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Andrews Sketchpad (1 Viewer)

Well, trying to keep doing abit each night, but I feel that I wasnt in the right mind to do anything properly this evening, thus resulting in an extreamly loose finished item, which I should never have started...... :storm:
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I guess the trick is to make sure that your confident in doing somthing, and not to force the issue for want of practice..
 
NO NO NO you're wrong!!! just look how clean the colours are, and how rich the tones are, the only thing that should be different is the underdrawing perhaps, paint can be loose, colours move and change over objects, but their contours have to remain solid, the only thing this picture is lacking is the structure. I'd give my right buttock to be able to get those colours and tones in my painting!
 
Thanx Nick, Compared to my picture at #89, which was done over four nights, this was done in a tenth of the time, and to be honest, didnt have my heart in it...Maybe 'loose' is good, and a style Ill take on for now, but I can see a big difference between the two.

Hows the move, have you unpacked the essentials yet - Red Wine, easel, paints, Kettle........?
 
New Subject

Having done a few Shelducks now (only because the're here and plenty of them), I decided to change subject matter, Ringed Plover......different shape to take onboard, still fairly loose style, with no detail. Not sure that the colour is quite right.....
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Lovely portrait Andrew - nice angle too. Just, as you suggest, perhaps a bit more differentiation on the bird's back - perhaps a lighter area on the uppermost areas.
As Nick, I also like the colours in the previous shelduck post - nice and clean.
 
Such a cute ringed plover! The sheet of shelduck sketches and the shelduck on the previous page are excellent! The uppermost tern on the tern page is marvelous, congrats on that one! I still struggle with birds in flight.

Elina
 
A few quick ones, These Mallards were sketched from blurry and grainy 'snatch' photos, as they took off and circled overhead.....be warned, More to come.
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In conversation with Woody, we both agree that I would benefit from 'stepping back' a pace and work on the sketching first before adding the colours, I think Nick hinted at the same.
 
Certainly don't lose sight of the underlying drawing - it is what really matters. However, the middle painting of the trio is very nice and has a satisfying buoyancy to it. I'd urge you to look to simpler lines. Just try and describe the shapes you see with less 'scratchy' marks - try to let the line flow a bit more. I still think you're progressing very nicely.
 
Tim offers excellent advice (advice that I should follow a bit more!) the middle mallard is superbly captured. As for 'stepping back', don't force yourself to concentrate on one aspect of the artistic process at the cost of another, go at your own pace and when you feel like it throw yourself in at the deep end. It's through these 'failures' that we learn the most about what we do, and wouldn't it be boring if sketching were like Uncle Ben's - perfect results every time!
So in short, be pleased with your progress, but keep pushing that bar higher, none of us will ever reach that bar, but we'll all get within view of it one day.
 
Managed to get loads of pictures of Pied wagtails, but couldnt sketch them so easily, been doing shelducks and avocets too long. so i spent a day doodling and playing with the colours - Pied Waggies (The first one was too much pencil work, think I stepped back to far with the under pencil thing and the last one reminds me of a gull with a hair piece on), a goldfinch and some Mallards.....(just realised that Ive left the purple off the wings..) The last one was trying a 'suicidal landing' manoever, hence the strange angles.
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I have some more Shelducks to post later......
 
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The two that really stand out for me are the Ernie-Wise gull - actually an excellent little pied wag study, and not at all as you describe it, and the last mallard. As Arthur comments, it catches the character of the bird as it quickly changes direction on its final approach. Great action piece.
 
Sorry about the lull guys, the spirit has left me for a bit.....not even any weekend sketching at the moment, either out in the cold, or by the warmer computer screen.
Recently been doodling with the idea of a bit of landscape with a bit of wildlife, but I thought Id try some mini sketches first before I commit to bigger real estate. To be honest, not going too well. Harbour scene with Gulls on foreshore, but I think it needs more preparation work before I go anywhere with this idea...On the rightwas aquick mock up of what i wanted to achieve, and as i was slapping the colour on I felt Mr Crawshaw behind me, watching me zip through it too fast as per normal....... I know in my head that i need to slow, and maybe in the summer, i wont have to wait so long while the colour drys...but right now its all going 'pete tong'
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Having taken a break after the last attempt (above), and having a bout of Sketchers Block and Manflu, I find that everyones having a 'Robin' moment, I can only deduce that the end of the year is nearly upon us again.....
So I thought 'Ill have a go at that' and in my normal - loose, no thought, minimal detail let alone pencil lines, throw somthing at a piece of paper - style, Here is somthing I made earlier.....and with a nod in the direction of Mr Derry's multi substance approach, Ive added a few misplaced strokes of an old Dipping Ink Pen, and some colour pencil, although I held back at sticking newspaper to it - thought Id leave that to those who know what they are doing......
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In reviewing my personal approach thus far this year...mmmmm not bad, consider my first miniscule heavy handed lumps in the midst of a white sheet of paper, to some (in my opinion) better watercolour efforts... Targets for next year..? Learn to sketch from real life...
Thank you one and all for being tolerant to a new commer, and a complete novice such as myself. Especially my long suffereing guide Mike, who has to put up with my bitching every weekend.

Have a safe one, and see what next year brings
 
Fine robin this is Andrew and you are absolutely right to reflect back on the journey travelled - you really have come a long way in a pretty short period of time.
Seasons' greetings and here's to a bird and sketch-filled new year.
 
Yes, the journey continues in the right direction - lovely warmth to this pic too, the red glows beautifully. Have a great Xmas and New Year, and looking forward to seeing plenty more in 2009.
 
Being new to bird pictures myself I have found your posts very helpful indeed. So thanks very much for sharing the work you have been doing.

Regards,

Philip
 
Felt the need to keep sketching through the xmas break, so here two quick Shoveller sketches to keep the fingers and grey matter ticking over................
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The first one was more pencil sketch than watercolour, the second one got looser....
 
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