A second pause for thought

In this version I've lightened the wall behind the statue and then lightened and deepened the colours in a few other places, with emphasis on getting more light against dark contrasts, to give what I think is now a more pleasing result. Thank you Pat and Judy for your helpful suggestions :)

THE THINKING SOLDIER, HUNTINGDON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Pause for thought

I pass this wonderful statue on my way home from work .. well that's if I decide to go through the town centre for a bit of shopping, rather than the quick way home. I bought a new sketch book and a snazzy collapsible biro in town and so, armed with my new purchases and fancying a little break before I made my way home, I sat in the market square and sketched the war memorial in front of the old Court House and Mayor's Chambers. I must be getting more comfortable with plein air sketching now - I just ignored any passers-by and got on with it! I added coloured pencil at home., some from memory and some from reference to photographs on the web.

THE THINKING SOLDIER, HUNTINGDON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Old and New

I've not had a lot of time to devote to my art this week but I have been having a lot of fun trying various watercolour techniques that I hope to use in a bigger painting that I keep promising myself! I also haven't managed to get out to do any sketching so I used an old sketch that I did about nineteen years ago (where does the time go?) as a reference for this little 7x5 watercolour. I had no colour notes so I had to rely on my memory and invent a little bit.

The location is a beautiful little village called Laycock, a place I used to walk to and sketch when I lived and worked in the nearby town of Keighley in West Yorkshire. I just liked the composition at the time and really glad that I never binned the original sketch :)

And as a footnote and as requested by my blogging friend and first follower Sandra, here's the original page from my sketchbook. Personally, I prefer the old sketch ! What do you think ?