Drawing in the Grampians - II

So what did I produce on my week away?

I had a couple of goals in mind. One was just to do some serious big drawings, with an attempt to get them to some sort of completion. I managed two.

For me, drawing is about seeing and recording. If you spend alot of time, carefully observing something, you manage to see so many details. You can feel yourself change as you get deeper into the picture. It's almost like a light switching on. Whilst I would love to make great drawings, that's not the main aim of my ongoing 'need' to draw.

The next aim was to have another try at painting. I find I need to separate the two aspects of drawing: the line or structure, and, the colour. So I figure, with painting, that I can record colour. I've been reading a book on Fred Williams, whose landscapes are disceptively simple with big blocks of colour and 'blobs' of colour for the smaller features.

I tried several times, and while they weren't successful, they were a step in the right direction. I decided to use gouache, rather than watercolour or oils. It allows you to paint thinly or thickly and dries quickly. My colour matching wasn't great, but that's the subject of the next blog!

I attempted to put down just blocks of colour, then I painted over them a stiff brush to make ragged dot marks and a sponge to also try and get texture into the picture.

I then took the first picture back to the cabin and tried again. Working from a picture in 'the studio' isn't a skill I've achieved yet, so a worthy first attempt.

Oh, and I did finally, on the trip home, draw an olive tree.

And, don't they photograph well.....

Just go crazy

When in doubt just go out left-field way. I've had this idea about wrapping rocks for awhile, but was going to do it on a big scale for the Sculpture Award, as that won't be happening till next year, I'll just do a little practice now.

Each of the rocks has a name and its' own scarf. They'll sit on a covered seat, much more comfortable than bare wood.

I'll sit them on the stall and at least people can have a bit of a laugh.

And here is a picture of the said stall, as taken by a friend on Sunday's market. It's a bit dark, and I haven't quite decided what it all says about the presentation. More thinking required.