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Sunday, February 28, 2016

Morning Coffee And A Sketch Pad

Ava, graphite, 6" x 8"



Frank Auerbach, Artist, graphite, 6" x 8"





One Margarita Por Favor, graphite, 8" x 6"




Two thumbs Up, graphite, 6" x 8"





YL, graphite, 8" x 6"





Tech addict, graphite, 8" x 6"



I think That's Gum?  graphite 6" x 8" 30MDD Series.





MORNING COFFEE WITH A SKETCH PAD is getting to be a habit again.  Last week's efforts were a bit freer than the previous week's output and that's the idea.  I'm still learning how to use stubs effectively and have come to the conclusion they must be bought by the gross, for they do get dirty fast.  This, however, may be on the plus side.  I had fun drawing with a dirty stub. Ava is an example.  Strathmore 400 series drawing paper, the stuff of my sketch pads, seems to be too grainy for the soft leads I keep reaching for  The stub takes care of that with the added advantage of more painterly blending.  Odd, I never found a use for them before?

The reference photo for Frank Auerbach, an artist who would also prefer a soft lead I'd wager, is on the dust jacket of  Catherine Lampert's biography Frank Auerbach Speaking and Painting. The photographer was Bruce Bernard.  A long time fan of DeKooning, this distructive portrait painter from the UK has my full attention--I am definitely split down the middle on ultra realism and ultra abstraction.

THE GRISAILLE began taking shape as soon as I got into the lightest lights.  Working towards the lights wasn't working all that well considering the many midttones I found in the shirt, so I went into the whites and blackened the darks.  Burnt Umbra by itself wasn't enough; Ivory black did the trick.  This is a painting of extremes. 





From total darkness to brilliant light, Morris came alive.




9 comments:

  1. Morning coffie and a sketch pad sounds wonderful to me! I must get into that rhythm too!

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  2. It takes some coaxing. But I am determined to get my verve back!

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  3. Great sketches, Linda. It is like you are getting back into the groove!
    The grisaille is coming along nicely. Nice you can do both.

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    1. Thanks. Sketching services painting. Keeps the eye sharp. Sort of like the old riddle: What came first? The chicken? Or the Egg? When a sketch starts you thinking about color that subject could be the next painting. Of these drawings, Ava has an excellent chance of moving to canvas. But Morris' finish comes first.

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  4. Morris is definitely looking good. And I love all the sketches. I have started using the stump a lot more lately, too [it does make a great, soft shading tool when slightly dirty], and I have the entire drawing class hooked on them.
    Kathryn

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    1. I always had them in my pencil case, but never used them; I was a hatching fan. Painting has made them valuable. A dirty one can be used to draw then followed with leads of varying hardness--actually, I rarely use an H lead. My preference is The Bs. And now I am tending to use the sides of the leads as you would a piece of vine charcoal. As for Morris, he is excellent for building patience.

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  5. I am still out here enjoying all your great art Linda! Take care buddy!
    Michael

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    1. Nice to hear from you Michael! I hope everything is okay and you are well. I am on a roll, thankfully. For quite a while there I thought I had lost my passion along with a lobe of my lung, but suddenly it returned full blast along with my health. I hope your life is going as well.

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