This is today’s watercolour offering – The Lady In Grey. This is probably the closest I will ever get to life drawing! It measures 19 cm x 28 cm and was painted on Saunders Waterford high white paper, 140 lb NOT. It was painted loosely without a preliminary sketch. But I did do a pencil sketch on a separate sheet of paper first just to get a feel for the shapes and lines. Here’s my pencil sketch:
I’m hoping that practicing my drawing with a pencil in a separate sketchbook will help me to draw better with my paintbrush. The colours for the skin tones were: Buff Titanium, Naples Yellow, Quinacridone Coral and Burnt Sienna. The grey shawl was painted with a mix of Cobalt Blue and Buff Titanium to make a lovely soft blue/grey.
I like sketching with pencil in a sketchbook but when it comes to watercolour painting I much prefer to paint without a pencil sketch ~ something I’ve learnt from Jean Haines and it has well and truly stuck! However it is a challenge and I need lots of practice.
Looking forward now to what tomorrow’s watercolour offering might be…
Nice Job, Evelyn! Nice to be back in your studio.
Thank you Carolyn! Yes, lovely to be back in my studio…
Good job.
Thank you Sandy…
Positively lovely, Evelyn! Love this lady!!!! I am impressed that you painted it without the pencil sketch, too. Good idea to sketch first on another paper and then just paint. It allowed you paint without ‘boundaries’, yes? The mix of cobalt and buff titanium is riveting and detail so interesting. This turned out great!
Thank you Carol. Yes, painting without boundaries is exactly right! In her book “Atmospheric Watercolours” Jean Haines likened a preliminary sketch to the bars on a cage, that restrict you and stifle your creativity. And I completely identify with that…
Love this!
Thank you Jodi – I loved painting it… !
I like the sense of anticipation. (K)
Thank you Kerfe… !
Beautifully soft, delicate work. Very dreamy and relaxing to look at.
Thank you Laura… !
Lovely work, Evelyn!
Thank you Patty Anne…
I don’t know how you do it!!!!!! but its beautiful , so lovely
Thank you Jean… x
The delicate shawl draping off the woman shoulders is beautiful scene.
Thank you Sharon…
Love the painting, I think drawing it out first was a good idea to get used to the shapes before putting the paint down ❤️
Thank you Sunnyfae. Yes, I find doing a separate drawing first really helps…