Last Post

This will be my last post on Blogger as I now have a new Website and Blog which can be found on http://Graham Findlay Watercolours.com


I look forward to seeing you over on the new site.

What do I want from a sketchbook ?

As a watercolourist my main concern is the quality of the paper. For my purposes, it should not be too thin and it should not cockle when water is applied to it. Neither should it bleed through to the other side. In short, I am looking for a reasonable watercolour paper rather than a cartridge paper.

The sketchbook should also be of a manageable size. If it is never likely to leave the studio then size doesn't matter, but for a sketchbook which is to be taken on location however near or far afield, it must not be too heavy or bulky and ideally should easily be held in one hand when in use. As I tend to paint standing up and there is not always a convenient wall to rest the book on, I want to be assured it will not droop at the edges when I am trying to apply a wash.

If such a sketchbook existed it would be a bonus if it looked good - after all,  it will be a faithful companion for some time, and a friend for ever.

So imagine my delight when I discovered the Stillman & Birn softback sketchbook in their "Beta" series.It has exactly what I long for, the cold press/NOT paper being 270gsm which makes it substantial enough to prevent drooping, and the binding makes it capable of laying flat enabling a free flow of paint over a double page spread if desired.

An extra bonus for me is that there is no compromise in the amount of paper. The sketchbook has 52 pages and its rounded corners makes it easy to fit into a small sketching bag without it becoming bent or creased. My favourite size for taking out and about is 5.5 x 8.5 inches.

If you have not yet discovered the Stillman & Birn range they produce a variety of sizes, weights of paper, textures and even colour. Enough for whatever style of sketching you enjoy.

In Britain, they are available from Jackson's Art supplies or you can go onto www.stillmanandbirn.com

Next, I'm going to try out the spiral-bound version...

Frustration is all part of the process

How many times have you heard someone say "I feel so frustrated. I'm not getting anywhere. Maybe I ought to take up something else" ?
How many times have you felt frustrated that your painting is not going well and you don't know why ?

Don't despair ! It happens to everyone, professional and hobbyist alike. It's a natural part of the learning process, and learning to paint is something which stays with us for life. Just when you think you have it sussed, you discover a whole new layer of meaning which needs to be investigated and understood.
No wonder we feel frustrated from time to time. It takes a while for new information to percolate through our brain cells and reveal its meaning. Each painting we do isn't the end of a journey, it is only a single step on our voyage of discovery.

It takes time to understand some of the lessons we learn upon our way. We all travel at different speeds and full understanding will come when the time is right for the individual. In this world where everyone seems to want instant gratification it is easy to become frustrated that every painting we do is not a masterpiece.

In time you will recognize that those moments when you appear to stumble are actually building blocks which are adding to your knowledge and your ability, and will take you another step along your path. Learn to enjoy the journey. It is all important. Take in as much as you can along the way.
Resist the temptation of so many who want to travel by the fastest means without seeing any of the treasures en route. They will understand nothing.

Painting outdoors

Painting outdoors is one of the most pleasurable moments a painter can have, yet many students are afraid of giving it a try as they see it as the "great unknown".
"I wouldn't know where to start" is the explanation I hear most often.

I can sympathize. The world is a big place and it tends not to come in handy 6 x 4 or 7 x 5 inch slices. The biggest problem and therefore the the most important decision is to decide what to focus on.
My advice (which I keep reminding myself as well as my students) is 'not to bite off more than you can chew' especially to begin with. Be realistic about how much you can expect to achieve in the time available.

In my view, I think it is better to attempt three or four small sketches rather than one large painting which is unlikely ever to be finished.

Which leads us to the next problem. How much to include?

This is as much to do with composition or design as anything. Why paint an enormous sky and acres of foreground when probably an old gate beside a tree will have so much more to say? Likewise, if there is a building involved, whether a charming cottage or a tumble down old barn, consider if a small section or corner will have more interest than trying to paint every detail of the whole building.

Painting outside implies that time is short any way. The light will change, probably faster than you can paint, so keeping it small and concentrating on one aspect makes sense.

Think of using the time to gather information. Spending time LOOKING is never wasted.

Remember, a painting doesn't have to be an exact replica of the scene in front of you any more than it has to be an exact copy of a photograph. There should be room for the individual artist's interpretation. You may end up with a little gem, a painting in it's own right, or have the finest first-hand reference available when you later enlarge or interpret it in the studio.

