I know, I know. I've barely done any of the 30-Day Drawing Challenges so far. It's not for a lack of trying, nor desiring. It is, as seemingly usual, very busy times here and there are plenty of things already jostling for attention on the drawing board. So, though I had hoped to do more, and would dearly love to finish the challenge strongly, I fear I will only get a couple more done before the month, and the challenge, is up.
But I do encourage you to go check out what the other folks are doing for the challenge, there is some spectacular stuff being produced.
Saying all of that, today's challenge was one I did not want to miss, as it tied rather nicely into another fantastic Urban Sketchers Galway outing! Here's some snappy-snaps:
I got to use my fancy new drawing chair/backpack combo, which worked fantastically and is definitely going to be my mode of set-up going forward. It's always good when you find a new piece of kit that makes everything that little bit easier to handle. This piece does exactly that.
As for my artistic effort for the day...
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...I'm not happy with it at all. I rarely am happy with any artwork I produce, but I tend to see that as a good thing. The day I am artistically content is the day I stop being an artist.
But this piece is really bugging me. I was at it for hours, but it still feels unfinished and patchy. But most of all, I'm unimpressed with how I went about applying colour. I think the actual colour matching is fine, it's the opacity that is letting me down. I think the tree is okay, it's strong and has shape and solidity, but the building are washy and too transparent. What I need to do is concentrate on the consistency of the mixtures more closely, so that these dreaded 'ghost buildings,' as I am going to coin them, don't appear again.
So, yeah, I don't like this piece, but I think it is an important one. Sometimes it's the weak ones you learn more from. I feel that is the case here.
I'll be back soon with more drawings and some awesome new Alan Lee and Brian Froud stuff I've recently picked up.
But I do encourage you to go check out what the other folks are doing for the challenge, there is some spectacular stuff being produced.
Saying all of that, today's challenge was one I did not want to miss, as it tied rather nicely into another fantastic Urban Sketchers Galway outing! Here's some snappy-snaps:
 |
| I counted 19 of us at one point. |
 |
| What most of us were looking at. |
 |
| A fantastic array of styles and approaches were on show. |
 |
| A Jackdaw scrutinised us from above. |
As for my artistic effort for the day...
...I'm not happy with it at all. I rarely am happy with any artwork I produce, but I tend to see that as a good thing. The day I am artistically content is the day I stop being an artist.
But this piece is really bugging me. I was at it for hours, but it still feels unfinished and patchy. But most of all, I'm unimpressed with how I went about applying colour. I think the actual colour matching is fine, it's the opacity that is letting me down. I think the tree is okay, it's strong and has shape and solidity, but the building are washy and too transparent. What I need to do is concentrate on the consistency of the mixtures more closely, so that these dreaded 'ghost buildings,' as I am going to coin them, don't appear again.
So, yeah, I don't like this piece, but I think it is an important one. Sometimes it's the weak ones you learn more from. I feel that is the case here.
I'll be back soon with more drawings and some awesome new Alan Lee and Brian Froud stuff I've recently picked up.