Sketching - What I Would Like To Be Able To Do
I like watercolours and sketching. Or rather, I would like it better if I were any good at it!!! Let's be honest: my drawing skills are barely above the stick figure level. But I'd like to get better.
Many times over the last several years I've gone to Russel Stutler's website and admired his work. He shows a lot of what he's done on his site and it is easy to get lost for hours. He shows some of his quick sketches, many were done on a train platform, waiting for the next train to arrive - 2 minutes interval he says.
Sketch done on a sports field.
© Russel Stutler. Used with permission.
I wish I could do that. I love the idea of being able to produce a "simple" sketch like that in a few minutes. I find people particularly challenging. Postures, which are perhaps easier. But faces, and hands. I don't want to be able to do picture perfect drawing, far from it, but I like the idea of sketching, of evoking the idea simply.
A Japanese gentleman.
© Russel Stutler. Used with permission.
Using ink and wash seems to give the results I like best. Stutler uses that media and makes sketches of his surrounding in Japan. He has a really portable setup - which is something I like as well, even if I don't go anywhere! A lot of his sketches are of "exotic" locations, which creates interest to the Western eye.
A Japanese candy store - not too exotic, but still more exotic to the non-Japanese.
© Russel Stutler. Used with permission.
Of course ink & wash works well everywhere. It is up to the person wielding the brushes to do what they need, and render what they see! On Flickr, Adolfo Arranz shares a lot of his work. His style is somewhat different from Stutler's. But it is in the range of what I'd like to do. Arranz sketches in Moleskines, which I also like.
A wilderness scene. It is not hard to see how the New Zealand landscape could lend itself to this kind of sketching.
© Adolfo Arranz. Used with permission.
Arranz sketches a lot in nature or urban areas, in Spain. Spain is exotic in many ways, and is quite different from New Zealand. Yet the style of sketching of this church could be used for Kiwi churches.
A church
© Adolfo Arranz. Used with permission.
Paul Wang, also on Flickr, shares sketches from his "SketchCrawls". In Asia, and in mainly urban areas, his style is quite different, maybe "looser" than Stutler's or Arranz'. I don't like it quite as much, but I certainly wouldn't mind being able to achieve the kinds of results he achieves!
A small shop, sketched on location with reference photo.
© Paul Wang. Used with permission.
I also found Pete Scully on Flickr, but his website is also full of great information. I like the page on Pete's material & setup, for example. Pete does a lot of different things, but again his style appeals, and it is easy to imagine how New Zealand would look like sketched in that style.
A toy store.
© Pete Scully. Used with permission.
One of the subjects that I think would be interesting to do, although probably rather difficult, are many of the houses in New Zealand, including several Victorian ones.
Victorian houses, with reference photo.
© Pete Scully. Used with permission.
My ideal sketching "studio" at the moment would consist of:
- Moleskine watercolour notebook (pocket, or large depending on circumstances)
- Waterbrush(es) (different sizes)
- Winsor Newton watercolour sketcher pocket box (though Russel Stutler's setup with Koi kit is appealing)
- Pen with permanent/waterproof ink.
I have all these - except for the pen with permanent ink. But that's the easiest to get. So in theory I could get "on the road" and do it.
I do have an advantage over many of these folks - my wheelchair is probably one of the best seats in the house!
What I need now is to get better at drawing. This means a lot of practice. The more you draw, apparently, the better you get! I admit, I get discouraged. I want to be good, and I want to be good NOW! I come back to it every so often. I am drawn to it (horrible pun intended). I must keep it up, take the time. I must.
I would like to be able to fill at least 1 Moleskine with sketches I am happy with. Before "wasting" Moleskines, though, I think I need to teach myself drawing a bit better.
Practice, practice, practice. :)
