Watercolor in my SketchbookI have said it before - I'm all about comfort - so no, I didn't sit out there in the snow painting this in my sketchbook. A few days ago, friend Karen and I went out taking snow pictures. We took a zillion. It was COLD and sunny - perfect.
I prefer to work from my own sketches when I do serious paintings, not from photographs. So for these winter paintings I intend to use the photographs as reference for my watercolor sketches, and then use those sketches for reference for my paintings. Make any sense?
I have a tendency to get very detailed when using photographs. To keep from getting too detailed with the sketches, I do a quick contour (more or less) drawing and then use a fairly large brush, such as a #12 or 14 to block in the color. My sketchbook pages a pretty small - about 5.5 X 5, which makes about a ten inch, two page spread. A large brush on that sized paper keeps things pretty loose.
So let it snow - I'm all comfy in my studio, working from pics on my laptop, and listening to Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, J.J. Cale - you get the picture. A little too much caffeine, but that's okay.
6 comments:
Have you ever done a sketch or anything of the U.S. Capitol in DC? I have a client who is looking for something like that in your style of work. Just checking.
I love your winter painting. Pretty, but the best thing is that you can look and look, but not feel the cold!!
Stitching all done on blanket! Now I can sketch and paint. Oh!...the prospect sounds and feels good, (though the blanket is a 'jewel')!
Have a good day...BJR
Just enough detail! Very good!
Lovely. I hope you will post painting results working from the sketch/paints as well.
Photograph or not, that is a lovely painting--are we looking at the "back" of these homes? Looks like a great day for a bowl of Chili. :-)
Thanks for all your nice comments!
Sarabayliss, I have never done the U.S. Capitol.
Marj. we are looking at the backs of these homes.
It was a good day for chili! It was very sunny, and we could actually feel the warmth of the sun, which is a wonderful thing in Northern Michigan!
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