|
June 2018: Sketching in Beer - en plein air with Nick Watton
Thanks, Chris for this write-up See Nick's own account on his blog HERE Rob is an experienced watercolourist who gave us an assured and entertaining demonstration of a popular genre of painting, the riverine landscape. However Rob had one very individual trick up his sleeve - his unique application and use of masking fluid! This can be used to dramatic effect as in this superb watercolour where Rob worked for a good 3 hours applying the masking fluid to create the swirls of surf before even applying paint to paper. |
|
Then down to the beach for a one-hour sketch. And already the sun was getting hot. But what subject to choose? On a busy beach crowded with boats, beach huts, looming chalk cliffs, the bric-a-brac of lobster pots, buoys and fenders, we were truly spoilt for choice. Decisions, decisions... |
Perfect weather for our second sketching day with OVAS's ever-amiable friend and expert sketcher Nick Watton. We [11 members of OVAS plus Nick] assembled just above the beach at Beer and Nick gave us an artistic limbering-up exercise: Capture the essence of a scene in a single unbroken line (or 7!). We all had a couple of goes - with varying success! - and started to get our eye in, observing the shape and some of the details of the skyline, the rounded treetops, the chalk-cliff profile with its curves and jags, the distant headland, the horizon. 
|
|
|
|
|
We ended the morning with a series of three increasingly fast sketches of Nick himself. First 10 minutes [which is NOT long!]. Then 5 minutes. And finally, just 2! This was an excellent exercise and captured the essence of sketching. Work quickly, but with total concentration. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
After lunch we did another short exercise, observing 'negative spaces' - again with mixed success! But an essential observational skill of course
|
Nick's example of negative spaces |
|
And then "Once more onto the beach, Dear Friends! Once more!"
This time with almost 2 hours to spare. Some of us stayed close to base. Others dispersed far and wide losing a good 20 minutes before even starting!!
This time with almost 2 hours to spare. Some of us stayed close to base. Others dispersed far and wide losing a good 20 minutes before even starting!!
|
And here are some of the works we saw at the plenary. A thoroughly enjoyable day out. Good company, good scenery, good artworks. What more could you ask for? (Well, a slightly less blisteringly hot sun, since you ask! :-D But some of us are never satisfied! ) Many thanks, Nick! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
