Tag: Sketch

Stockholm Urban Sketchers

Sven Harrys Konstmuseet

I met up with my fellow Urban Sketchers yesterday, we meet on the last Sunday of every month. It was a beautiful warm summer’s day, 25 degrees in the shade – a rare event at this time of the year here in Stockholm. We met outside Sven Harry’s Art Museum in Vasaparken, close to St Eriksplan in Stockholm. I first did a watercolour sketch of the people sunbathing in the park, this was on Arches rough and later I painted Sven Harry’s Art Museum. If you are in Stockholm I can totally recommend to visit the museum right now as they have a great Anders Zorn exhibition on.

I am happy with my sketches, I was able to simplify the compositions to make them interesting to the eye. This is such a hard skill to master, do not try to draw everything and don’t be afraid to move objects around on the page to improve the composition. I have not mastered this skill yet, one has to practice it over and over again until it becomes instinctive. Each sketch took about an hour to paint. Sunbathers was painted on Arches rough and the museum was painted on Saunders fine.

Sunbathers in Vasaparken

Sven Harrys Konstmuseet

Tags akvarell, aquarelle, Sketch, Sven Harrys, urbansketcher, watercolor, Watercolour

Sketch Watercolour

Trip to Northern Ireland

Donaghadee harbour, N.Ireland

I visited my mother last week to celebrate her birthday and spend a few days with my sister too. Visiting Northern Ireland is always a little strange for me as I grew up south of the border so visiting my mother is not the same as coming home. Actually, where is home? I have lived in Sweden for 27 years so Stockholm is I guess. Ireland is where I come from and Northern Ireland is where my mother and sister lives. France is where my parents in law live and my oldest son lives in Japan. Between the age of 21 and 26 I lived in London. With this kind of background it is impossible to be a nationalist, I’m very happy to be a person who has to travel the world to meet his family. It saddens me that countries want to close their borders, what is the benefit of such a thing?

The watercolour and pencil sketch were done when I had two hours to myself during my visit, I drove to Donaghadee which is one of my favourite places that is close to my mother’s home. The pencil sketch is on A5 paper and the watercolour is painted on Arches and is A4ish in size.

The harbour front – Donaghadee, Northern Ireland by David Meldrum

Donaghadee harbour, N.Ireland

Tags Donaghadee, ireland, irland, norra irland, northern ireland, Sketch, watercolor, Watercolour

figure drawing My Life Drawing Nude Sketch

Not inspired

Post author By meldrum
Post date 2017/05/19
2 Comments on Not inspired

Meldrum sketch

I managed one sketch that I was happy with from last Tuesday. Yes, I was not inspired that day. I’ve been painting watercolours during the week, better inspiration there!

Graphite drawing on A3 paper

Tags figure drawing, Life drawing, Sketch

Sketch Watercolour

Today I studied Sergey Temerev

Post author By meldrum
Post date 2017/05/17
2 Comments on Today I studied Sergey Temerev

Storskär sketch

Today I studied Sergey Temerev’s cloud painting techniques on YouTube. I also did a sketch of a painting that I will start in the morning. Painting in a Moleskin sketchbook is difficult when you are used to good quality paper like Arches, but it’s a sketchbook which means I am not too concerned. The most important thing is to play and experiment with composition and pigment.

Click the image below for a larger version

David Meldrum watercolour of Storskär ferry — Storskär sketch

Tags ferry, moleskin, Sketch, storskär, watercolor, Watercolour

figure drawing My Life Drawing Nude Sketch

First life drawing for while

Post author By meldrum
Post date 2017/05/16
5 Comments on First life drawing for while

nude by David Meldrum

It feels like it was years ago since I last went to life drawing. There has been so much going on in my life that I haven’t had time – but now I do, this week at least. This is my relax week, I’m just painting and drawing what I want. No pressure, just fun.

I liked this model, she is new to the scene here in Stockholm, I think it was her second time modelling, not 100% sure about that, her name is Erika. A new model is always welcome, one gets too used to the regulars which is dangerous because there is a tendency to stop looking at the model and draw what we think we see. Does that make sense?

Sketched on Canson Croquis A3 paper, 90g. I used 9b, 6b, and 2b lead in mechanical pencils. Actually I will include a picture of my pencils.

nude by David Meldrum

My pencils: 9b, 6b and 2b.

Tags croquis, figure drawing, kroki, Life drawing, Sketch

Sketch Watercolour

The importance of a sketchbook

Post author By meldrum
Post date 2017/05/08
2 Comments on The importance of a sketchbook

A small painting from my sketchbook. I usually do a quick watercolour to loosen up if I haven’t painted for a while.

A watercolour horse sketch by David Meldrum — Horse sketch

Tags akvarell, aquarelle, horse, moleskin, Sketch, sketchbook, watercolor, Watercolour

Sketch urbansketching

Urban sketching

Stockholm Central by David Meldrum

I took it really easy today, I’ve been so busy during the last month – I really needed to take my foot off the gas pedal. So, the first thing I did today was go to the central station and sketched the travelers as they waited for trains.

In the afternoon I walked around the town and looked for scenes to photo and paint at a later date. I walked for 4 hours! It was a sunny day and I was hunting the light, looking for scenes that were perfect for watercolours. I found quite a few so I’m happy. Tomorrow I’ll paint in the studio at home, my feet are feeling tired. I have life drawing tonight so I’ll sleep well.

Click image below for larger version.

Tags centralen, Sketch, skiss, Stockholm, stockhom, teckning, urbansketcher, usk

figure drawing My Life Drawing Nudes Sketch Watercolour

Saturday’s life drawing

I decided to try something different last Saturday, I used my old Chinese calligraphy pen, brand name “Hero” and I used watercolour pigment as a wash. I was pleased with the result although I think I will use my 2B pencil instead of the pen next time. The poses were 30 seconds, 1, 2 and 5 minutes long. Painted on cheap watercolour paper, Calson 200g A4.

Tags basis, figure drawing, figure painting, ink, Life drawing, Sketch, Watercolour

figure drawing My Life Drawing Sketch

Saturday’s life drawing

david meldrum life drawing

Another Saturday and another burst of 1, 2, 3 and 5 minute poses. The organiser added 30 second poses to the grinding session. He thought we were having to much time with the 1 minute ones! I can see his point though, all you can do is capture the pose, nothing else when time is so short.

david meldrum life drawing

Tags basis, figure drawing, kroki, Life drawing, nudes, Sketch