Friday 6 May 2011

What, no colour?

Back to work for me this week so not a lot of time to spend on my art :( However, it was a short week and now it's Friday night - yay! Despite all the rushing around I managed to do two monochrome sketches. I do like to just draw sometimes and I think it helps to 'see' better and to sort out tonal values without worrying about colour and technique.

The first sketch was done in the local riverside park on the way home last night. I used a Bistre Conte crayon in a Derwent Journal - about the same size as the smallest Moleskine.

The second sketch was done on my usual Friday afternoon three hour dog walk. It was absolutely baking hot and luckily I had taken a water bottle and tray to give Louie a well-earned cool drink while I settled down to sketch.

I used watersoluble graphite pencils and a waterbrush, working again in my Derwent journal.

Hopefully I'll get back to do some serious painting very soon. In the mean time, have a good weekend everyone.

One more thing, just for Pat Elliott, one of my lovely followers, I've included a sketch from last year of my sketching companion and best friend Louie the Beagle!

11 comments:

  1. Lovely sketches Michael.

    Have a good weekend.

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  2. These are fantastic! I agree that sometimes it's too easy to get caught up with colour - and it's a great way of a sketcher to travel light!

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  3. Sue, thank you. Hope you had a relaxing weekend and are on the mend now :)

    Sandra, thank you. I'm always trying to make my sketching kit lighter. Sometimes less is more :)

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  4. These are wonderful sketches! I love all of them. :) I like how fresh they are, especially the top one, and the sketch of your dog is just perfect. Looks like you have some good company there!

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  5. Crystal, thank you. Yes, my dog is good company when I go out sketching, but he does get bored so I have to work quick!

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  6. Very beautiful! The colours are in our mind!ciao

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  7. Maria, grazie! The colours are indeed in our mind. Ciao.

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  8. oh thank you, Michael!
    He is absolutely adorable.. and there was I squirreled away with mundane figures when I could have been enjoying this :)

    Love how you got the curled up pose.. you just know Louie is in a blissful sleep :) xx

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  9. Yes, Pat, he certainly is adorable! Thank you :)

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  10. The beagle sketch is superb. You should enter it in an exhibition. It is almost abstract with those patchwork shapes. The face has such character - even in the sleep mode. It's lovely
    Jean

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  11. Thank you, Jean. I must get round to doing a bigger version of Louie sometime!

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