June 2015 Sketches

Sweet Williams
13 June 2015
Ink
Winsor & Newton A5 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 14.8cm (8.25" x 5.78")

I am halfway through the challenge to draw on every day in 2015. So far I haven’t missed a day.

Clock Tower Cupola - Rufford Abbey
29 June 2015
Ink
Winsor & Newton A5 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
14.8cm x 21.0cm (5.78" x 8.25")

This month I've been concentrating on the three pass sketching approach described by Marc Taro Holmes (Citizen Sketcher) in The Urban Sketcher (see May 2015 Sketches).

The three pass approach is primarily a technique for ink drawings. I am doing one or two pencil sketches a week to ensure I don’t forget how to use a pencil.

Fish Slice
28 June 2015
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A5 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 14.8cm (8.25" x 5.78")

The pencil sketches are probably my favourite drawings, but the three pass ink sketches are educational and are also having an impact on my approach to pencil drawing.

Breakfast
8 June 2015
Graphite Pencil
Winsor & Newton A5 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 14.8cm (8.25" x 5.78")

This month Elaine and I spent a week in the Cotswolds and Devon. I've done more sketching outside than in any previous month. Quite often Elaine comes along and reads while I draw. It's very pleasant in the summer weather.

I think most people who are new to drawing and painting outside expect to become a magnet for would-be art critics and hooligans. So far no one has bothered me - I've attracted no interest whatsoever - apart from seagulls.

Bullied By a Seagull in a Sidmouth Churchyard
25 June 2015
Ink
Winsor & Newton A5 Heavy Weight Sketch Book
21.0cm x 14.8cm (8.25" x 5.78")

I've learnt some important lessons this month. One of the most important is the point of view check. Marc describes the technique in the first chapter of The Urban Sketcher,  You hold your drawing between you and the subject. You position the sketch so it appears to be the same size as the subject and then move it in and out of view to create the illusion of the drawing superimposed over reality.

I haven’t had any great success with this approach, but I find just positioning the image so it appears to be adjacent to and the same size as the subject is sufficient for spotting mistakes. I realised this after reading Marc’s advice in January, but I keep forgetting to do it. I've lost track of the number of times I've finished a drawing and thought why didn't I do a point of view check? Six months later I am remembering to do it more regularly and it’s becoming more of a habit.

Aubergine

12 June 2015

Ink

Winsor & Newton A5 Heavy Weight Sketch Book

14.8cm x 21.0cm (5.78" x 8.25")

Another important lesson I've learnt this month is don't try and draw detailed flower studies on a windy day.