What fun it is making some quick sketches in real time, and with subjects who keep moving! A Mum had taken her two little children to catch crabs at a quay side. I was high above, sipping coffee, and got out my sketch book! Looking for the main shape and drawing it quickly was required,Continue reading “Live line sketching”
Category Archives: Writing about art
Unblocked
Ever had artistic block? Me too! So I went to a coffee shop- Thirsty Bird – got out my fibre tipped pen and drew big circles, around and again. Thought they looked like picture frames, so I drew inside them- a plant on a table next to me, a decorative birdcage hanging from the beams.Continue reading “Unblocked”
Space and Substance
John Minton’s illustrations are very striking! I wanted to see more of them, so I bought Elizabeth David’s book Mediterranean Food published in 1950, in which we find Minton’s illustrations that accompany the recipes. Then I decided to draw one of his illustrations – the frontispiece for the chapter on “Substantial Dishes”. Minton confines himselfContinue reading “Space and Substance”
Kingdom Come
I am warmed by the sun streaming through the window and lulled by the jazz filling the air, thick with mood – immersed in the atmosphere of the cafe. Shortly before, I was immersed in other music and other sensations: an airport’s international arrivals gate: people coming, passing through closed doors that smoothly and automaticallyContinue reading “Kingdom Come”
Negative Space
Space is one of the seven basic elements of art an artist uses in their work to create particular effects – either to create an illusion of distance on the flat surface of the page/canvas, or to intentionally maintain the flatness of the medium of the page. What I love about this illustration by CliffordContinue reading “Negative Space”
Ink spread
Good writing, like good art, is inspirational. It can change the way you see things and do things; it can cause you to appreciate things differently; and it can help you become more conscious of your art. I stumbled across the on-line magazine IDEELART and happened to read a description of the Argentinian artist MartinContinue reading “Ink spread”
Wildsmith’s Lines
I have pretty much always loved books, but this summer I became entranced by the illustrations you find on book jackets. Beginning with the marvellous book The Illustrated Dust Jacket 1920-1970, by Martin Salisbury I have really started noticing what wonderful works of art there are on the front covers of books. So I haveContinue reading “Wildsmith’s Lines”
Geometric Shapes, and Natural
What incredible straight lines and squares and geometric shapes! Whilst being out and about in Wales this summer, walking in the hills and mountains and shorelines, I have been astonished by the rock formations and noticing how many straight lines and geometric shapes there are in rock splits and fissures and strata. Nothing surprising there,Continue reading “Geometric Shapes, and Natural”
Shapes: Dreaming and Weeping
Shape is one of the elements of art used by an artist. (For more detail on this topic click on Elements of Art in the menu and scroll down to Shape). Picasso’s painting The Dream is a great example of this element of art. When writing about art it is important to be able toContinue reading “Shapes: Dreaming and Weeping”
Marc Chagall – line drawings
I have been reading Chagall’s autobiography which is so interesting, not least because of the lovely line drawings that accompany the text. The bold and broken lines give a jittery feel, a movement to the scene that at any moment might change: Grandfather might soon get up from reading his book, put on a jacketContinue reading “Marc Chagall – line drawings”
How to Write About Art 