Recent sketches (1 Viewer)

mcw · Oct 25, 2011

Not too many - you've probably already got scope, tripod, etc to lug around. I take a couple of small boxes, and tend to use one or the other. The white one still just has the range of W & N pans that came with it, some of which I've hardly touched (eg an emerald green). Take more and you end up painting by numbers instead of mixing what you need from a basic palette. Also, blending from a limited range of pigments tends to give better harmony within a picture.

Mike
www.michaelcwood.co.uk

solitaryVSong · Oct 25, 2011

ed keeble said:
hello there- defnitely a progression to be seen if you thumb back through the work on this page, compared to previous

I think it is because things are tied together more, with more mid-tones linking up the areas where you have added in some detail, some dark

so you know the way to go

I used a large gone-wrong wet-paint Curlew painting to light the fire last night, but it turned out to be so sodden and overdone that it didn't even perform that task satisfactorily

so you are not the only one confronting a winter of experimentation

I think we have to give Ed credit for the most varied ways of dealing with unsuccessful experiments: Black and Decker or fireplace.

But I think he's right about the progression that is obvious to see. You're using more tones, possibly united by mid-tones as Ed says, and they seem to be put down easily and not stiffly. Also there's a sense of animation in the poses. They're not stiff. So you combine that all and I think they're really successful.

As far as colors I think it's the same lesson I have to learn over and over year after year with every type of art I do: keep it simple. Or as I originally learned in the context of computer programming, the KISS principle. Keep It Simple Stupid. It certainly fits me because I'm stupid enough to have to relearn in over and over. I keep finding in my own work that I've developed a very small palette of few colors. Occasionally I'll try something else and it's always a thrill to have a new color to use. But that only works because I normally use few.

timwootton · Oct 25, 2011

Agree with all of the above, regarding the excellent quality you're producing with these and the use of field colours. Ti begin I'd be simply substituting colour where once there was tone (blues for shadows, yellow/reds fro lit areas) - this technical simplification will help you to see value and hue contemporaneously. Thing to remember is - there's no real true colour; what we perceive is dependant on so many factors, not least what 'colour' is placed alongside the one we are focusing on. Only when we actually make a start with colour is it then possible to adjust and re-evaluate what hues we've laid down. Good luck!

colleenc · Oct 25, 2011

the next big step is well on the way with these last works,

one way to do color is to keep it very simple red, yellow, blue. bt. sienna or raw umber. and paynes grey. If you mix from a limited palette, your learning is easier to master basics, you get a sound foundation that carries on to more complicated palettes, and instant color harmony, WN perm red, perm yellow, ultramarine blue would work to mix all the colors. Paynes grey will tone any mix to more cool and more muted. One earth tone ( bt sienna or raw umber) will add warmth.

There is a recent post on my blog (link below) called Is It Blue or Is It Yellow, that is a simple way to think of color outdoors and simplifies things a bit. The hardest part of color is to see what is really there, not what you think is there. A good way to do this is to take a neutral grey card( get a sample from a paint store color display for free. Punch a hole in it and then when outside isolate the spot by looking at it through the card, you will be shocked sometimes by what you see. Works well with still life set ups too.

buzzard12 · Oct 26, 2011

These latest black and whites are rather nice in their own right. Looking forward to seeing the progression from here, there has indeed been a marked improvment in your work which has been great to see. All that hard work is paying off...

RussB · Oct 26, 2011

Hey guys, many thanks for your advice. I knew it would quickly be forthcoming! I like your style there, Ed!
I don't want to bore you with the same old 'what paper' to use so I'll be sticking with my faithful W and N 'wire-o sketchbooks. They're only 110 gsm - very thin and not really suitable as I understand (it seems Juan Valera uses one anyway!) but I can't afford watercolour paper for sketching on - not at the rate I go through paper! I'll find out soon enough what works and what doesn't.

If I don't take the plunge with paint soon, even in its simplest form, I probably never will.

Cheers

Russ

Mackem George · Oct 28, 2011

hi russ some great work there plenty detail now for the watercolours eh, seems like the answer is keep it simple. myself still battling with the sketches you are a way ahead my friend. look forward to seeing your watercolours. good luck
george

phil baber · Oct 29, 2011

Don't rush Russ.

Stay true to your sublime sketches. Remember the old advice. Practise on photo-copies of them with grey-wash. Read your thread back...

RussB · Oct 29, 2011

Cheers George and Phil - I will heed your advice, mate.

More waders from axxe-numbing sessions in the Old Moor hide. Black-tailed Godwits, Ruff, Greenshank and Spotted Redshank. Can you tell what they are yet?
I obviously need to brush up on my ID as one of the 500mm boys was telling folk the spot reds were commons. Surely my sketch aint that bad! Rather shamefully I said nowt, rather than pointing out the errors of his ways. Perhaps I ought to buy a camera and big lens! Ooh meow, I'd better stop being catty as it's totally unbecoming as a tour leader! Now get me a saucer of milk.
There is still the preponderence to over-do sketches where the bird is very cooperative, rather than when they have to simplified as when busy feeding, for example. Simplicity wins hands down. Perhaps an art school education would have instilled that discipline. But then you still have to train yourself to observe.

Hope nobody's getting bored of plan old pencil.

RussB · Oct 29, 2011

Five more..

Cheers

Russ

solitaryVSong · Oct 29, 2011

RussB said:
There is still the preponderence to over-do sketches where the bird is very cooperative, rather than when they have to simplified as when busy feeding, for example. Simplicity wins hands down. Perhaps an art school education would have instilled that discipline. But then you still have to train yourself to observe.

