Tag Archives: Foundations

Continuous Lines

I do so love drawing with a continuous line. It is so freeing! It reduces a complex subject into something utterly doable, and low pressure! I must remember to use this technique far, far more often!

First was a few kitchen items. I grabbed a box of lemon ginger tea, a lemon, and fresh ginger root. Cute! The exercise was to do the outlines, and here they are. I had so much fun I had to do it a few times!

Next assignment was to sketch part of a house that had some foliage in front of it. At least that’s how I interpreted it. This was even more fun! I really love how easy these were, and the energy in the sketches. It capture something special my more careful sketches don’t.

Next time I look forward to trying an even more detailed version. Maybe add the roof tiles for some texture, over and above the tree limbs. My sketchbook page got a bit crowded, but that’s the fun of being “on location” and working with what you have! I am nearing the end of this 7.5 x 7.5 inch Stillman and Birn Alpha. I’ll have to decide what size I’ll be going with next!

I decided to dust off my food sketchbook. Since this is the week of continuous line, I had to apply it to the food sketches! Not all of these little sketches are in continuous line, but I found it super helpful to sketch the pasta and the chocolate chips. Subjects where the detail typically overwhelms me.

I am also working on my sketchbook design skills in the food sketchbook. It is a good subject to practice spanning the gutter, and varying layout options. I’m obviously heavily influenced by Liz Steel and her magnificent classes, especially Sketching Now Sketchbook Design.

Speaking of challenging subjects, I attempted drawing something I would never have tried before, and I sketched this view of the Natchez steamboat by using continuous line. I rather love it! The cathedral I sketched using what I learned in Sketching Now Buildings, and much to my surprise, it turned out so well. This might be my favorite sketchbook page of all time, and certainly my favorite in this sketchbook!

Thanks Liz! I couldn’t be doing this without you!

TN Two Ways

My assignment was to draw something on a table in public, using two different types of materials. One in pen only, with spot color, and the other in watercolor pencil. Well, due to the current massive surge in COVID cases in my city, I’m not doing anything in public! However, this TN was on my table and it is one of those objects I never think about sketching, because it’s always around. Perfect!

I do love sketching in pen (with no pencil set up lines) and the wonky pen in the sketch doesn’t even bother me. The spot color was a fun addition. I need to remember that more often! The watercolor pencil is easier to adjust and make corrections, especially when adding water to activate it and make it a bit more painterly. I was incredibly tempted to sketch and paint a full color version, but I was short on time. Some other day!

This was a really fun exercise, and I very much enjoyed how different each version is and how it adds interest to the page.

Foundations (4th Run)

Happy New Year!

I am so very excited about Foundations this year. As I was doing Buildings a lot of the basics really clicked for me in new ways, and thusly I’m quite excited to do Foundations, and focus on those basics, and allow my new depth of understanding to really be explored and practiced!

This is my fourth run through of Foundations! Hard to believe, isn’t it? I’ve never finished, (I say that a lot, don’t I?) but I always learn a lot. Obviously, I’m absolutely planning to complete everything! Naturally, I’m “behind” already. However, I love it no less!

For the first time, I’m using the same kit as Liz Steel for her class. I am particularly excited to stick with the six color palette and practice my color mixing! I’m pretty good with my color mixing, so this will be fun. I also got a set of Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils for Yule. Thusly, for the first time, I have the full set of colors Liz uses in her kit! Woot!

I’ve experimented with the watercolor brands I had previously, and so far the Albrecht Durer are my favorites for color intensity and ease of use. I’m looking forward to getting a feel for how they work and what I can do with them.

My six colors are all Daniel Smith.

  • Hansa Yellow Medium (HY)
  • Quincridone Rose (QR)
  • Ultramarine Blue (UB)
  • Cerulean Blue Chromium (CBC)
  • Transparent Red Oxide (TRO)
  • Monte Amiate Natural Sienna (MANS)

I did a few color bars, aiming for some shades and watercolor magic, as well as capturing which colors were used in the blend. Greens, browns, and grays are all colors that one benefits from knowing how to mix quickly! These are my Lesson 1 Indoor assignments. I always love sketching art materials, and doing color charts! I think we all do!

