It’s a sign of the changing seasons but I sat in my studio and painted this scene from a photo I took during the autumn.
Saying that, I have just bought a super-warm winter coat and so I certainly do not accept being stuck in my studio until the warmer days reappear in the spring. Nah, I’m going out there and painting real soon, vodka in my water, blow torch at my hip – watercolours will be done whatever the conditions. 🙂
Click the thumbnail below for full-sized image.
Since I came back to Stockholm after the summer break I have been making sure I go to life drawing classes at least once a week. As I have mentioned before it is so important to sketch regularly, everyday if possible. Life drawing is a wonderful way to practice drawing from real life, I also like to push myself and paint. These sketches are either 2 or 5 minute, not much time to think so everything has to be instinctive, you can only achieve this through hours of practice.
I use a plastic airlines plate with a watercolour cup stuck in the middle of it with Super Glue, I have Sepia tube colour in the cup. Choosing which watercolour to use is made easy this way, I have only the one choice.
Yes, I had a wonderful holiday in Sicily this summer. It seems so long ago now, especially now that the autumn leaves have fallen and the bare trees are almost black in tone.
I paint every morning and so I often browse through my photo reference folder which is full of potential watercolour scenes. And so it was with this scene, it just said hello to me and I started painting it. I never know what I am going to paint before I start, it’s interesting how we get inspired, it can be different everyday.
I am happy with this watercolour, I seem to have found a new awareness on how to tackle a scene, it excites me and I want to just paint more scenes, isn’t life great! 🙂
Click the thumbnail image below if you would like to see it in full-size.
This watercolour was filmed when I visited Gålö, a nature reserve just south of Stockholm. It was a damp autumn day and I had to use my gas burner to get the watercolour dry. It was such a beautiful place so I didn’t mind the fight. To see the film click the this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/Xbmed57s_UE
(Click the thumbnail below to see full-sized image.)
Hello, I visited Gålö a few weeks back and painted in sometimes challenging circumstances which demanded drastic action. I don’t how many watercolour artists use a blow torch to dry their work but I do, when it’s just not going to dry.
All in all it was a fun day, I just love painting outdoors.
It’s episode number 14 and this time I am in Ploubazlanec in Brittany, France.
My wife grew up here and I am lucky enough to visit this magical place once a year. I always find it inspiring. While my wife spends time with her wonderful Mum I walk around Ploubazlanec and neighbouring Paimpol looking for something to paint. I have a lot of time to myself but I also find time to be social plus enjoying the local food and the great hospitality.
I hope you enjoy the video, comments are always appreciated.
Cheers,
David
It’s ironic that I don’t have the time to draw at my own life drawing evenings, I visit other places like Konstnärshuset (The Artist’s House) and sketch there instead. I don’t mind at all, it gives me a great deal of pleasure organising life drawing sessions, making sure the lighting is good, getting excellent models and making fantastic coffee.
My life drawing session is today (Thursday) by the way at Dieselverkstaden 18.30 – 20.30, a shameless plug 😉
These watercolours where sketched at Konstnärshuset last Tuesday, number one and two I spent a few minutes working on the day after. The actual poses are between 10 and 5 minutes long.
With the help of my wife I gathered up all my watercolours and packed them into the car last night. It’s always a strange feeling coming to the end of something, be it a holiday abroad or an exhibition in Stockholm.
The exhibition was a success in many ways but to be honest I didn’t sell so many watercolours, enough to break even but no more than that. On the positive side though I really appreciated the words of encouragement I received from all the people who dropped by. Words of praise like, ‘you have developed so much in such a short time’ to ‘your art is at a real high level’ – this really charges my enthusiasm to keep on trying. One stroke at a time, a little better, a little wiser.
Right now, the way I feel is that I will not be having a solo exhibition anytime soon. I just want to focus on improving, I look forward to getting back into my routine of painting in the morning, I have many ideas on where I want to go with my art. That was one of the good things to come out of the exhibition, I had all my art from the last two years up on the walls, I had time to look and analyse them, to see which direction I would like to go. Some watercolours represented the old me where as a number show hints of where I am heading. Really exciting, I can’t wait to get back painting again. In that way, the exhibition was indeed a success.
My watercolours are on show at Rääf Gallery, Hornsgatan 32, Stockholm. Exhibition ends 25th of September 18.00.
12.00 – 18.00 Tuesday, Wednesday.
