though, because seven other urban-sketchers joined me for an afternoon of sketching at the station. We are all members of a group called "Skissa i Stockholm" which translated means - Sketching in Stockholm. Anyway, fun that so many turned up. It was a lovely afternoon. The coffee break taking up a large chunk of the available time, but that's normal. We artists love to talk about our pencils! If anyone in Stockholm would like to join our group, please do let me know, "the more the merrier", as they say.
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| Albert & Jack's, Central Station, Stockholm |
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Lunch time portrait of Frida
As usual, I'm not totally happy with my effort but I'm not totally disappointed either. I spent three half-hour lunch breaks painting her in total. Painted on Fabriano 50% Cotton paper, 23x30cm.
...After thought:
Looking at the portrait again the day after, I have to admit that I am happy with the result. I should not really comment on my work until at least 24hrs have passed.
...After thought:
Looking at the portrait again the day after, I have to admit that I am happy with the result. I should not really comment on my work until at least 24hrs have passed.
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| Frida Kahlo de Rivera - 20140128 |
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Saturday's Life Drawing
Location: Basis, Stockholm
Great model, the same girl as last weekend. I was not really in good shape physically but I managed to produce a few decent sketches. If you don't feel good, it's hard to be good!
Great model, the same girl as last weekend. I was not really in good shape physically but I managed to produce a few decent sketches. If you don't feel good, it's hard to be good!
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| 10 minutes |
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| 15 minutes |
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| 5 minutes |
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| 3 minutes |
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