Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

A quick sketch of goldfinch from a photograph. Ballpoint pen, Watercolour
and Coloured pencils.

Whippet Drawing

It was a fine day in London (at long last), so I took a walk to nearby green, and then had a cup of coffee in a cafe. There was a beautiful dog there so I drew her on the back of a serviette - I was not carrying a sketch pad. I coloured it in with watercolour paint after I got back home.

This is the dog. Her contour looks like it's been drawn with a fine point pen. Her owner told me she's a whippet. With such a short coat, she must get pretty cold in winter.

After painting the dog I started to play around with paint as I realise there was a red in the palette that I hardly ever use (Quin red).

Off to India

I am about to go off to India, the land of curry.

My cat Bubbles wants to come with me.

Well, I don't think you would like curry that much, Bubbles.

I'm looking forward to vivid and bright colours in India.

That will make a lot of differene flying from wintery London!

Just been back from Normandy



I've just come back from Brittany/Normandy holiday, so here are some journal entries I kept while on holiday.

 

 

My usual Travel Wardrobe Drawing.  Although it's summer month, you can't be sure if it's going to be warm all through in Normandy so I packed thin wool jumper as well, which is not drawn here.  I also took a thin down liner - I was glad I did.  I didn't have an opportunity to wear the silk dress - it wasn't warm enough.

 

 

First day was spent in Dinan, a beautiful medieval town in Brittany.  A lot of half-timber architecture still remain in the central town.  The people are very nice and friendly, too.  It's a lovely place to spend a little longer than just one night... Painting buildings is not my strong point so I didn't manage to paint it on the spot - maybe I'd try later from a photo.

 

Instead I drew this tourist train - just because I was blocking its path as I was trying to enter the hotel parking space, and people who were waiting to get on the train was staring at me.  I haven't driven for a year, and I was on a rented car, driving on the right side - all this made me quite nervous to drive into a narrow opening of the parking area...well that was a little adventure for sure.

 

 

 

We'd taken a river boat trip on the river Rance.  There was a guide on the boat but he was speaking in French so I couldn't really understand what he was telling us.  With my rudimentary French, I picked up words like "Animal", "Boat", "Pull" "Like this".  He was showing a round belt-like object and put it around his shoulders as he explained.  Not knowing the history of towboat, I was wondering what sort of animal can pull a boat "like this",  imagining a mysterious water creature pulling a boat in the river like the one I drew in the page.

 

 



 

...but then it became clear as the guide was showing a copy of an old photograph of a boat being pulled by an animal ON LAND and my friend was explaining the history of towboat.  So I also drew the correct version of a boat being pulled.

 

The holiday journal to be continued...



Life Drawing Workshop@Coliseum by English National Ballet

English National Ballet was offering a unique life drawing workshop, where we were allowed to sit in the auditorium and draw dancers while they are warming up and taking class on stage.  Being a fan of both drawing and ballet, it was an opportunity not to be missed.

 

 

 

First we were led up to the balcony level refreshment area where some pretty costumes and point shoes were displayed.  The workshop manager had explained various techniques and strategies to draw constantly moving figures.  Dancers were not going to stop and pose for us, so it's up to us how to capture them while they are working. 

 

 

After the induction, we were led down to the auditorium and split into two groups.  One group was led to the circle seats to have front view of the dancers on stage, other half was lead to box seats to have side view of the stage, and about half way we swapped over the seats.

Oh, my my, it was a privilege to watch dancers at the bar AND draw them!!   Witnessing dancers at a class is like peeking into the sketchbook studies of accomplished painters.  I could just sit and watch them forever.  Before the class starts, dancers were limbering up, chatting and stretching, so the pace of motion was somewhat slower and I could draw "human-like" figures - just!

... But when the class started, the pace picked up and these are all I could manage.  I tried not to look a my hands, but just concentrate on looking at the dancers.   I enjoyed looking at other peoples' works afterwards, there were so much to learn from them.  When the subject is moving all the time, goodness you come up with all sorts of really interesting marks.  Some people's works were more abstract and full of energy and fluidity.

Here's a quick watercolour sketch of one of the costumes I painted afterwards (water-based medium were not permitted on the site).  If there's going to be another workshop like this, I am certain I'll join again!