amending past images, editing, reviewing and changing drastically : The bend in the river, coloured pencil and white gouache

The Bend. Coloured pencil and white gouache

This one was once a loud abstracted landscape, where I'd simply played with colour and the composition was frankly bad!  There was only a small distant patch of water in it, a lot more high foreground, looking downhill and the composition, viewpoint and subject were very different.  It wasn't something I wanted to keep but sat there - luridly - in my sketchbook.   The original and this were both just totally imaginary landscapes, based on a mix of visual memories.  I can't find a photo of the original - but you aren't missing anything!

It's in that sketchbook with a deep buff coloured paper, a gift from a friend in the US.  Luckily the paper is strong and can take a lot of rough treatment.


I used a mix of Jakar and Derwent electric erasers to 'draw' back into it, creating those paler trees, against a dark background, darkening the background further and simplifying,  taking out the distant dry reeds/hay, which is the colour of the paper;  creating a swathe of water by using white gouache and darkening sections, leaving other sections with traces of previous marks left as reflections and finally adding the foreground reeds.  

Sometimes an image just needs changing - drastically :>)

The Derwent eraser takes out a wider mark than the Jakar - so having the 2 enables a wider range of mark making for me.   I really like to draw with an eraser through charcoal or pencils.  It allows a whole range of different expressive marks.





Comments

Really like the selection of colours used and the strong contrasts. I like the idea of these erasers, maybe I'll treat myself they sound interesting...
vivien said…
Oh you'd like them Lisa - as a drawing tool rather than a correction tool. Although they are great for small area corrections as well.
Robyn Sinclair said…
I love this one, Vivien it is so much your personal palette and the white gouache really makes it sing. Gorgeous.
vivien said…
thanks Robyn :>)
Anonymous said…
this is a gorgoeus piece Vivien!
Ronelle
Lindsay said…
This one is my favorite at the moment! Also your aphabet book is adorable! Such a perfect Christmas gift and very meaningful.
vivien said…
Thanks Ronelle and Lindsay

I'm enjoying watching your experiments with textiles Lindsay - it keeps making me want to get out my sewing threads :>) Inktense are supposed to be useable on silks - so they would work on any fabric I'd think - that could be an interesting addition to the work you are doing.
Lindsay said…
I'm going to rummage around in my supplies. I MUST have a set of inktense there somewhere! THanks for the idea.

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