Joint Thread (1 Viewer)

[Dave B]

Hi Dave - on the list of threads - atthe righthand side there're 2 columns - one in red is how many posts to the thread and the one in black is how many views (visits) the thread has had.
What are you doing with that weapon in Ed's drawing, for goodness sake -?

It was me pen officer - 'onest!

Ahh! I am enlightened!

Thanks

Dave

 

[timwootton]

I keep going back to it - it really is a cracking drawing. By the way - how did you know that a BBSand was sneaking off - was your attention drawn to it by the other birders?

 

[ed keeble]

Mornin' all. I'm touched that my daft little speedy sketch is appreciated by the literally millions of people who tune into these threads- only my second effort with the recently adopted pro-style unidirectional shading, so who knows where it will lead! Shouldn't distract from the cracking C Sand from Dave B that prompted it though.

I should also apologise to Dave B for any resemblance to a wand-pointing Harry Potter (book eight- HP and the curious calidrids).

I can fill in the background (figuratively not literally- that's more Tim's forte) by adding that we were indeed tipped off about the BB Sand, but boy we earned it-we used to get dropped off at the inland end of Walberswick marsh and heroically walk however many miles it is to the seaward end, usually seeing almost no birds at all en route as I in particular was too short to see over the reeds.

 

[Woody]

Disaster?

Over the weekend I had an urge to try another canvas. I blame you Tim and you Nick, I love the loose, easy styles that you have (individual as they are). So I grabbed a canvas and a sketchbook and went to work in what, I thought, was a loose, easy way. I wanted to inject some movement into what is essentially just another owl on a stick painting. What resulted was this mess! I feel I've just prooved to myself that my tight, detailed, stiff and clichéd style is what I'm stuck with, as the loose, lively, individual, energy-filled style that I crave is beyond the reach of my meagre talent

So, is this the disaster I think it is? Or does it have any merit beyond a learning experience for me?

Woody

 

[timwootton]

I really don't think you need worry about how your style translates for this kind of 'action' painting, Woody - I for one, love it. The angles and manner of painting work fabulously well. I don't think big brushes are necessary for getting that sense of movement and precisely worked paintings can offer just as much - I suppose we have to remember that we are creating illusions, not making paint-sculptures - look back at George McLean and Manfred Shatz - they illustrat the point far better that I could. The thing that possibly could have given the piece a tad more 'action' may be the comp (but not the technique, which is spot on). I've taken a huge libert of re-composing your image - cropping to give (I think) a slightly more dynamic feel? What do you think?).
I love it as it is, though.

 

[Woody]

Thanks for the feedback Tim.

I don't mind the recropping at all- in fact I probably would have done something similar myself. The problem there lies with the restriction of pre-stretched canvas as a support. I think I'll not be buying any more canvas to paint on, much as I love the 'feel' of it. I'll probably re-think this pic and try again on illustration board in 'my' style at a later date mostly because I love the pose of the bird.

Woody

 

[timwootton]

Hi Woody - I still love the painting as it is - i'm sure it'll fly off the shelf! But don't give up on the canvas - it looks to me like you both get along really well and, if you ever did want to re-crop an image - it's a fairly easy matter to pick out the staples, make (or buy) a new stretcher-frame at the new proportions and re-stretch the painted-on canvas. Take no time at all!

 

[nickderry]

It's odd how the artist never sees his work in the same way as others view it, when you said 'disaster' I was bracing myself for, a disaster, what I saw was a wonderful piece, you've achieved the pose and the action very well. I do agree with what Tim suggested as regards a little cropping, (it was very odd as I was thinking this, and then the next image was what I was thinking of!). It's fun to dabble with styles, and it's a great way of learning new techniques and ideas, so keep playing, and don't worry about how you perceive the results.

 

[dryslwyn]

I was waiting for the great disaster as well and when I saw it I thought- what a lovely painting and the loose style worked perfectly. Purely personally and subjectively and don't take offensively I would have liked to have seen a little more of the birds face.

 

[Mouldy]

Owl pic is more than just fine, Woody, probably only disastrous in your mind cos it doesn't look like it was supposed to, in your mind. If you want to work looser it takes a strong will though i reckon you do have it in you, just look at your own watercolour sketches, but as far as your natural style goes I just say 'If it ain't broke don't fix it'.

 

[Woody]

Thanks again everyone, you all make good points. Maybe it's not so bad after all, just not what I wanted or was expecting to achieve. I may have a go at re-cropping it although my woodwork skills are somewhat limited!

All through my education my tutors were constantly telling me to loosen-up. I ended up painting 7 foot matchsticks using printing inks and my fingers, and full body, life size drawings of my friends using big fat marker pens. Then I'd sneak off into a corner and spend a couple of hours doing a detailed drawing of a 3 inch twig with all the tiny cracks in the bark and the textures of the lichens while they weren't looking!

It won't stop me experimenting and it won't stop me doing what I do in the way that I do it, but it may just help to let me move forward and develop.

Woody

 

[dryslwyn]

Thinking a bit more about grass. I like to keep it very loose. Its a difficult subject in w/c because you can't paint light over dark unless you add body colour which I like to do sometimes. I use alot of dry brush work in the foreground grasses and less in the distance. I've put in a picture of Skomer which demonstrates this. The mallard I did recently but lost the light that was in the original photo so wasn't happy enough with it to post earlier but it shows grasses with some darks painted in at the end.
Anyway got me painting abit tonight- did the stone chat in the grass. Going thr' abit of a low time with my work at the moment so must paint myself out of it.
Appreciated everyones comments on the end of my thread- thankyou. You are not going to get rid of me though- as you can see I am popping up everywhere

 

[dryslwyn]

Trying to escape the mire:stuck:
Doing some quick sketches from my photos.

 

[nickderry]

the stonechat and the razorbills are particularly nice, and your techniques for the grass are very instructive (will have to try them out). Love that landscape, reminds me of home. Also the watermark on the paper makes me want to go back to using Saunders, it holds paint so much better than the glorified photocopying paper I use at the moment. Maybe a reason for me to give up smoking, then I can upgrade!

 

[timwootton]

Oh those razors - anything you'd care to swap with?
Beautiful.

 

[peter mathios]

been away awhile. It is tough to find the time sometimes. I guess that's what happens when you have little ones. Here is a new painting that is also posted in the gallery.

Dryslwyn, I love the watercolored wetland landscape! That is a thing of beauty! Such true color.

 

[deborah4]

Superb Peter! Very atmospheric.

 

[dryslwyn]

Peter that is a really beautiful picture- you must have been out at a very special time of day to capture that light.
It reinforces what I have been telling myself for ages- I am too much of a fair-weather sunny day painter.Must get up earlier or go to bed later.
Having said that I'm off to the coast for a sunny day|>| I hope. May see some birds-you never know.
Welcome back.

 

[nickderry]

I got a shiver looking at that one Peter, a really crisp cold day just as the sun comes up. Simply beautiful.

 

[Andrew Ellis]

Ah Peter , This is the best sort of conditions to be out in for me! You have caught
it masterfully!! Makes you feel alive on a day like that. I can feel the cold
biting at my ears - beautiful.