meldrum art
I travel to Brittany, France in June with my wife and two artist friends, I’m really looking forward to it. I painted this watercolour recently from a photo I took in 2014, the old trawler is missing it’s cabin these days, storms have taken their toll. I haven’t seen the old boat for a year, I wonder how much is left.
Painted on Arches rough 300g, 2017.04.14, 36 x 26.5 cm
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A commissioned work. I am not used to watercolour portraits so this was challenging. I had three days to paint it, it was a good experience, I learned a lot.
37 x 27 cm
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I have realised that painting in a wide format really suits my watercolours of life in the archipelago. It’s the big open horizon that we all find appealing when we are out in the great outdoors.
69 x 24 cm
The original reference photos were taken by Finish photographer, Erik Lähteenmäki. You can visit his website here.
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Yesterday, I made a real mess of a large painting. It was going so well, the initial drawing and the placement of cobalt blue for a brilliant cloudy sky… then I added some grey to give body to the clouds. I ruined it.
So today it’s practice time. I am painting on the back side of an old watercolour. It’s a good tip not to throw out your expensive watercolour paper until you have used both sides.
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People here in Stockholm like my paintings of sailing boats in the archipelago, they sell very easily so I’d be stupid not to continue creating them. This painting is interesting as it is in a wide format which suits paintings of the great outdoors a lot.
Format: 52 x 13 cm
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I was in such a hurry before Christmas to get ready for my exhibition I didn’t have much time to blog. I forgot to publish this watercolour which I was very happy with. It was sold very easily, liked by many which made me happy.
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I painted this watercolour during two lunch breaks last week. I used several photos I had taken on the island of Bullerö last summer as reference. I’m happy with my loose style, my brush stokes are fairly confident, the sheep could be better but it’s my second time painting them, like everything else one has to practice many times to master anything.
Title: Sheep on Bullerö
Format: 31 x 23
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I’m not sure what people at work think of me when I paint during my lunch break. I hope my bosses don’t mind, I mean it is my lunchtime which is my time, right? No one has told me to stop, so I guess I shouldn’t worry about it.
This watercolour which is a painting of Strandvägen in central Stockholm was painted during lunch and then finished in the evening. I am happy with it, the boat reflection is amaturish but everything else is loose and free, there is energy. Once again, when I work quickly the result is more successful than when I work slowly, I think painting with one’s instinct is key.
Titel: Strandvägen
Paper: 31 x 23 Arches rough
< Click this image if you want to see the full size original.
Ok, so I’m getting better at posting on my blog! … At least that is the way it feels. I’ll try my best to be this good all year long if I can. I feel good when I publish a drawing or a watercolour online, it means that the project is finished and it is time to move on to the next one.
This watercolour is from a photograph I took during the summer months, I’m pleased with it, some more contrasts maybe but I’m fine with it. It looks better in reality, it is so hard to capture a watercolour with an iPhone when it has subtle shades.
Title: The view from Central Bridge, 37 x 26 cm
Click the thumbnail below to see the watercolour in a larger format.
