The Art of a Sketchbook - September

The other day I decided to walk to the waters edge and do some sketching instead of my usual 2 mile walk.  It was only 9 a.m. yet it was already showing signs that it was going to be a warm day.  With the sun in my face and my eyes squinting I was able to do one landscape sketch and two other sketches of nearby objects.

Looking south from the beach.

Cedar branch.

Dried leaves on the beach.

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival

Recently we've had some really lovely weather here in the Northwest and a week ago today we decided to attend the 37th anniversary of the  Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, about 90 miles away.  It was amazing.  Lots of people, lots of vendors, lots of food and lots of wooden boats.

Point Hudson boat basin.

A lot of boats are decorated with pretty bouquets of flowers,
either on their bow or stern.  Such a pretty sight with the beautiful polished wood.

For me one of the highlights of the day was when I spotted this plein air painter on the beach.

Periodically throughout the day I would go back to where he was painting and see how he was progressing.

And I was happy that I returned just as he was putting the finishing touches on his painting.

Ahhh, a beautiful painting to show for his hours of standing on the beach.

The end of our day we were rewarded with this view of boats sailing in the bay.

Mussels in a Group

I have been preparing for a holiday show that is the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year.

More often than not I find myself still working on framing or printing long after midnight the night before.  This year I'm ahead of schedule.  I have all my cards printed and most of my paintings ready to share.

This is a small 6" x 6" painting of Mussels to go along with the small wood block shell paintings I do.

Group of Mussels, 6" x 6", Oil on stretched canvas
© 2013 Nancy Van Blaricom

Side view of stretch canvas

My taboret ...

A number of months ago I purchased this wonderful cart at a garage sale in hopes of using it as a taboret  in my studio.  It works wonderfully. It glides across the floor so smoothly you wouldn't believe it, and look, it has 4 large drawers to store a lot of goodies in.

My taboret ...

My taboret cart neatly put away when not in use...

When I'm not using the taboret I am able to keep it at the end of my all purpose table with my brushes, most used tubes of paint and my palette sitting on top of it.

It has nice big drawers to store art supplies ...

Taboret almost in place....

When I am using the taboret I turn it sideways in front of my easel along with my palette. 

In order to paint from this distance I need to hold my brush by the end (not close to the ferrel) just to reach the painting.   I don't know if I would ever have been able to make that a habit with out the aid of my taboret.

Taboret in front of easel ...

In place and ready to start using it ...

What about you ... do you have a taboret?  Do you use it like I do, in front of you to help remind you to paint by holding the end of your brush?

The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday

Hi, Happy Friday to you all.  

We've had a lot of rain in the last few hours and when I looked outside I saw that the rain had broken a couple of these beautiful pink geranium flowers off so I went and gathered them up and put them into a vase.  I thought they would make a fun contour drawing in my favorite sketchbook, (the one with smooth paper from Barnes & Noble) for this weeks blog post, (you can click on the photo to enlarge it).

So, tell me have you been sketching?  Have I encouraged some of you to get your pencil and sketchbook & try sketching more than you use to?  I hope so because that is why I started 'The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday'.  I've really enjoyed sharing my sketchbooks with you.  Showing you that you do not need to follow any guideline ...  just get that sketchbook out and sketch with your pen, pencil, pastel, watercolor, whatever you feel comfortable with. 

With this post I've decided to slow down on 'The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday's' blog entries. For the time being I will post my sketchbook pages once a month instead of my usual weekly posts.  Please continue to sketch and then share your sketches with people. 

Until the next The Art of a Sketchbook sometime in September, happy sketching!

The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday

Three Sketches from three different days ....

I have a little ceramic bird I found in a thrift shop years ago.  I sketch him a lot but I don't seem to ever get the proportions right ... but I keep on trying.

I found this little Disney Mickey Mouse on the Oregon coast years ago.

This salt shaker is always in my studio.  It is mostly used for watercolor effects on wet paper.

There ya have it.  Three different sketches, three different days all from the same sketchbook... my favorite one with the nice smooth paper.  It's the 6" x 9" I bought at Barnes & Noble.

Mum's the Word ...

Orange Mum in a Spice Jar ...

 Orange Mum in a Spice Jar, 8" x 6", Oil on panel, © 2013, Nancy Van Blaricom

I think I mentioned to you that I was going to be doing more study where my oil works are concerned... Such as ... think about how to paint each subject as I paint it, how to use my brushes and what kind of brush strokes they make, etc.   

On this painting I set out thinking about brush strokes. How brush strokes in every direction suggest atmosphere.  Across suggests softness, down generally suggesting hard. 

On the easel ...

I set the little jar and a fake mum on a wood surface. Turned off the lights (in these photos the studio lights are on) in my studio and only had light coming from a window that was very near by, natural light.  When I first started the painting I had it on a little higher surface closer to eye level, but today when I re-visited it I just set it up on what was near-by.  I had to rework the glass spice jar and just a little work the background.

