These are my latest efforts, mainly done at AVA sessions on Thursday mornings.
This was my first attempt at Charles Darwin. All 16" x 12" Waterford High White unless otherwise stated.
Young Indian girl, probably in captivity.
This exercise at the AVA was to use only shades of grey.
Old Indian - Staedtler Pigment liner ranging from 01 to 08. This particular set of 6 pens is apparently exclusive to Cass Art (who now have a shop in Bristol).The reason I tried this was I've been attracted to a variety of drawings, using various types of pens/pencils and wanted to try this technique out . I was quite pleased with this result but another attempt at a female head was a failure.
Indian Chief - Mixed feelings about this one. Some of the old illustrations I use as a guide are quite blurry and with very hard edged black and white photos. Detail is lost in the shadows and they are difficult to interpret - at least by me.
Second Attempt at Charles Darwin using another guide photo. This was my original attempt at which point I was unsure what more to do. Yvonne, our AVA leader, suggested I needed to do a little more so I pondered it for a while then finished off as the final version shows. Khadi Hand Made paper supposedly A3 but it seems more like 15" x 11".
Charles Darwin - see comments above. This is more like what I am aiming at.
The actor Kit Harrington as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones.
A Chelsea Pensioner. This was done in response to the subject at a recent AVA session 'Remembrance'
The colours used on these subjects tend to be mostly grey mixtures using Ultramarine or Cerulean Blues with Burnt Umber or Transparent Brown (Schmincke). Daniel Smith Indigo in various dilutions for the hat. This is PB60 Indanthrene Blue with black. At full strength it is very dark.
I accept the above is a mixed bunch - just my work over the last few weeks. The only ones that I am happy with are Charles Darwin and Kit Harrington. The pen and ink one isn't too bad. The others? Could be better.
The next subject at the AVA is 'Autumn'. I've already started four different drawings and painted a little detail on three of them. The reason I've painted the detail in is to see if the painting will work. Of course it may not even now but two of the three look on the right path. Hopefully I'll post them in due course. You'd think after seventeen years I"d know exactly where I am or wanted to be. Still searching though for the magic formulae or at least still not reached a standard that is good enough consistently. Perhaps I never will as time is running out!
These are really nice. I like the pencil work on Old Indian. It really conveys the character of the Native American.
ReplyDeleteBut it's your second Darwin portrait I really like. That yellow(?) around the ears was a nice touch. And I like the liberal application of what I can only assume is white gouche on the beard. The first Darwin doesn't have the solidity of the second portrait, while I can see that you had a solid construction drawing pencilled underneath Darwin 2.
Myself, I wish that I could just drop paint on the paper and make it work but I struggle with those. I always prefer to have a drawing underneath, whether in pencil or ink. I have to admit that is one of the attractions of the work of John Palmer for me. Seeing those pencil lines underneath those washes.
Hi Oscar
ReplyDeleteNice to hear from you again. The 2nd Darwin one is one of my best (in my opinion) but it hasn't received much acclaim on Facebook. I like drawing to be part of the painting. In my case I can't draw with the brush. Judi Whitton also believes in pencil work - she 's a big fan of John Palmer also - and knows him personally. I haven't heard of him recently so don't what he's up to if anything. My main contact with him was through a friend who died a couple of years ago. He should be much better known but for a reason that I know didn't achieve the acclaim that much lesser artists have achieved. I used acrylic white on the Darwin paintings.
All best wishes for Xmas and the New Year.
Best wishes for Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too.
ReplyDelete