Morning meadow.

Morning meadow late June

7 x 10" watercolour

One of my favourite subjects to paint. Along the meadows there are always a number of views to paint at any time of the year. No two days are ever quite the same.

Shortly after painting this, the clouds increased and we lost the sun. Just shows you have to grab the moment. Tomorrow is another day, as they say, and there is bound to be something just as exciting to try and capture in paint. The hardest part is deciding where to start!

Iron age update

The Iron age Round house is making good progress despite some recent wet weather. It has been fascinating watching the posts going in and the walls taking shape. How did the original Iron age people manage to build such a tall roof without the aid of modern scaffolding ? Perhaps they made their own wooden version. Looking forward to the thatch going on.

Down in the meadow something stirs...

Across the fields in the meadowland criss-crossed by public footpaths in a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) lies a scheduled ancient monument dating back to the Neolithic age.

Recently some undergrowth has been cleared away and the ground prepared for a new building. But this is not yet another housing development given the go ahead as part of a local plan to meet the needs of current and future generations.

Far from it!

Here in this quiet corner of the countryside, an Iron Age Round House is gradually appearing post by post to help illustrate the history of this site and how it might have looked all that time ago.

I hope to sketch its progress.

All set for Summer!

So now it is officially British Summer Time (other countries presumably have to wait a while before Spring is over ) I am all kitted out with paper, sketchbooks and fresh tubes of pigment and ready to hit if not the streets, then the gardens and quiet corners of the Cotswolds and beyond

I have various set-ups from this pocket sketchbook and palette

when I want to keep things as simple and lightweight as possible,through a medium-size 5.5x8.5" sketchbook or 7x10" watercolour block and a medium size palette with a larger mixing area for when I have longer to sketch, and then my larger bag containing 8x12" sketchbooks and 9x12" or 12x16" watercolour blocks when there is some serious painting to be done..

Occasionally I will add an easel to this larger set-up, but only if I know I am going to stay put for a reasonable amount of time. There is no point in taking so many materials that you end up staggering from one place to another in search of something to paint and then being too exhausted to do anything!

I wish you all a happy summer of sketching in whichever part of the world you are!

Storm Doris

Storm Doris passed this way today. Wet, as one might expect, and very blustery. Not exactly ideal weather for an easel. Hard enough for someone on two legs to remain upright despite a full shoulder bag which normally keeps one anchored.

I have been here many times before. Dog owners walk their canine friends along this route every day. I walk my sketchbook the same way, sometimes a block of paper which is gummed so it doesn't blow away. I usually keep loose paper and easels until later in the year.

Today the dogs seem keyed up, excitable, yapping and barking for the sheer pleasure of being able to, full of expectation of something different about to happen.

The dog-walkers are not so boisterous. Dressed in creative collections of assorted clothing, they concentrate on remaining upright and continuing on a more or less straight line without being blown too far off course.

Being so familiar with the scene (the buildings change little over time, it is the pattern of light across them which holds interest), I know I will be able to draw the main features later from previous sketches and memory. It is the fast-moving clouds skidding across the sky which fascinate. A whole range of tones and colour, there one moment, gone the next as Doris hurries on her way, faster than a pencil can scribble across a page, swifter than a brush can deposit water and pigment.

The answer is, I believe, memory, editing, and a healthy dose of trying to capture the FEEL of the moment and to hold onto it long enough to attempt to express it on paper or canvas as soon as possible, before the memory fades.

Luckily, I live only a few moments away.

Limited Colour

Winter is a good time to practice producing an image using a limited number of colours - in this case, three - French Ultramarine, Indian Red and Yellow Ochre, basically one red, one yellow and one blue, although they are all fairly subdued, as they should be at this time of year.

It was Claude Monet who said " In England, I was fascinated by the never-ending shades of Grey.. " Nothing much has changed since his time. It has been very grey of late.

Actually, there is a fourth pigment here, Cerulean, a turquoise-y blue, to add a splash of colour.

I am always interested by how one can change the mood of the image by the choice of palette used. It is all too easy, especially when using a photograph as reference, to try and match the colours exactly (although it is arguable whether the colours in a photograph are "exact" at all), when what we should be doing is painting the feel of the subject.

January Plein Air

The temperature gauge in my car read 0 degrees but I was unprepared for the intense cold which makes ears, nose and hands ache. Ears and nose can to a certain extent be protected, but it is a difficult thing to draw and paint while wearing gloves - even mittens are tricky.

