Another fun day, but tinged with a little sadness that it was our last class. What a term we've had. Liz has taught us so much and continued to encourage us constantly throughout the duration of the course. There's been a shift in my sketching and the intensity of colour used , but I also recognise a change in confidence and my willingness to tackle things I would not previously try.
For our cafe sketch this week we went to Chica Bonita - a lively little restaurant in Manly with wonderful decor, music, vibe, food, drink, lighting. Everything just right for getting us to play. I ordered a watermelon margarita to further aid the loosening of the lines and decided to draw it against the backdrop of the tiles from the table and next to a feature from the wall. This sketch incorporates every bit of play technique I could remember from the earlier studio discussion - sketching with watercolour pencils, using a white chinagraph pencil (it resists the watercolour paint), salt (from my margarita glass), scraping wet paint with the credit card, white gel pen, wet on wet colours, splashing and most of all remembering not to be too serious about the outcome.
Thanks once more to Liz, its been a great learning experience. You can read more about this weeks class here on her blog.
Links to my posts on the earlier classes:
Chantal it's a gorgeous drawing of your cute little puppy. Oh so sweet, as sweet as the watermelon margarita I am sure! I loved sitting beside you watching the way you played with gusto and it certainly comes out in your confident dinosaur sketch. It will be a special memory that you not only drew your margarita but used the salt from the rim for your sketch! Definitely one of many high points of the classes with Liz. Hope she has a great time in Barcelona and comes back for a second round!
ReplyDeleteCheers Suzi - It was a great course and sketching with you enriched it further. I do like online courses too, but nothing beats getting out with others who have a similar passion and learning together. I am really looking fwd to Liz regaling us with her Barcelona stories on her return :)
DeleteSo fun to see what you've done. I really like that pink dog, and yes, it is entertainment to watch paint swirl on the page. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen! I've been dying to use that course mix for something but there's generally not that much intensity of bright pink in my environment! It was good to be told to PLAY and move outside our normal assumptions and expectations :)
DeleteLove the looks you've achieved with these techniques!!x
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennie. I'm just realising how restrained I was previously with my colours/muted tones and methods.. sure there is a place for them but I see now these moments of play and discovery need to occur more often!
DeleteLoved this post. It reminded me of the two techniques Liz showed me in Melbourne - the salt thing and the credit card scraping. And I haven't given them a go since! I must remedy that. I also like the idea of sketching with watercolour pencil and then loading your paintbrush with colour. I love the effect you've achieved with that! It's also reminded me that it should be about fun more often :) Thanks, Chantal (and Liz!) :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jodi. Liz's encouragement to play helped lots - I hope you get a chance to catch up with her in Melbourne again soon :)
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