The easel and set-up...

I felt with this painting I have made a break-through.  I began this painting by focusing on brush work, I didn't try to finish this in one sitting, I accomplished most brush work by holding my brush at the end not close to the ferrel, which has been almost impossible for me before. I tried to focus on shapes I was seeing and colors as well.  

My favorite things about this painting: I like the reflections on the wood surface and the shine on the glass.

The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday

Harold Speed :

"It is not enough to drink in and remember the emotional side of the matter, although this must be done fully, but if a memory of the subject is to be carried away that will be of service technically, the scene must be committed to memory in terms of whatever medium you intend to employ for reproducing it - in the case of a drawing, lines and tones. And the impression will have to be analyzed into these terms as if you were actually drawing the scene on some imagined piece of paper in your mind.  The faculty of doing this is not to be acquired all at once, but it is amazing of how much development it is capable.  Just as the faculty of committing to memory long poems or plays can be developed, so can the faculty of remembering visual things."

This is a quote I read not too long ago and decided to see just how much of a small outside patio table I would be able to sketch from memory.

I chose a simple object for my experiment and took a few moments to try to memorize the table.  It was  a bright sunny day and I tried to remember where the light was hitting it ... and where the shade was on the table.  Then two days later I sketched it from memory.

I thought this was a great experiment,  I remembered where the light hit the table but not where or how the shadow looked as it hit the ground or the shape of the ellipse of the base. I had started to sketch one of the chairs but realized early on I had not given enough thought to the chairs to even remember what they really looked like.

I'm going make an effort to try sketching more often from memory.  This will require me to pay more attention to what is before me.  

I took this picture today,when it is gray and cloudy, but it will give you an idea of the size and shape of the table I attempted to sketch from memory.

Do you think this is perhaps what is meant when they say "learning to see like an artist"?

Give it a try and let me know how you do sketching from memory.

Taking the week off...

I'm taking this week off from blogging.  
I'll return next week with my regular 
Art of a Sketchbook - Friday post.

Enjoy your week-end ... try to squeeze some sketching into it.

The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday

"You can't do sketches enough.
Sketch everything and keep your curiosity fresh."

~John Singer Sargent                      

This week I have a couple of sketches I did recently.  I saw some sunglasses on my desk and sketched them in my  6" x 9", Aquabee Super Deluxe sketchbook.   Again, not my favorite sketch book ... you can see through the page that I have sketched something on the back of that page.  This paper is rough and not the smooth paper I prefer.

I'm still working on trying to fill up this sketchbook so I sketched my thumb on the same page as I had glued a sketch of an eye.

As John Singer Sargent say's ...  "You can't do sketches enough.  Sketch everything and keep your curiosity fresh."

The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday

Back on July 5th I posted about Charles Reid and his method of contour drawing.  And although I don't do much watercoloring any more, another one of his books you might enjoy is Charles Reid's Watercolor Secrets.  All of the photographs of his work, in this book, are from his sketchbooks.

Charles Reid's Watercolor Secrets can be found on Amazon... follow the link.

On my desk ... This book has little tid-bits for the artist such as the tips below.

I like this one as well because I'm always obsessed with back grounds.

And about color ....

And what about this ...  shadow shapes.

On another note ....  I can't believe how fast summer is passing by.  I've been busy reading, mostly art books such as Harold Speed's book Practice and Science of Drawing as well as a couple of mysteries thrown in for those lazy days ... (have you read any of the Jack Reacher books) ??? As well as short boating trips, working in our yard and enjoying our friends.  Life is good!

Yesterday we had to take our cat, Odessa, into the vet.  She seemed to be having some issues with her mouth and we wanted her doc to check it for us.  Seems she had a loose canine tooth that he will pull this morning and she'll be home safe and sound this afternoon. I guess you'd say she's on her first sleep over... 

Have a good week ... keep on sketching.

The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday

Most of my sketches are done in a sketchbook, but other times, like when I forget to take a sketchbook with me, I will find a scrap of paper and do my sketching on that.

Recently while off on the boat I realized I had done just that. I had forgot to bring a a sketchbook or a pencil.   In this case I found a scratch pad I had aboard that I had previously made from quartering sheets of unwanted printer paper and stapling them together. Fortunately I also found an ink pen stashed away in a drawer. 

Below you'll see the gorgeous sunset we saw while we were on the boat as well a a couple of sketches.

 

Looking west as we sat in the cockpit enjoying a glass of wine.

I sketched these shell pieces i found while on the beach and the one below was a sketch I did from down inside the cabin looking out.  

Neither are anything special, but represent the fact that if I really feel like sketching, not having my sketchbook along isn't a good excuse.

