meldrum art
I painted a portrait last weekend and it wasn’t very good. I needed to practice. A friend of mine tipped me about an app for the iPhone called Sktchy. People upload there selfie portraits and artists paint them if they find them interesting. It’s a great copyright free resource for artists. I used the app for the first time yesterday. I have no idea who the dude is.
Arches 27 x 37 cm
Yes, so nice to be life drawing again after the Christmas break.
I took myself to Konstnärshuset Tuesday. The model, Elena was excellent as always. The lighting is so good at this venue, having a good model too is very inspiring.
My Life drawing (Meldrum Kroki) started last night (Thursday). It’s proving very popular, my living room was totally full of enthusiastic sketchers. The model, Kinda was great, everyone was delighted with her. I will publish some drawings in the next few days. That’s that, now I’m off to lunch in town. I’m going to treat myself to my favourite Sushi restaurant, Ichiban.
This was a fun sketch to do. I didn’t take me long and I am happy with the result. I will definitely paint a finished version of it in the future. I am obsessed with capturing the light, I think there is nothing more beautiful than the rays of sunshine.
Click thumbnail for larger image
I visited the quaint harbour town of Donaghadee during my stay in Northern Ireland. I went there twice in fact as I feel at ease there for some reason. It’s probably the open horizon that attracts me, I can feel a bit claustrophobic otherwise in Bangor where my mother lives, I spent 10 days with her while my sister who lives close by had a well deserved holiday.
Watercolour painted from the passenger seat of my mother’s car in a Saunders 38 x 28 sketchbook.
I am visiting my mother in Norther Ireland at the moment. The other day I borrowed her car and drove to Groomsport, a small town close to Bangor where I am staying. I sat in the passenger seat of the car and painted this sketch. I am fascinated by the sky here in Ireland, it changes so quickly and can be so dramatic.
I painted in my current favourite sketchbook which has Saunders paper and is 38 x 28 cm in size.
Click image below for full sized photo
I enjoy having my own life drawing sessions but I don’t draw as much as I’d like to because of all the responsibilities – this is why I still go to life drawing whenever I can. Monday evening in the old town is a good place to be if you are suffering from life drawing abstinence.
It was nice to use coal last night at Master Olafsgården. I mentioned in my last post that I don’t use coal during my own Meldrum Kroki sessions as I have to serve coffee and biscuits during the break. So it was nice getting my hands dirty last night. The model (Derlyflow) was quite eccentric but at the same time interesting to draw. She has many YouTube clips, here is one.
Sketched on A3 paper with a coal pencil and coal dust applied by my finger.
Yes, I have had 9 life drawing sessions in my living room and it is proving to be a great success. This week will be the last until January because I have to travel to Ireland. I wonder is there any life drawing in Belfast? I’m sure there is.
These sketches were drawn on A3 paper using a 2b graphite mechanical pencil. The model is very pretty which always makes it very hard to sketch her as one can never do her justice. Here I have tried my best. Please note that I do not use coal on my own life drawing sessions as I have to serve coffee and biscuits during the break. It would not be okey to serve with coal miner’s hands!
Saturday’s life drawing just gets faster and faster. I am enjoying the fact that I am starting to understand that what you do not draw is as important as what you do. All drawings were 1 to 2 minutes long. Sketched with charcoal on A3 paper.
