My watercolour course has officially come to an end but I keep turning up each week because of the two new friends I've made and all that I can still learn from Gabriele. The watercolour above is after a pen and ink sketch of his. I drive past the Chiesa della Consolazione on the way to my lesson. The church is an octagonal building of 1565, possibly designed by Vasari.
I'm very fond of Gabriele's pen and ink sketches so he is now helping me learn some approaches to capture the local architecture. I'm still too heavy-handed and need a lot of practice to free up my arm.
I'm very fond of Gabriele's pen and ink sketches so he is now helping me learn some approaches to capture the local architecture. I'm still too heavy-handed and need a lot of practice to free up my arm.
Doodling with a fine Pitt Artist Pen.
In the spring Gabriele plans to take us sketching on location. After a lifetime of living and painting here, he knows all the best spots.
13 comments:
Robin! WOWOWOW!!! What a fabulous job! I LOVE pen and wash and you've mastered that balance of line to wash --- gorgeous, simply gorgeous! I wish I too could learn how to balance those two things I love -- wash and line -- I find my own paintings of buildings too light or too dark in line ...I will study yours, then so I too can learn!
Keep up the great work, Robin -- these are incredible ... and make me long to return to Italy ... yet again ...
Beautiful work Robyn! You have a delicate touch with color that goes very well with the landscapes you do. The pen and ink drawing as well shows such a light touch. More please!
I don't know about your self-crit. I think your end results are just great. You are becoming an artist! Of course you always were, but I gather from your self talk that you feel the neophyte. You are making wonderful pictures, Robyn.
Try putting your drawing on the vertical (easel) rather than the desk top. Do use your whole body - hand, arm, torso, when making the drawings. Capture the main lines in a quick blitz, then see about the rest. VG was known for making his landscapes as portraits are made. Think of the figure, how we want to get the gesture most of all. Same with the landscape, huh?
I like the way you lead us into your scene with curved lines. I see the values darken at the tree and corner of the sketch - very nice. On the painting, I like the proportional differences being so great. The far buildings so small, the church so large. I noticed in Italy the focus on one building was a good method.
It seems you have a wonderful mentor in Gabriele, Robyn. And with your natural talent, its a beautiful marriage. Your paintings and excursion into pen and wash are wonderful!
Love your wash in the WC...the heavy darks on the foliage and the gentle soft touch on the walls, as if sunkissed...great capture. And I love your ink too, especially that architectural shape of the tree! You have just inspired me to go do some trees now...they are a BIG problem for me!
Great work and keep going with Gabriele!
Ronell
What beautiful colors! I'm enjoying your work and the places you depict in your paintings and drawings. Sounds like you found a great teacher.
Robyn - your work is coming along in leaps and bounds! Lovely drawings.
One small suggestion is to get yourself a small ruler or a fold up one for checking out verticals and how straight a horizon line is. If you get one line wrong and then measure all of them from that then you can get a tilt which I think both Casey and I have spotted. Believe me I'm the Queen of the tilting lines (when I forget to check) and I don't want any usurpers! ;)
Thank you all - the credit for the improvement I've made is really Gabriele's. But what is it with me and verticals, Katherine. Gabriele just looks at them now and shakes his head ;) I think it has to do with my nose being too close to the paper. Let's see if I can do better in future.
Robyn, Is the sketch done in pen yours? I know it is a bit tilted, but many of the buildings in Italy are that way anyway. You should have a great time when Gabriele takes you sketching on location. It helps when someone has already scouted out locations. I took an outdoor wc painting class once and we went to a new spot every day. The instructor knew the best spots, where to park, how to find bathrooms and lunch. It took a lot of the pressure off painting. Enjoy! Ciao.
beautiful painting.
I always love coming back here and visiting. Your paintings and sketches make me feel like I am there.
"Doodling" is supposed to be just that....not a final finished product, but a process....a visual learning process that I think you are handling with great success.
Oh Robyn both of these are really good. I bet you can't wait for spring!
These are both absolutely stunning! Gorgeous!
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