Happy sketching!

The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday

Negative drawing....

 I think I was working through Betty Edwards book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain when I did these negative drawing sketches.

Definition: Negative space is the area of an image not occupied by shapes or forms. This part of the drawing is often neglected, or filled with casual scribbles. Negative space drawing involves concentrating on drawing the background, leaving the object white - an excellent exercise in observation.

I remember sketching the above plastic chair on our back deck while sitting in a matching chair.

  

This one is a painted vase (?) with an attached saucer.

And last ... a sugar bowl that I had put some silk ivy in.

I haven't thought about negative drawing much in the last few years, but I do remember how much I enjoyed the look once I was done.

If you haven't done any negative sketching in awhile maybe now would be a good time give it another try.

Commission Completed and presented

The watercolor commission I have talked about in previous blog posts is finished and has been presented to the owners. Now I feel its ok to share a couple of photos with you. 

 Jack & Luke, 16" x 20" watercolor on 140 lb Arches watercolor paper, © 2013, Nancy Van Blaricom

To the passing observer these two beautiful Burmese Mountain Dogs look so much alike that I was really struggling as I started working on the painting. Even though the owner supplied me with numerous photos it wasn't until she told me a little bit about their physical traits that I was able to really get to know them. And then I could see their personalities ....

Luke, the one with his tail in the air is the younger of the two. Brave, curious and unafraid.  Jack on the other hand although older and wiser is timid, not brave, but a lover and very gentle soul.

I really felt I had gotten to know each of them as I put the paintbrush down when I had completed the painting.

 Jack & Luke, wrapped and ready to be presented,
 16" x 20" watercolor on 140 lb Arches watercolor paper, © 2013, Nancy Van Blaricom

The photo above is how the painting was presented to the owners.  It was matted and placed in a clear cellophane envelope.  Then along with a pack of notecards I place them in a larger cellophane envelope and wrapped it with a blue bow to match the blue of the water in the painting.

But, there is more to the story ... I had just finished the painting when I received word that Jack had passed away.  My heart broke for the owners ... and a little for myself as well.  While working on this painting I was developing a bond to Jack.  His personality reminded me so much of the personality of my cat Casey that I lost last September.  

The owners were given the painting and will hang it in their summer home here near the water.

Good-bye Jack.  You were loved and will be missed by many.

The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday

Charles Reid on contour drawing ...

I first learned how to contour draw from a Charles Reid's book and today I thought I would share with you one of Charles Reid's many books. 

I believe most of his books have a section on contour drawing but the basics in this book are probably my favorite. 

The Natural Way to Paint Rendering the Figure in Watercolor Simply and Beautifully by Charles Reid starts out with a full chapter on contour and gesture drawing. 

Although this book is about figure painting and drawing the first 20 pages talks about contour drawing. He tells us that contour drawing helps us see and concentrate.

He takes us step by step on how he starts his contour drawing, where he starts drawing on the page and how he finishes using the rest of the page ...

If you are not into watercolor and not interested in buying a book that focuses on watercolor maybe you can see if you local library has a copy you can borrow.

Hope you have a great week sketching ....

Outside the Gate ...

Outside the Gate, 8" x 6" oil on canvas panel, © 2013, Nancy Van Blaricom

I think this particular scene (painting) will look familiar to locals.  

I was drawn to this not only because it is a local landmark but because of the dappled sunlight.  I am always drawn to it and love to try to capture it in a painting. 

The Art of a Sketchbook - Friday

A few before sketches ...

Recently I was asked if all my daily sketching have improved my skills in drawing?  The answer is absolutely! But first let me say that there are times that I don't sketch daily ... even weeks that I don't pick up a pencil and sketch.  When I do sketch my first goal it to create a sketch that  is recognizable.  Thats about it. It doesn't have to be a perfect drawing, just recognizable to me. 

I use to try hard to draw/sketch and did some sad looking sketches, then I discovered modified contour drawing like Charles Reid suggests in his books and dvd's: "contour drawing helps you see that the things you are drawing aren't things but rather shapes that intertwine and connect".   Drawing like this really helped me get over being so up-tight about what I was drawing.  And the more I did contour drawing the more confidence I acquired and although my sketches still are not what I'd call great sketches I am much happier because of them.

These two sketches are from January 1997.  Obviously not the best paper (or best sketches) in this sketchbook which is the Mead Academie Sketch Diary 11 "X 8 1/2"with the gray cover that I have told you about before.  The front said it was good for pencil, ink etc... but its amazing how the pencil sketch on the back side of this sketch shows through.

I really should apologize for these two sketches because they are horrible  ... but I realize they were and are all part of the learning experience.  No one starts out being the best at anything until after a lot of practice.

I recently read a blog post on drawing by Lori McNee  that I think you might enjoy it & find informative. Happy sketching.