A Week of Coffee

A week of coffee. In order to overcome my fear of filling the panoramic shape of my new watercolour notebook I set out to draw a coffee an hour a day this week (yes, the hardship). Gastronomic rewards aside, it actually looks like I learnt something! By the end of the week I'm filling more of the page, playing with reflections, shadows and instensity of colours.

 

I watched Danny Gregory's interview with Tommy Kane this week. Tommy draws amazing, detailed sketches with pen from the start and accomodates any errors on the way. I agree accepting the errors this way builds confidence of just getting stuck into what's in front. I wouldn't always do this but when I'm trying to get results from short sittings it seems to help.

A morning coffee at Manly Wine.

 

 

It only dawned on me this week that despite being a wine bar this place might be open early enough for my morning coffee. The flamingoes are only the first of many things to draw here.

Fighting the urge to detail

Last Saturday I went to Pyrmont to sketch with a group of experienced Urban Sketchers. They tend to work more quickly than I and with more detailed and accurate results. My aim on the day was to only use one hour or less per sketch (we draw for 2 hours). My preference here is still to offer more to these wonderful old sandstone townhouses by trying to capture its design and surface with further detail.  I am familiar with the term less is more but I have a real problem in recognising when is best to STOP. So time constraints for now seem to be still the only way I can prevent myself from trying to "finish" this in the way I am most accustomed too.

 

 

The rest of the week just flew by and suddenly it was Friday and I'd had no other opportunity to sketch. I took my sketchbook to my hair appointment and fitted this in before the weekend returned.