I was standing near Broadway Tower, a local landmark and Folly, built on an ancient beacon site with spectacular views all round, which means precious little shelter from wind, rain or as today, intense cold. There is also, which I didn't know, a nuclear bunker on site. A different kind of folly perhaps.

The trees are bare, stark against the large expanse of sky. The land drops away sharply behind the Tower from this position. No comforting distant horizon line where sky and land meet. No hills or woods to act as a backdrop against the old stone walls. Today the smaller branches and their little twigs are hung with frost giving the appearance of early blossom.

I chose the view as I enjoyed the little building in front of the tower and it was best seen from the side of the road opposite a handy lay-by, which meant I could draw looking over the low wall until my hands were ready to drop off, and then get back into the car and turn the heater on until it was warm enough to hold a paintbrush and apply some washes in relative comfort.

There are numerous other view points here and I am looking forward to making return visits as I know from experience that when painting plein air, no two days are ever the same.

Happy New Year

                                                                Little Brown Tea pot


At this time of the year it is traditional to take stock of the year just gone and make plans for the year ahead, catch up on all those things which have been pushed to one side to do 'later' and, in my case, try and stock up on art materials.

Although it has been cold recently, it has not been soooo cold as to make it impossible to paint outdoors, even with watercolour. There is a certain beauty in the winter landscape and the recent frosts have turned the fields and hedgerows into a land of crystal enchantment as if from a fairy tale.

However, if you live in part of the world where winter really means FROZEN, then perhaps January should be dedicated to the art of Still Life. Even traditional subject matter can be inspiring if you are willing to experiment with composition, change the size or format of your usual paper or canvas, and play with colours not usually to be found on your palette. It's all about being creative. We are always learning, and this seems to be the ideal time of year to play with our materials and see where it leads us.

Some of my New Year resolutions;

- Travel further afield for plein air painting and sketching.
- Push boundaries more - don't just stick with what I know I can do.
-Make better use of my sketchbooks.

Oh, and
- Try to update this blog on a more regular basis than of late. Who knows? I might even make it through to February !

HAPPY PAINTING

Festive Greetings

The mince pies are made

The presents are wrapped

The family start to arrive tonight.

Wherever you are, I wish you a Merry Christmas

and a year full of hope and new beginnings.

Enjoy the Festive break

Seasonal favourites

There are certain subjects which I look forward to re-visiting each year in order to paint.. Daffodils in Spring for example, straw bales in Summer. Autumn brings harvest time, pumpkins and stunning colour in the foliage. Winter trees are another favourite - and snow, but here in the Cotswolds one can't guarantee to have it every year.

This is not as monotonous as it may sound. Because these are seasonal subjects, one may only have a few weeks in which to study them, the way the light plays on them, their surroundings and so on before they are gone.

By the time they return a year later one has largely forgotten what one did the year before, and so the thrill of discovery awaits anew - and each year there is the possibility of discovering a little bit more to add to the store of ones knowledge.

Painting on Location

Painting or sketching on location, en plein air ,can be one of life's greatest pleasures and it is always so rewarding to achieve something on site which is uniquely your own.

Yet the very idea seems to instill panic in many people who are put off the idea because they don't want their efforts seen by others.

It happens to us all at first -  a lack of confidence. One way to overcome this is to have a painting partner who will come with you or even a group of like-minded people, as onlookers tend to shy away from large numbers !

However I have found that such fears are unfounded. It is surprising how often someone will come and stand in front of you and conduct a lengthy shouting match on their mobile 'phone apparently unaware of your existence. One time I was enjoying making a sketch while sitting on a bench when someone appeared from nowhere and flopped down beside me. I turned briefly and smiled only to receive an indignant stare in return, and after a while off they went without having spoken a word.

The other side of the coin is far more fun. Never, as yet, has anyone come up and told me what I am doing is rubbish (perhaps it will come). True some people come up, glance at my sketch and move away. They may indeed be thinking that it is rubbish, but they do not say so.

More often people will make a comment such as "How lovely, I wish I could do that" which opens up an opportunity for conversation if you wish.

Others reveal themselves to be 'dabblers', some turn out to be professionals, others students, or 'just-doing-it for-fun-on-holiday' sketchers. Either way I have shared some amazing conversations with people from Europe, America and Japan. I have been privileged to see some beautiful sketchbooks and allowed a glimpse into another's life. I have also mostly been happy to answer questions from those just starting out on their great adventure in painting.

