All Over the Map

Loose and colourful

These four pieces that I have most recently worked on, may look completely unrelated. But there is a theme here, honestly. I'm trying to get ready for a trip where I plan to draw and paint "on location". So I have been experimenting with materials, speed and inspiration. The colourful orchids are a close up detail done with a loose, negative painting style in my watercolour paper journal. The drawing of the brushes and water pot, is inspired by quick sketching techniques, a 9B pencil and smudger. The house was an on location sketch while I waited for my visa to be processes. It is a mix of 9B pencil and watercolour on lousy paper. And finally, the faces are from photographs, experimenting with various shades of grey brush pens.

The idea is that I don't want to take an entire studio with me on the road so I have to figure out what is working best for me at the moment. The other thing is to feel like I can hit the ground running.  So instead of waiting to arrive at my destination to shift into painting and drawing high gear, I'm trying to rev up at home. So you see, these pieces are all related.

Be brave. Draw in public!

Darks, lights and smudges

Quick markers for people - lights and darks