BEAUTY IN THE EVERYDAY
FELICITY HOUSE kicks things off with a look at how to develop good routines
Just when we thought our enforced stay at home would mean we had plenty of time to make our art, we discover how difficult it is to be motivated. A lack of motivation is familiar to many of us, especially when worrying thoughts fill our mind and we need to get over the task avoidance.
A way forward I found helpful was to establish a 15 minute-a-day routine of drawing, setting myself a particular time to do this every day. Regular drawing practice improves our coordination and observation skills, and 15 minutes is an achievable amount of time to set aside.
Start with a fresh new sketchbook. So many different drawing tools are available, but I recommend reacquainting yourself with a pencil. There is something very calming about pencil drawing, it’s easy to forget how good soft graphite feels on paper – a 2B or 4B would be great.
Draw something small, simple, and to hand. It should also be something you like – a leaf or two on a plant, half a tomato, a shell, a sofa cushion. There’s no need to be too ambitious. You might draw a family member watching TV. A pet is another great subject. If he or she moves a lot, make several small drawings on one sketchbook page in the 15 minutes.
Begin lightly, making marks as you see them. Draw over these softer lines with harder marks to correct or improve the drawing. Build up tones using a series of close marks.
Denne historien er fra June 2020-utgaven av Artists & Illustrators.
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Denne historien er fra June 2020-utgaven av Artists & Illustrators.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Still life IN 3 HOURS
Former BP Portrait Award runner-up FELICIA FORTE guides you through a simple, structured approach to painting alla prima that tackles dark, average and light colours in turn
Movement in composition
Through an analysis of three masterworks, landscape painter and noted author MITCHELL ALBALA shows how you can animate landscape composition with movement
Shane Berkery
The Irish-Japanese artist talks to REBECCA BRADBURY about the innovative concepts and original colour combinations he brings to his figurative oil paintings from his Dublin garden studio
The Working Artist
Something old, something new... Our columnist LAURA BOSWELL has expert advice for balancing fresh ideas with completing half-finished work
Washes AND GLAZES
Art Academy’s ROB PEPPER introduces an in-depth guide to incorporating various techniques into your next masterpiece. Artwork by STAN MILLER, CHRIS ROBINSON and MICHELE ILLING
Hands
LAURA SMITH continues her new four-part series, which encourages you to draw elements of old master paintings, and this month’s focus is on capturing hands
Vincent van Gogh
To celebrate The Courtauld’s forthcoming landmark display of the troubled Dutch master’s self-portraits, STEVE PILL looks at the stories behind 10 of the most dramatic works on display
BRING THE drama
Join international watercolour maestro ALVARO CASTAGNET in London’s West End to paint a dramatic street scene
Serena Rowe
The Scottish painter tells STEVE PILL why time is precious, why emotional responses to colour are useful, and how she finds focus every day with the help of her studio wall
Bill Jacklin
Chatting over Zoom as he recovers from appendicitis, the Royal Academician tells STEVE PILL about classic scrapes in New York and his recent experiments with illustration
