meldrum artI’ve been painting horses recently, they are difficult to paint and draw but I like the challenge. This small painting used to be much larger but I chopped off the legs due to my inability to capture their movement. Meanwhile I’m working on two other horse paintings and as usual, the more one practices, the easier it gets.
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| Galloping horse. 11.5 x 7.8 cm Arches rough 300g |
We were a group of seven or eight Urban Sketchers on top of Katarina Elevator last Sunday. It was zero degrees, my water did not freeze but it didn’t dry very well either. After half an hour it got too cool for us and we retreated to a nearby café where we could warm up again. It was only then that my watercolour sketch dried.
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| Katarina Elevator view, Slussen, Stockholm. A4 watercolour Moleskin, 200g paper. |
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| White horse. 11.5 x 7.8 cm Fabriano GF 300g |
I must admit, I need a break from sailing boats, I love sailing and the Stockholm archipelago but I have to resist it for a while. I decided to paint a horse yesterday instead, I build horse-sport websites during the day so it feels kinda natural to paint them too. It is a small painting, 11.5 x 7.8 cm. Keeping it little means less surface to paint and so practical for lunch break watercolour painting. I see improvement in my technique, painting and drawing as much as I can really pays, which feel really nice.
This week I have painted every morning for an hour before going to work, I paint at lunchtime, I have Life Drawing twice and figure painting once during the seven days.
This watercolour of a Stockholm tram took me two lunchtimes. I struggled with the background, I should have done a tonal sketch first, unfortunately I do not have time to be that professional. I prefer quantity to quality at the moment anyway, it’s more important for me to just paint as often as I possibly can and learn. The masterpieces will come later, I hope.
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| Tram Nr.7 to Skansen, Stockholm. 20150113. Fabriano FG 300g 17 x 22 cm |
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| Winter Bunny 20150109. Fabriano FG 300g 17 x 22 cm |
My lunchtime watercolours have to be simple in composition in order for me to complete a painting in 30 – 45 minutes. I choose sailing boats and water scenes partly for this reason and partly, well, I just like sailing. Some friends asked recently, “Do you do anything besides sailing boats?” so this is for them, a winter bunny. It’s kinda a cute, isn’t it!
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| The Archipelago. A5 Fabriano GF 300g |
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| Watercolour by Prashant Prabhu |
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| Watercolour by Prashant Prabhu |
I discovered this Indian watercolour artist from Mumbai, his name is Prashant Prabhu. I find his stylised landscapes very inspiring. He doesn’t enter watercolour competitions and so I guess this is why I’ve never heard of him before. Visit his website here.
I met up today with the Stockholm Urban Sketchers. As usual we had lot of fun. This watercolour sketch was painted at the Central Station, my favourite warm place to sketch during the Swedish winters.
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| Sketching at Central Station |
I had a great Christmas with my family and friends, unfortunately I still haven’t mastered handling the stress of everything that has to be done before the holidays. It’s one of the busiest times of the year for me work-wise. If I was clever I’d buy all the presents and write all the Christmas cards the month before, but I’m not that smart.
So, I did not paint as much as I’d have liked in December but still my lunchtime watercolour effort is helping me produce more work than ever before. The more I paint, the better I become which of course feels good. Next year, I will paint more often and I’ll paint larger formats too. One of my sons is studying abroad in the New Year so now I have a studio space at home until he comes back in the summer. I guess it won’t be long before he flies the nest completely, sad, but I gain a studio.
Happy New Year! 🙂
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| Lunchtime watercolour 20141209. Fabriano rough, 300g, 23 x 30.5cm |
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| Lunchtime watercolour 20141218. Fabriano rough, 300g, 30.5 x 23cm |