As ever, ELIZABETH keeps on working and experimenting, and coming up with new and lovely things!
She says : "Happy New Year.
Here are the best of the sketches which have not been very good this month.
I have worked on the paintings you last saw and I tried some painting on gel
after seeing Manfred's but these have not been great either. Just a slow
start but although nothing very good I thought I would send something of
what I had done! "
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| 1. Landscape on gel (2) |
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| 2. Lorraine |
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| 3 .Old Lady |
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| 4. Quick sketches |
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| 5. Teashop |
And a Happy New Year to you, too!
Well done Elizabeth - you've put us all to shame!
As you say, a bit of a mix here. My favourites have to be the sketch of the "Old Lady" and the "Quick Sketches". They are very different, but equally lovely. The quick sketches are just so deliciously brief, and so expressive. I love the pattern down the back of the left-hand one, and the sheer stillness and poise of the rhs one. These are gorgeous.
Then the Old Lady piece is so beautifully observed. The fragility of the old lady comes through, and I love the way this has been emphasised by being set against the strong and un-fussed lines of the flowers in the foreground. Just one thing though, the flowers look a bit like a cheeky piglet leaping into the picture (to me - does anyone else see that) - just be careful what you end up with! Really super work though.
Now, the portrait of Lorraine is less successful. I'm thinking you were more 'conscious' of the need to do it well, and make it look 'like' her, so you've lost a bit of that spontaneity. I think the main problem is that you've lopped the back of her head off rather, and made her features just too big for her cranium! You can't win them all!
The painting on gel is interesting. It seems to have freed you up to think more about mark-making in paint? I imagine it was very slithery to paint on, compared to paper. I do like it, especially the sky, but it's not quite there, a feeling you obviously got because you felt the need to add the touches of black line-work.
I think it would be a good thing to explore further, but try and think of it in terms of drawing, and specifically mark-making with paint, rather than trying to colour in. Whatever Manfred managed to do with it was his way. You don't have to change your handwriting with the paint and do what he did - use the gel base to enhance what you already do so well. I hope that makes sense.
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| Teashop - with some clutter removed! |
The "Teashop" drawing is OK, but again, think about what you're putting in. The figure and chair are nicely drawn. The stuff beyond the figure is very distracting. That strange thing on the left going up to the corner, and then the even stranger curved post on the right?? I have removed both of these, and now the drawing settles into something rather contemplative. What do you think?
So, to round up ............. keep experimenting with the paint, making it more personal to you with your very unique mark-making/drawing, and keep drawing freely and openly - don't become too aware and self-conscious of what you're doing.
Thank you for sharing this with us, Elizabeth.
