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

Lisa Le Quelenec said…
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...
9:23 am
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.
11:51 am
Robyn Sinclair said…
I love this one, Vivien it is so much your personal palette and the white gouache really makes it sing. Gorgeous.
1:17 pm
vivien said…
thanks Robyn :>)
3:50 pm
Anonymous said…
this is a gorgoeus piece Vivien!
Ronelle
4:00 pm
Lindsay said…
This one is my favorite at the moment! Also your aphabet book is adorable! Such a perfect Christmas gift and very meaningful.
9:16 pm
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.
11:43 pm
Lindsay said…
I'm going to rummage around in my supplies. I MUST have a set of inktense there somewhere! THanks for the idea.
2:31 am
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hedges silhouetted agains the snow, winter light: watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal pencils in Stillmand and Birn Beta Hardback sketchbook

Image
 Detail  I have always liked the calligraphic tangle of the hedges when they are sihouetted against the sky.   Recent snowfall meant even more opportunities with amazing light and the landscape simplified and hidden by the snow, throwing hedges into relief. Above is a detail of a double page sketch in the lovely Stillman and Birn Beta A4 hardback sketchbook.  This paper is so forgiving and the watercolour works beautifully with it.  It allowed me to work through wet washes with charcoal pencil - something that tears many papers, leaving holes.  Some of the hedge is paint, some tinted charcoal. First snow, more on the way, winter light: silhouetted hedges in watercolour and Derwent tinted charcoal in a Stillman and Birn A4 beta hardback sketchbook The earlier warm golden glow of the low sun is covered by clouds, threatening more snow to come.   The spiky calligraphic marks of the hedge and the underlying form of the bank, w...
Read more

The Eye, Urban/Rural exhibition

Image
Vivien Blackburn's work in the Urban/Rural show We've just hung a group show at the The Eye Project, Urban/Rural show.  If you want to come and see it it's on for a month - well worth seeing, 11 lovely artists and some fabulous work. Those large canvasses are 40 inches square. There are rural landscapes, flowerscapes, intriguing textile work including a large knitted building, abstracts .... something for everyone. It's in the gallery below the cafe in the Adult Education Centre at the top of Wellington street, Leicester, opposite Fenwicks.  Meet the Arttists day is Saturday 1st April 10-2.  Come and have a chat with us?
Read more

looking at non traditional composition and quiet vs busy areas in paintings

Image
Paul Klee I thought I'd look at non-traditional composition - where the rule of thirds isn't the key but the painting relies on different compositional methods. in response to an excellent series of posts on the various ways of looking at composition by Katherine (link at end). These alternative considerations or breaking of rules - but making it work - appeal to me more than too heavy a reliance on the rule of thirds. The painting above, by Paul Klee is a 'field' painting' - the composition is overall, the eye travels around enjoying the glowing colour that he creates by juxtaposing complementary colours, subtle greyed greens enhancing the oranges/reds/pinks. Most of the image is composed of the various greens, greeny browns and khakis, with accents of the warm colours. When working this way it's important that the balance is unequal and that the accent colours are placed carefully to keep the eye moving in the way the artist wants. A couple of the brighter...
Read more