Language never seems to be a problem. Somehow when those with a common interest meet, there exists a spirit of friendship and goodwill, and whatever your level of ability you will feel the benefit of having shared a moment of understanding and enjoyment.

There is nothing quite like it for building up your self-confidence.

Making the most of sketches

Recently I visited a Lavender farm and was bowled over by the beauty of the colours and the richness of the fragrance. Even though I have been there before I had forgotten what a potent mixture it was for the senses.

I think it is because it is a relatively short season when the fields are all bursting with full strength colour. A bit like painting daffodils in Spring or pumpkins in Autumn, one just gets the hang of it and then they are gone for another year.

Sketching on site on occasions like this - when you have not gone there for the whole day with the intention to do nothing but paint - can often be nothing more than quick 'note-taking' whether on paper or in a sketchbook. Here I had a small block of watercolour paper.

Because it was busy I tried to be discreet and not get in anyone's way - however, painting seems to attract many people (and repels others !) so one has to get used to being engaged in conversation despite an urgency to complete something before having to be elsewhere, or more usually, before the next burst of rain comes along.

Sometimes what is produced here works well in it's own right - little gems which have more to say than a painting which has taken longer.                                                                                                   
Mostly, I find the smaller sketch is more useful in providing a reference for a later painting, for hopefully it will have 'captured the moment', the feelings, the impression of what was there at the time. Referring to it will bring back the memories, colours and fragrance of the day just as if you were there. 

Museum Sketching

Yesterday I went to the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock as part of the West Ox Arts drawing day.
Working in museums requires different skills to those more normally employed. It is not practicable to set up an easel in a small gallery where other members of the public are wandering in and out and where in some cases small children are running around. Museums too are wary of paint being splattered over their exhibits !

Instead I figured this was an occasion which required a sketchbook, pencil, fibre-tipped pens and, with a little subterfuge, a miniature palette and a waterbrush. With practice it is possible to hold most of these things in one hand while drawing with the other, standing in front of the glass cabinets.

On the spot, I concentrated on sketching various exhibits, memorising any unusual details and colours which could be added later if it wasn't possible to complete it there and then.

The page could be given unity by the addition of a border and some annotation. In this case I kept the handwritten notes to the barest minimum and placed them where I thought they would look most interesting. Another time I might give the placement of the drawing more consideration if I know there will be a larger area of writing so that the two will work in harmony as part of the overall design.

Most important of all is to remember that an experience such as this should be enjoyable ! You don't have to go to a museum to try it, why not do something similar with your favourite objects at home ?

The Newsagents

The Newsagents

Watercolour

7 x 11 inches

Just because it's December and a bit too wet and blowy to stand outdoors and paint with watercolours, doesn't mean you can't do anything.

Rain can be a little bit too much of a good thing for a watercolour unless you have some cover and the danger is you end up with all the paint on the floor and nothing on the paper.

Sitting in a vehicle is a good option. You soon get used to the cramp, and anyway it's the painting that matters, but it's a good idea to keep it small. If you really find it too uncomfortable then make a number of pen or pencil sketches in a sketchbook adding in some idea of the tonal values, and even writing notes about the view in front of you and how you feel about it.. A back up photo can be useful.

The figures in 'The Newsagents' weren't actually all there at the same time, but jotted down on a sketchbook page and placed where I hoped they would help to tell the story. All the information was then gathered together and painted at home.

Grey days can be as interesting to paint as any other weather conditions.

Happiness is ...

 

A new sketchbook !

 

Would you believe it ? I came across this the other day and couldn't believe my eyes... a portrait format A4 sketchbook with watercolour paper

which at first glance seems to work how one would expect.

I think it is made by Clairefontaine and has a dark blue cover. The paper feels like 140lb/300gsm but is not as hard and brittle as some other books I have tried. I haven't been able to find it on the internet, but probably haven't been looking in the right place...
However I am really looking forward to playing with this in the coming weeks/months

A bite in the air

 

There was a distinct bite in the air this morning as I painted this view in Lower Slaughter. I have painted this a number of times as it is a well known landmark hereabouts but never before in October.

Now I know why. Perishing ! I thought I would see more of the chimney but the leaves are still clinging on.

Never mind, we sketchers are a hardy lot and don't mind a bit of cold ! Well, not when there is a mug of hot chocolate at the end of it anyway !