Pembroke Lodge and Richmond Park were a bit of a means to an end. I have been asked to take my sketchbook to a wedding in North Devon so needed practice with people/figures. Not easy. Nor sure the practice achieved much. Back to studying Hogarth and especially Dormier.
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As it happens Wedding Day was pretty rainy which curtailed sketching in pen – even my usual trusty waterproof pens need a moment or two to dry and raindrops don’t wait (I’ve asked but they are a stubborn lot). So I resorted to pencil and quick capture in ink for working up in my makeshift studio. Photos as references can help but as the main characteristics of freehand is seeing the oddball, grasping the atmosphere and feel it is not generally what is in photographers’ work. So there was not much of what I wanted. But they are useful for colours.
Two of the things drawing has above photography is capturing the feel/movement with brush stroke, sharpened colour and editing a view as you draw (Turner did that big time – once moving a castle from one side of a valley to the other to enhance his composition). That is leaving out what you don’t want. Photographers often wait minutes to get a view (I think they call it a ‘shot’) without people. I just leave them out. Or if the sketch needs it – add them later.
But at a wedding they are the key!
Working at home from my sketches and the odd photo I became ‘tight’ and the results lost that ‘en plein air’ spontaneity. I’ve sent the first attempts which have been well received. Need to work at them a bit more.
PS. Did so and whilst uneasy with the first I freed up, used bolder colours and am happy with the final go…..
Two of the things drawing has above photography is capturing the feel/movement with brush stroke, sharpened colour and editing a view as you draw (Turner did that big time – once moving a castle from one side of a valley to the other to enhance his composition). That is leaving out what you don’t want. Photographers often wait minutes to get a view (I think they call it a ‘shot’) without people. I just leave them out. Or if the sketch needs it – add them later.
But at a wedding they are the key!
Working at home from my sketches and the odd photo I became ‘tight’ and the results lost that ‘en plein air’ spontaneity. I’ve sent the first attempts which have been well received. Need to work at them a bit more.
PS. Did so and whilst uneasy with the first I freed up, used bolder colours and am happy with the final go…..
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