I have taken a pen and writing ink and brush to recent life sessions. When the lighting is good it really brings out the tonal differences which can be exploited by the ink.
Other life drawings can be found on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
Another play with ink and watercolour. The ink runs gave a leafy texture on the trees, as if autumn was stripping the dead leaves from the branches. Again the black ink pushes the tonal range and allows a sense of recession with lighter trees in the background.
Other landscape paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
Since returning from my trip I’ve attended two or three life drawing sessions. The ones I’ve been to prefer the fast and furious so I just took a pen, some writing ink and a brush. Drawing with a pen shows all the hesitations and mistakes, but the ink washes means you can get a great tonal range which, if the lighting is any good, means you can exploit fully.
More life drawing is on my website grahammcquadefineart.com
h 
9
I had a number of sketches in my book done as tonal work in various media. The first one is ink and wash. I use Quink ink which is permanent. As soon as its down it stays, so you need to think about mark making before you proceed. The next one is watercolour, with a drawing in pencil. I have loads of Paynes Gray which I now never use. So I thought this would be a suitable outlet. It doesn’t have the power of the ink, but you can correct and manipulate it more.
The third is charcoal which is a media I have never got to grips with despite many tries. The fourth is pastel on a slightly toned paper. The pastel allows me to use both back and white and I find the depth of tone you can achieve very exciting.
The final painting is back to the paynes grey watercolour.
All were done in under an hour in the life sessions I go to.
Other life work can ne found on the gallery page of my website grahammcquadefineart.com
I have been trying some pen and wash work at the life drawing sessions I attend with mixed results.Here are two. The male was done in pencil, then with an ink wash. I am disappointed with this. The clear lines on the female done with the pen gives some clear demarcation which I prefer. I will be trying some more. Each one was completed in 25 minutes.
Other figurative work is on grahammcquadefineart.com
Another quick sketch using pen and ink wash. The model’s name is Carey and as we worked, the track of the same name by Joni Mitchell came on. The song invokes the memories of holidays in me, being in exotic places with feelings of strangeness, transience and the excitement of the new.
…And it helps you work quicker, though sometimes not better.
I did this study in ink and wash, using Quink ink. here is no going back, once the mark’s been made it stays, which can make you a bit tentative. In the end you have to throw caution to the wind and get on with it. Sometimes you can cover mistakes made with the pen with washes with the brush. Sometimes you cant.
I like the simplicity of the result. I should try this with a few landscapes. The results are quick and it doesnt take much equipment.
You can see more of my figurative paintings on grahammcquadefineart.com
