I thought you might like to see some more of the work I have been doing out in gorgeous Derbyshire landscape.
Yes, I went back to Winnats Pass a week after my last excursion, to have another go. I started with the drawing above, warming up with good old charcoal and a skinny stick of black conte, for the finer mark-making.
It wasn't an official SketchCrawl day, but I let people know that I was going, so was joined by a handful of other sketchers, who popped in and out during the day. Nice to have the company. We were all taken by this particular view - stunning stuff!
After lunch, once familiar with the lie of the land, I tried the same view again as an experiment, using Platignum writing ink (very water soluble), lots of water sploshing and then a wee bit of watercolour. The light had changed a bit by then though and we had lost those lovely long stripes of shadow:
I was interested in keeping the view basically representational, but creating a more abstracted and expressive interpretation of the shapes than the more literal drawing at the top. I got ink everywhere though, especially since the plastic pot I'd put it in had leaked. Black fingers again.
I did a watercolour next, from slightly further into the valley. I am still not entirely happy with the watercolours and very much still learning. The Peak District is the perfect place to practise though. So many beautiful shapes:
I was looking for a different view to finish, but didn't have time to climb to the far end of the valley and look back down, like I did last time, so I scaled the left side, to higher ground. There wasn't anywhere even vaguely flat to sit though and I had my work cut out, just stopping myself from sliding back down the steep slope! My rucksack kept trying to tip over and roll back down into the valley and I was sure that at any moment my brushes, water or palette would tumble away from me.
I managed to get a painting done before any mishap, though my poor bottom was totally dead by the end:
I am still learning how the watercolours work at this scale - it's very different to using them for the smaller urban sketches I am more used to. It was the patterns in the landscape which I was excited by. For me it is all about exaggerating shapes and pulling out colours, playing with marks and textures. Perhaps my early textiles training is still in there somewhere, trying to get out!
Here's how this one looks against the reality:
John had dropped me off in the morning and then spent the day hiking around the hills in the area. He arrived back in the valley while I was half way through this last painting, at the end of the afternoon, ready to take me to the pub for a well-earned dinner.
Another lovely and very productive day.
I have been updating my professional facebook page, Christopher Denise Illustrator, but keep putting off updating my blog so I may try a new approach.
I had been posting some sketches and there seems to be some interest in process. I had been thinking about a longer post on the delights of drawing in my digital charcoal space but it may be some time before I get around to it. I think Ill just let out little bits here and there and go back later (summer 2015 probably) and sum up some thoughts.
In any event, I have found myself drawn back into a world of miniatures. It takes a certain mindset to stay in the right place and I have been helped along by the music of Jonsi and Alex-specifically Riceboy Sleeps. The duo are best known for their amazing work as Sigor Ros.
So today I put on the headphones again and begin working up this aerial nighttime drawing. It be painted up in the next day or two. Here is a little detail. I can't share full pieces just yet. If you guys like it...maybe I can try to check in once a week and show little glimpses and let you know what I am listening to.
Clothed life drawing day..
Paper53 on iPad. Click to enlarge.
Plan A
Sophie Bignall drew three little characters for my next book cover and I then tried to use an eighteenth century painting of the famous Ironbridge as the background. But whatever I tried to do, and however much my Grandson, James Brinkler, manipulated the cover in Photoshop, the painting just would not sit happily with the charcoal drawing, (Sophie used charcoal so that this book cover
Short pose life drawing day.
25 minutes.
3ish minutes.
10 minutes.
20 minutes.
All, charcoal on newsprint.
i keep looking at myself in the mirror, but I can't completely find me in my drawings... hahaha.
the thing is that there are always some details i miss while drawing that i realize after i finished it, eyes too close or separated, bigger/smaller eyebrows, slant mouth, smaller nose, hahahaha. i'll keep on looking till i can get it right. maybe that's what's really interesting about art, if we could do exactly what we plan or want, maybe it wouldn't be so wonderfully exciting as art is!
The funniest about this drawing i did today is that it looks better (more similar) when it's bigger, which is the contrary as they always look better when I see them smaller on the pc screen.
direct link to the image
Here’s a figure drawing I gave up on half way through because it was…uh…top heavy. But I kind of like the way the figure being only black on black works with the white sheet so I’ll share it.
