High level foreshortened perspective is different. Lots of measuring and care. Retired to the new Sackler Courtyard Cafe for Hot chocolate and watercolour.
Museums with London Urban Sketchers today. Again lots of us and huge variety of styles, subjects and materials used. The V&A do not allow water based mediums so some were challenged. But that is one of the benefits of USks - learn something every time. I was taken by the Ice Rink outside the Natural History Museum but it was far too cold to stand and sketch there for a couple of hours. So I found a clear window overlooking it - but on Level 6. High level foreshortened perspective is different. Lots of measuring and care. Retired to the new Sackler Courtyard Cafe for Hot chocolate and watercolour. After the break I fancied some more measured perspective but in pencil....
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Great news Sketchmob is up and running again. 30-40 of us invading The Royal Festival Hall for an evening. I was there early so some figure practice Then the main event....the task composition, measurement, perspective then tone. Great discipline and education.
Went with a handful of fellow painters on Saturday morning to a Pub near Raynes Park Station. Most remained inside but have always been struck by the shapes and signage by the arch under the off-set platforms. Stations are hugely sketchable - although one colleague commented that I had managed to make an interesting subject even out of Raynes Park Station!but good experience and enjoyable.
To the Imperial War Museum with London Urban Sketchers meeting later, 11:15 to allow for The Silence at 11 am. Impeccably observed with a bugler and a brief recital from a local young musician on the ‘Western Front’ violin, an object from the First World War collection made from wood salvaged from Western Front battlefields. Its recent reconstruction has made huge improvements to the displays - a feast for us sketching. Being a bit of a plane fan I was in my element attempting the precision needed for a complete Battle of Britain Mk 1a Spitfire - a tough ask. After lunch opted for the less precise demands of a wrecked Japanese Zero Fighter.
No sketching this morning but an interesting couple of hours at 4 Cromwell Place, Kensington for a discussion including James Knox the Director of The Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation - think Scottish Artists in particular the Colourists. One of 5 Blueprint Breakfast Briefings - Innovations and Ideas Shaping the Art World. 4 Cromwell Place was the home of Sir John Lavery (Blue Plaque 1856 - 1941 - the year before I was born) being developed by Vastari here as a base for galleries and art professionals, here.
Today's subject - How can public institutions benefit from the private sector? I surmise the answer is 'with difficulty'. James Knox making well the point that regional galleries are so stretched they are pushed to mount the range of art that is available; one reason for closing their London base to provide, for example, their current touring show of Colourists to Berwick then Birmingham. It was on our last day in Northumberland that I saw a notice for the Berwick one - ugh! A trip to Birmingham next year - perhaps. Interesting that of some 80 attendees only 8 were men - 90% women. In the half hour floor discussion 5 men spoke - just one woman. With the Dodgers to Teddington Lock and Weir. The uppermost point of the tidal Thames. One of my favourite locations and a couple more sketches. Trying out a technique seen in the Dulwich Gallery exhibition of John Singer Sargent watercolours - bold brush strokes rolling around each other. he uses different colours; I wasn't courageous enough but its a new learning curve.....
Our annual visit to Northumberland clutching my new Moleskin. They are expensive but an absolute joy to work in. Hunting Hall Farm is our home of choice there - opposite Holy Island - and whilst over the years have made several attempts at the 'yard' none have worked. But was reading Ravilious & Co - an excellent book from which I learnt he would exaggerate trees and if a pole was in the foreground he'd draw it. I'm in two minds about that; Turner would readily move, omit or even introduce things not there for the composition.
I've also found I've developed a tenancy for stronger colours. Not sure about that but here's the results. The 'yard' taken from a more acute angle resolving some of my earlier issues. A few days in Sussex, especially Eastbourne for Ravilious & Co at The Towner Gallery. Great view from our hotel, good sketching weather and convenient seats on the breakwaters to paint a couple of pictures of The Pier. A compelling view. One a quickie on a postcard for Radio 4's BH reviving of holiday PC sending habit of old. Bit of fun...
With lots of London Urban Sketchers - and a few from further afield - to the challenge of The Serpentine Pavilion. Each summer The serpentine gallery commissions a pavilion from an architect hitherto not represented in the UK. Its an opportunity to be experimental and reference the author's background. This year by African architect Diébédo Francis Kéré the inspiration being the tree round which African Village Leaders gather. A challenge...taken on by plenty of us. Others went elsewhere. Fancying another challenge in the afternoon I went for The Royal Albert Hall as did a few others. Good sunny day, if windy thus pretty chilly in Kensington Gore. So needed a few dabs iof pen and wash at home...
Richmond green - again. This time with the Artful Dodgers. I picked up the idea from a fellow Urban Sketcher of using an Amazon A4 pack for several sheets and sizes of paper and as a 'board' which I reinforced with another sheet of card. It works well and in some ways better than a sketchbook.
Today I planned to do a panorama with two sheets. Seemed a good idea but suffered a bit from floppy paper so in future will slip another sheet of card in to extend my device. It's so light and convenient. Also in the height of summer the trees in full leaf obscure most of the fine buildings...so back in early spring. |
AuthorSketching thoughts and stories from John Webb. CategoriesArchives
February 2019
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