Now, where was I? I blink and another 3 weeks pass. Liz Steel's classes have continued to bowl me over with more great insights to sketching and most recently, the really fun bit, using our new watercolours.
But before I share the colour joy, let me fill you in on the things that stuck from week 2 and 3.
Week 2 focussed on creating hard and soft edges in our sketches as well as using textures to enhance areas we wish to draw attention to. In theory, by defining our hard edges first, we can prioritise what we see and draw more effectively and thus faster (ie don't get caught up in the details, before sorting out the composition for the rest of the picture).
Fortunately, Liz doesn't pass or fail us each week because with this view of Shelly Beach I washed over all of my watercolour pencil work when I got home and continued to 'ticker' (thanks for that word Raewyn!) mostly defeating the point of the exercise.
Week 3 was on value studies. We learnt to determine local colour, cast shadow and shade in a still life setting in the studio. With only a key of 3 options, then 5, we were underaking the most simple exercises in value study and yet it was quite punishing - in a latte sipping, midday, pleasant company, sunny light filled studio kind of way. My Mum also joined in on this class as a casual and did a sterling job of taking in all of what we learnt and applying it to her own work.
Our group then headed up the street and applied the same value study process to sketching a block of apartments. It was good to repeat this for a building and see the impact of preserving the white on the sunlit facades, and darkening the other areas based on local colour, shade and cast shadow. Preserving white has been a problem for me in the past because the temptation to "colour in" usually takes hold.
A little practice with my Tombow marker later in the week. I love that these pens have a fine end as well as a brush. Given a minute or so drying time in between, I can use the brush layer to create different intensities of value.
In the next post I'll show you my new paints : )