Here is another recent figure drawing I’ve done in my attempt to give myself a better fundamental understanding of drawing the human body. Because it is very hard to find models for such things in China (I hear that nude drawing classes are hard to find outside of the top art schools), I’ve been working from pictures for these. I don’t think it has hurt the experience too much, although I noticed that the couple of times I did live drawing I was able to draw faster and capture the form in a more loose and dynamic way.
I was stopping myself from posting any of the nude figure drawing I’ve been doing this past year because this blog originally started as a place to talk about our books for children (it has obviously changed focus over time). I’ve come to decide that kind of thinking is totally ridiculous. It’s like saying you should not take kids to a museum because they might see a breast. I have more faith in the parents of the children that read our books, and I’m sorry I ever doubted them.
This is one of the pieces of artwork I’ve done in the past year that I am most proud of. I never attended art school and have had very few chances to do any figure drawing in my life. I now see the attraction of it, and have experienced the incredible learning that happens while participating in it. I look forward to doing more and I will share some here, now that I have come to my senses.
Backlit nude.
Water soluble pencil. 41cm x 29cm. Click to enlarge.
I came across this charred log. I broke off a piece and used it to draw a picture of that log.
A circular walk of 2 miles starting at Parliament Hill car park including a 200 metre swim in the Highgate pond. Water temperature 16C. 19 May 2011
Click to enlarge.
these are two life drawings of about 50 x 70 cm
I have learned to live each day as it comes, and not to borrow trouble by dreading tomorrow. It is the dark menace of the future that makes cowards of us.
~Dorothy Day
After almost a month off from life drawing due to the holidays you would think I didn't remember how to draw....
blergh... Warm ups weren't completely full of fail - I'm still loving the couple of minutes of 5 second poses which make everything after seem leisurely...
Quickie 5 minute pose... However after that, the longer 20 minute poses were pretty dismal. I quit trying after awhile and focused on her cute, red boots.... Next week's gotta be better than this, right?
a sketch of about 70 x 100 cm
a big sketch of abut 60x70 cm
According to the Hindu Mythology, when Lord Shiva is angry then his third eye (situated on his forehead) opens...then disaster occurs..!!!
A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. ~Irish Proverb
No central heating over Christmas. Coal is grim muck.
Watercolour 105mm x 145mm. Click to enlarge.
some 8-10 minutes sketches from last friday
That's how the cover artist made the cover for my second book, Broken. She took a photograph I sent her and did the same thing. That is so kewl. <br /><br />I like the charcoal effect. I think the cover is mysterious. The children look forlorn, a bit sad. I see them and wonder why. I'd pick up the book.
Thank you, Joylene, such a battle with this cover. Good to hear that I am not alone with regard to my artistic efforts. :0) Although I am not an artist, so very pleased that you think the cover will attract people.
It's very inspired and interesting! I like the contrast of the stark black & white mixed with the smudginess of the charcoal drawing. I agree with Joylene. The expressions of the children make me want to pick up the book and delve into why they appear a bit woebegone. <br /><br />Popping in to say, 'Hello' and Happy Sunday afternoon! Have missed visiting my bloggy friends. Hope
Lovely to see you here, Larri, cheered me up. Invalid husband not too well today, but his friend has arrived so much happier Sunday for him.
Very nicely done! I think it's fabulous.
Thank you, Su, like every one else, or maybe more so!, I thrive on kind encouragement .
I think that it looks amazing. It was done very well. Congratulations with the progress.
It is such a great relief to finally finish this, Murees, at last I can get on with the editing!
I think it looks awesome. It's very hard to get permission to use images unfortunately. I've never had a reply to a request. NO wonder people abuse copyright!<br /><br />Lovely work.<br /><br />Did you know you have the dreaded catpcha codes on your blog? I don't usually comment when I see them, but I'll make an exception seeing as I can see it before I post my comment. If it
Hi Denise, thank you so much for your support, and no I didn't know about that wretched extra thing to reply, I deleted it, why has it crept back! Must delete again. Thanks.
I think that effect will look fantastic in the end. Can't wait to see it.
Thank you so much, Clarissa, will post the end result when my Grandson has put it together with title, etc.
Wow, what a creative way to put the different elements of your cover together! That's certainly one way to get a 3D effect:)
Thanks, Rachel, have just received the almost final cover - will post to see what friends think. :00
Hi Carole .. I agree - the charcoal cover is just lovely .. very clever .. cheers Hilary
Hi Hilary, I had to ask Sophie to draw the characters again, try to copy her original drawing for Candle Dark as needed the books to match. A battle to get it right for us both, but Grandson came to the rescue as before with his starlight effect.