I've done an HND in Software Engineering (albeit a few years ago now), so why can I not figure out how to work my scanner so that it (a) scans the whole picture, instead of the bit it likes the best, and (b) produces colours roughly approximating the paint I used, instead of what it thinks I should have used? Hmph.
Anyway whinging aside, here are three watercolours. All three are from Frank Clarke's Paintbox books although all three have been changed in some way (not always deliberately). I'm not truly happy with any of them, but they are definitely better than the scans have made the colours appear. I enjoyed doing them all.
A snowy mountain that I painted in Ireland (it looks very washed out - the sky is more dramatic in real life)
Mountains and field of cotton
Trees
I am finding it very hard to paint trees without them looking like the efforts of a five year old with a jar of poster paint and a plastic brush. I need more practice. I also need more watercolour paper, so I'm off to Cass Art today to buy some (and probably half the shop - I have no restraint).
Recently I bought a book called The Creative Licence by Danny Gregory, an impulse purchase that cheered me up on my first day back to work after the holidays. And I love it. Danny thinks everyone should draw, and not only that, but everyone CAN draw. And I'm starting to agree with him. On his website he had a link to a Yahoo group, "Everyday Matters", where there are challenges to draw specific everyday items. Draw a shoe, draw a glass of juice. I've printed the list and I'm going to pick up a sketchbook just for the challenges. I'm quite excited about it all.
By the way, if anyone is reading this and can recommend a good book about drawing people (faces/figures etc), please let me know!
Anyway whinging aside, here are three watercolours. All three are from Frank Clarke's Paintbox books although all three have been changed in some way (not always deliberately). I'm not truly happy with any of them, but they are definitely better than the scans have made the colours appear. I enjoyed doing them all.
A snowy mountain that I painted in Ireland (it looks very washed out - the sky is more dramatic in real life)
Mountains and field of cotton
Trees
I am finding it very hard to paint trees without them looking like the efforts of a five year old with a jar of poster paint and a plastic brush. I need more practice. I also need more watercolour paper, so I'm off to Cass Art today to buy some (and probably half the shop - I have no restraint).
Recently I bought a book called The Creative Licence by Danny Gregory, an impulse purchase that cheered me up on my first day back to work after the holidays. And I love it. Danny thinks everyone should draw, and not only that, but everyone CAN draw. And I'm starting to agree with him. On his website he had a link to a Yahoo group, "Everyday Matters", where there are challenges to draw specific everyday items. Draw a shoe, draw a glass of juice. I've printed the list and I'm going to pick up a sketchbook just for the challenges. I'm quite excited about it all.
By the way, if anyone is reading this and can recommend a good book about drawing people (faces/figures etc), please let me know!
6 comments:
I think there are a few good books about drawing out there so I'll list my own favourites :)
Look for anything by Cathy Johnson and Claudia Nice- great artists.
Also look for "Drawing on the Right side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards and Drawing with Children by Mona Brookes.
You may also like "The Natural Way to Draw" by Nicolaides.
These are all great drawing books- there are others out there, you just have to take a trip to the store and browse (my favourite way ;)) the books to find ones YOU like :)
Well to EDM... check out Bob Davies website... How to draw and paint, he has lots of beginners videos for free, and a really awesome Watercolor course that I'm taking... you've made a good start with your watercolors... just keep at it.
That should have read 'Welcome to EDM'...
I hate that you can't 'edit' your comments...
anyway... Welcome
Well, here you are! (Thanks for the revised url) Welcome to EDM! I can't think of any books to add to those already listed, all great suggestions. Happy drawing!
Welcome to the EDM group. I'm glad you'll be joining us in the weekly challenges. They are so much fun. I agree that trees are hard to draw (mine end up being all the same height), but I think you did a great job on the mountain. All the best in 2009.
I hope you've figured out your scanner, but they ARE weird! My colors are never quite true, and once in a while my scanner decides to do a small section of the whole work, DIAGONALLY. What on earth?!? If I turn it upside down and try again, it usually works.
Were you able to drag the corners of the box to get the whole picture? That's how it works on most scanners...
And oh, my, how nice of Spinneretta to recommend my books!
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