Reflections

The Toll House At Gunthorpe
Watercolour on Paper
18cm x 23cm (7" x 9")

Yesterday I attended my first meeting of the Shelford Group of Artists in 2015. Tony Slater's theme for the day was Reflections.

The picture is a view across the Trent on a bright but cold February afternoon. I've painted a similar scene before (see Shelford Group of Artists Easter Exhibition 2012). The buildings and some of the boats are the same, but the viewpoint is different.

It is interesting to study a painting from before I started The Natural Way to Draw. I'm glad there is an obvious increase in proficiency, but the more important differences are in how I draw, paint and see.

August 2015 Sketches

Garlic
29 August 2015
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A5 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 14.8cm (8.25" x 5.78")

I've enjoyed introducing colour into my sketches. I'm adding paint to most ink sketches. It is a good way to fit regular practice with watercolour into my schedule.

It's added some extra interest into the second half of the challenge to draw on every day in 2015.

Burrow Fields
9 August 2015
Ink and Watercolour
Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Sketchbook
20.3cm x 14.0cm (8.0" x 5.5")

The sketch of Burrow Fields is my first experiment with Exercise 17 (Large Washes: The Three Big Shapes) from The Urban Sketcher by Mark Taro Holmes (Citizen Sketcher).

Burrow Fields was an enjoyable subject on a warm day. Elaine came and sat with me. She read while I sketched and painted.

Exercise 17 is a stepping stone towards full blown watercolour sketches.

Its Raining Let's Have Ice Cream
31 August 2015
Ink and Watercolour
Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Sketchbook
20.3cm x 14.0cm (8.0" x 5.5")

This month I have focused on accuracy. I am trying to get into the habit of finding errors early and correcting them - even if this means reworking the whole drawing.

Scruffy Red Onions
11 August 2015
Ink and Watercolour
Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Sketchbook
20.3cm x 14.0cm (8.0" x 5.5")

I've also tried a single line sketching exercise from Marc’s  handout Making Expressive Pen And Ink Drawings On Location (https://citizensketcher.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/making-expressive-pen-and-ink-drawings-on-location.pdf).

The task in the exercise is to complete a sketch in four minutes using a single continuous line.

The objective is to develop fluidity and confidence. I've tried it a few times and it seems to make a difference. I've noticed an improvement that carries over into my pencil sketching.

Royal Oak - Car Colston
28 August 2015
Ink and Watercolour
Winsor & Newton A6 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
14.8cm x 10.5cm (5.9" x 4.1" )

The drawing of the Royal Oak in Car Colston is an example of a single line sketch.  I drew it when Elaine and I walked there for dinner one Friday evening. I added the paint when we got home.

Agapanthus
8 August 2015
Ink and Watercolour
Stillman & Birn Alpha Series Sketchbook
14.0cm x 20.3cm (5.5" x 8.0")

The agapanthus is for for Elaine - it is one of her favourite flowers.