LIFE DRAWINGS – PASTEL AND CHARCOAL

The organiser was away for this session so I got the model to strike a more compact pose. It also helped that the session was not as full, so I was able to move into a better position. Normally at this session you can get there half an hour before the start and you are still having to squeeze yourself into  the little space that is left.

The figure above was sparsely done, using the paper  as a tone, but I did like the cushion she rested her arms on.

I did this in about 50 minutes in an evening session where they spend most of the time doing quick poses. I dont normally take my pastels to this session, because of the lack of time. Here I just banged in some primary colours and I was quite pleased with the result.

I normally do these charcoal studies at the evening sessions. You have enough time to make a measured drawing, consider your marks and  develop tone. I also find the constant rushing of quick poses leaves me skittish and hyper, like I’ve just consumed five cups of coffee. So before I start these longer 50 minute poses I need to pause, slow down and consider, before I start a measured piece.

And sometimes you wonder why you bothered. Well I tried.

Other life drawings for sale are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

THE SUN COMES OUT AND SO DO THE SKETCHES – WATERCOLOURS

Another spell of sunny weather has made me get up early and take the paintbrushes for some exercise. Normally by now our summer has crashed into an indifferent greyness. I suppose this could be the upside of global warming. So back to the Leeds Liverpool Canal for this one by Heaton Bridge. I liked the interplay of light and shade and I could make more of it if I did it in the studio.

Another one by Heaton Bridge on the canal. I even painted my own car in the background. I had to duck in and out of the shade on this one, as I needed the sun to dry the washes before moving on.

And finally one from this morning. I took the bike and cycled around the lanes north of Crosby. Here is one of the many farms. Swallows gathered on the power cables in the dewy morning,  but had disappeared by the time I had finished  and lapwings made noisy overtures to any encroachers. Apart from that, well away from the road, all I could hear was the occasionally barking dog in the early stillness.

Other local paintings can be found for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com 

ONE FOR THE TROLL – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

A troll has landed on my site like some bird-droppings on my shoulder. Making oblique, sarcastic comments, they clearly dont like my paintings and repetitively parrot this distaste. It seems that they particularly dislike canals and narrowboats – or barges, as they put it. So I thought I’d post another one – just for them.

I dont like some of the  stuff either and the last one they commented on had a glaring error which seems to have gone right over their head whilst they focused on their superior taste – yeah they seem to have some hierarchy  reverberating in their empty head at which they naturally place themselves at the top and me squarely at the bottom. Its sad to hear the poor onanist  on full sneer, unable to discern between objectivity and subjectivity.  They may grow out of it, though I doubt it.

I dont know whether any other bloggers have the tedium of these style fascists, but you wonder about their mentality and why, when they see something they dislike, they dont just move on. I mean, I dont mind criticism, and deserve it, but haranguing someone because they dont match your tastes is bewildering at the least.

Anyway enough of this. If you like what you see I have a website of paintings for sale on grahammcquadefineart.com, though you’ll have to form an orderly queue behind the style fascist who will be placing an extensive order.

SUMMER’S MORNING BY THE CANAL AT PARBOLD – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I sat and painted here  the other week, though this view is an amalgam of a number of photos. There is a hill behind this village and I was drawn to the smokey early morning light against the fresh early summer greens.

Other canal scenes are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE AT THE CANAL – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES

These sketches of the Leeds Liverpool Canal were done a few days ago as the weather has now taken a turn for the worse, or returned to the norm, depending on your level of pessimism.

The sketches are of each side of the bridge, by the Ship Inn at Haskayne, although on the first one the bridge is just out of view on the left. It was when I was well into this second sketch that I realised something was missing. Here is a painting of the same site which I sold a few years ago.

Admittedly the second one was painted in the evening light whilst my top sketch is done in the morning, but I must say that  the willow and the ivy on the bridge do add some character and interest to the image, not quite balanced by the reeds now growing on the canal bank.

Other canal scenes are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

THE FAMILY’S DAY OUT – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

One morning, a couple of weeks ago, I was sitting on the canal edge painting when this entourage drifted by. They came up from behind me and I had to drop the painting, brushes and palette and  scramble around in my bag for the camera, all without upsetting the group. I crept along the bank taking a number of shots from which
I compiled this painting.

Other animal paintings are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

SPRING FLOWERS- WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS

I felt I needed some more flower paintings and in came spring and the apple blossom burst out on my trees. Now with the warm weather there looks like there’s going to be a lot of fruit.

Last year I planted a few allium bulbs in the garden. I was hoping for some cerulean blue flowers but got a purpler version. I need to go and search for some of the bluer kind, but even so, the evening light on the flowers made them look like they were exploding.

Other flower paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

A CLUTCH MORE OF LIFE PAINTINGS – PASTEL AND ACRYLIC

I tried an acrylic painting of this lady at another venue a couple of days earlier  and gave up and walked out as there was not enough time to make radical corrections as things went a bit awry. This version in pastels,  of another pose, seemed to fall into place easier.

I liked the angle on this pose, in acrylics, as everyone else worked from the front.

The model asked for a glass of water during this session. I thought that it made a nice accompaniment.

This guy looked a bit wary, like we were about to whip away his manhood.

I dont normally like long poses and once again struggled to get all the figure in, but I took a low angle which gave the pose a bit more interest.

Other life apintings for sale can be found on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

MORE SCENES OF THE CANAL – WATERCOLOUR SKETCHES.

The good weather continues so I have been getting up early and heading for the canal. This one is at Burscough that has a few pleasant buildings along the canal which I have painted in the past.

This one is near the first painting. Whilst I sat in the warm morning sunshine painting away a fledgling magpie hopped over to me and sat on my knee. It then wandered off, probably looking for its nest. Then later it came back and tried to get into my bag – probably the next best thing to the nest.

This morning started off sunny and enticed me from my bed but by the time I sat down to paint the mist was rolling in. I persisted with this one painting, below,  but I do find that when the watercolour doesn’t dry, or dries slowly it gives you problems and I finish up waving the paper around in the air to get it dry. Wears me out!

Other canal scenes are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com

 

RHODODENDRONS IN THE AFTERNOON SUNSHINE – WATERCOLOUR PAINTING

I reported some issues with paintings on my last two posts, so to take a break from the projects I was struggling with, I decided to splash some colour around and paint a few  flowers,  especially now that the garden is in full flood with  the good weather we are having.

This is one of the rhododendron bushes that grow in my garden that I spotted in full flower and illuminated by the afternoon sun.

Other floral paintings can be found for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com