Wrapping up Buildings, Looking forward to Foundations

Buildings was great for me this year. I didn’t quite manage to finish. Again. But I got farther than I have in previous years, and had a number of breakthroughs. Seasonal depression is a thing, and in the middle of a pandemic its far worse, so I will be kind and forgiving with myself about not finishing. I loved every minute of class, every Livestream, and every sketch I did was the best I’ve yet done, and that’s a massive set of wins!

Getting better and better! My biggest success has to be in “thicknesses” and that there are a LOT more lines needed when drawing buildings! I’m getting so much more dimensionality. Even my angles and proportions, by far a big weakness of mine, are getting better! I really need to keep using pencil set up lines for that accuracy aid!

I actually sketched outside! On location! This was in a quiet neighborhood, so I didn’t have to worry about social distancing. I added the paint at home later, though, since the sun was a bit brutal by the time I was done. Next time, I need a hat! But I’ve only done “one location” sketching a few times, so every one is scary and a huge accomplishment.

“Working Structurally” may be the best thing! I couldn’t believe how fast and accurately this little sketch of Notre Dame came together! I really have learned so much. Now the trick will be to remember those seven steps!

Next up is Foundations. This will be my fourth run through Foundations, though I’ve not done a great job of finishing that one, either. Hopefully I’ve learned just how much time those lessons really take so I can try to keep up next month!

I’ve decided to go for the six color palette that Liz Steel uses for the class. It feels refreshing and interesting to me to simplify my colors, and work on color mixing, I feel pretty strong with my color mixing, and I have so much fun with it!

Once upon a time, when I got my first watercolors, I’d see a pamphlet that Winsor Newton put out about which of their colors they recommended for a six color palette, so I had to go research that and put it in my notes. However, I’ll be using Liz’s for class, particularly since I’m really curious how the earth colors will mix. Can I get “clear” tones? I’m excited to find out!

For the holidays I got a set of water color pencils! So, for the first time, I’ve got all the colors for the set in the Foundations class, and I’m so excited to be able to experiment with those, too! Never had them all in previous runs!

Time Team & Montezuma’s Castle

Foundations lessons, and inspiration from Time Team!

I fell in love with those medieval maps! Need to find a way to learn how to do that! I copied this one from the screen!

I was too overwhelmed to sketch Montezuma’s Castle while on location, so sketched this from a photograph. Clearly I need more practice, as I did not get the results I was looking for from this sketch. Worse, I don’t know why or how. At least I’ve grown enough to realize now that this means I am lacking some sort of knowledge that can be learned, and practiced.

More sketching from television here. I have discovered with this sketch that my paper really does not do the wet in wet techniques I was attempting. Did not work! Do I need to change my paper? That said, I heart this sketch because I love the subject so much, and I do love learning, even when the results don’t work out, they teach me.

Foundations Begins

Once again I’m starting Liz Steel’s Sketching Now Foundations course. It’s getting embarrassing how often I begin but never start! However, I always learn something, even when my participation is a bit disappointing. Hopefully this time will be better and I’ll actually do the whole course?

I must note, I am challenged to finish because of my own distractions, because I absolutely love the class!

I get better each time when I do the exercises again! Since I took her Sketchbook Design course, I’m even better at making full pages that look pretty in terms of design, even when it is fairly random things!

As sketched recently, my palette was nearly empty, so I decided to put together a new palette for this course and work some mixing magic. This palette is based almost entirely on Jane Blundell’s book, The Ultimate Mixing Palette.

A number of these pigments are new to me, particularly the Phthalo shades. Of course this means playing with them!

That cupcake was supposed to be a light mint color. Got a bit heavy handed though, didn’t I? Greens! They are my challenge, and I love them so much!

I decided to just mix my class exercises right in with my regular every day sketching, and I find I really like it. Capturing memories is my ultimate goal.