Hope nobody's getting bored of plan old pencil.

Sketches are just great as they are Russ. No need to switch from pencil or yearn for an art school education. All schools are different of course but I doubt that many have instilled the discipline that you've come up with on your own!! I think most of us would easily prefer your sketches to a large scale photo any day. There's just so much more IN sketches.

I'm going to have to come back later with my LJ Birds of Europe to see if I can figure out which is which......... I'm sure I'll be even more impressed after that.

JTMB · Oct 29, 2011

Your plain old pencil is just plain old good, Russ! Love seeing them. Wouldn't mind seeing a few of those species over our way as well.

phil baber · Oct 30, 2011

A Master at work again!

Love them!

Woody · Oct 30, 2011

Great stuff. It's been an education to watch the way your sketching has developed. Way back in the beginning your sketches were more finished and rounded off. Now they have a rougher look that conveys far more energy and captures the essence of the birds far better imho.

Always a pleasure.

Mike

RussB · Nov 5, 2011

Thanks for the continuing support, guys.
Have I hit the povebial creative 'brick wall' without even running the first mile of the marathon? Not sure what to do next? Got myself a nice little W and N watercolour box which is really dinky and looks very nice with the pans all wrapped up!
Trouble is my favourite sketchbooks are only 110gsm - excuses, excuses I hear you cry! Putting a light wash over efforts like these will, I would think, make a real dog's dinner. Why? you my say, they're only sketches. True, but pencil sketching is my passion and I don't want to louse up hard-earned, 'captured in the moment' sketches. Is he answer a second sketchbook with heavier paper? Or do I change to more expensive heavier sketchbooks? I'll take the plunge sometime; it's the only way I'm gonna take my 'art' forward.

Recent sketches of a ridiculously tame Pec Sandpiper at Pugney's. I was comfortable watching this from 20 meters away but it was confiding enough for the big lens boys to capture its DNA!
The strange Dunlin/Ruff shape is evident in a couple of these. A most accommodating subject. In colour? Aahh, I don't want to think about it!

RussB · Nov 5, 2011

Five more...

solitaryVSong · Nov 5, 2011

RussB said:
Thanks for the continuing support, guys.
Have I hit the povebial creative 'brick wall' without even running the first mile of the marathon? Not sure what to do next? Got myself a nice little W and N watercolour box which is really dinky and looks very nice with the pans all wrapped up!
Trouble is my favourite sketchbooks are only 110gsm - excuses, excuses I hear you cry! Putting a light wash over efforts like these will, I would think, make a real dog's dinner. Why? you my say, they're only sketches. True, but pencil sketching is my passion and I don't want to louse up hard-earned, 'captured in the moment' sketches. Is he answer a second sketchbook with heavier paper? Or do I change to more expensive heavier sketchbooks? I'll take the plunge sometime; it's the only way I'm gonna take my 'art' forward.

Recent sketches of a ridiculously tame Pec Sandpiper at Pugney's. I was comfortable watching this from 20 meters away but it was confiding enough for the big lens boys to capture its DNA!
The strange Dunlin/Ruff shape is evident in a couple of these. A most accommodating subject. In colour? Aahh, I don't want to think about it!

Wonderful sketches Russ. I wonder if that's the same W&N dinky box I have that has rarely gotten used. It will eventually I'm sure.

My advice would be to get some heavier paper and do watercolors based on yous sketches. That way you don't ruin the sketches but can still use them to explore watercolors. I'm sure others will have some good advice for you. I was just reading that Tunnicliffe had one sketchbook for field sketches then another one that he used in studio to draw from memory!

Woody · Nov 5, 2011

Why not try mucking about on some photocopies of your sketches? Don't worry about the paper cockling and getting all b*ggered up just get confident with the watercolours on stuff that doesn't matter. (Don't use colour copier paper though, it's coated and the watercolours won't like that!)

Once you're confident with that, scan your sketches at high resolution so that you get to keep them, then try with the watercolours in the comfort of home, safe in the knowledge that if you cock up you can still view the original sketch and all is not lost.

Once you've done that a few times you'll get the confidence to take the dinky little set out with you and start a bit of dabbling in the field. After that I reckon your passion for pencil sketching will move up a gear and you'll get a passion for watercolours in the field too.

Having said all that of course your pencil sketches are great as they are and just because you've got watercolours with you doesn't mean you have to splash them on everything you know!

Keep 'em coming!

Mike

JTMB · Nov 6, 2011

Great group of wader sketches, Russ! I haven't been fortunate enough to even see a Ruff yet...one of these days, hopefully.

mcw · Nov 6, 2011

RussB said:
Got myself a nice little W and N watercolour box which is really dinky and looks very nice with the pans all wrapped up!

Yes, that's the brick wall - it really helps if you unwrap them! Stick all those nice little wrappers to a card so you know what pigments you have for future ref (and which ones not to bother replacing). And do as Mike suggests, playing on copies, and try some heavier paper - yes, you could enjoy a nice pint instead, but the paints will behave better and you won't thrash yourself with "If only I hadn't painted this on bog paper" thoughts when something goes really well.

Glad you're making good use of Pugneys C Park - I had a big hand in its design, back in the late 70s when I was working a 'year out' for the Co Council landscape team. Used it for my final design project when I went back to complete my course in Leeds. Eeeh, ah remember when it were just a chuffin great 'ole in t' ground with little lorries running around inside it.

Mike
www.michaelcwood.co.uk

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