Monday, December 21, 2015

Quick sketch: Whataroa River


Overcast morning on the Whataroa River, near Franz Josef, NZ

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Some quick watercolour sketches

I'm trying to decide whether to take my watercolours with me to the South Island, given that I'll only have very brief moments to sketch. I thought I'd try some quick miniature sketches for practice.

Piercy Island (practising colour mixing for a larger painting)

 Karamea Estuary in the fading afternoon light

 A thick early morning mist over the fields

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Piercy Is. Watercolor pencil sketch



I haven't used my watercolour pencils for a while, but thought I would do another preparatory sketch for my watercolour painting I'm planning to do.

Below: Sketch before adding water to the watercolour pencil marks.


Monday, December 14, 2015

Biro sketch


I did this sketch a little while back, and have been working on developing backgrounds rather than just doing faces.


I'm not sure if I will develop this into a painting. But if I did I would call it Final Journey. I thought the woman in the drawing looked like she was saying goodbye. I drew a misty Cape Reinga behind her, with the lighthouse like a ghost image, as Cape Reinga is a place from where the Maori souls would leap towards the Underworld.


Before adding the background.


Gratuitous photo of a tree in Northland, New Zealand. Photo: Jonas

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Value sketch drafts for Piercy Island painting


Simpler version - no clouds. 


 Clouds added.


Would need to redo, but more panoramic format than square. Prefer it to have more ocean showing at front.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Some biro sketches

Some sketches with a plain old blue biro. Sugar paper. 
Above: before the background.
Below after the background. Funny how the paper photographed differently this time.





Some biro sketches before the background has been done.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Sketch: Richmond Range


Then thought some more shading might look better. Not sure which I prefer...


Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Sketch: Dunedin coastline

0.05 Staedler pen. 7 x 11cm sketchbook.

Felt it might look better with the sea darkened.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Sketch: Lindis Pass etc



Lindis Pass

Dean's Cottage

Rakaia River

White Horse Hotel (abandoned)

Sketch, old bridge on the Clutha River


Photo of a different river - the Otaki, North Island, New Zealand

Friday, October 16, 2015

Friday, October 9, 2015

Ruru owl landing


An owl I am working on for my brother's birthday. Not quite finished yet. Might so something in the foreground, and darken the owl a bit.

Finished:


Staedler medium nib fountain pen (thanks Kerrie-ann for the pen). Noodlers black ink.  


Friday, September 18, 2015

Ruru and Little Owl


Above: Ruru (Morepork) Owl. Schaeffer Medium Nib pen (thanks Kerrie-ann!) with Noodler Black Ink and recycled paper.


Above: Little Owl Stationery (Envelope- front). Schaeffer Medium Nib pen (thanks Kerrie-ann!) with Noodler Black Ink and recycled paper.




Catlins Estuary. South Island, New Zealand. Photo:Jonas.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Tonal watercolour sketch


Another 5 min breakfast sketch. Practising tones in watercolour, and sketching straight with the brush (no initial pencil drawings).


Thursday, September 10, 2015

Old conte sketch


Old conte sketch from the life drawing class.

Old pen and ink sketch


An old 20 minute pen and ink sketch from a life drawing class I did, maybe last year? A2 paper. Staedler fountain pen. I dripped the ink out of the body of the pen for the hair.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Mixed media: pastels and watercolour





Road to Lake Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Karearea (New Zealand Falcon)





 A sketch over breakfast of the New Zealand Falcon. India ink in the Staedler medium nib pen which my amazing penpal Kerrie-ann sent me. Thanks Kerrie-ann! You´re the best!

The coastline around Sail Rock, Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Quick conte sketch


Quick sketch with Conte over dessert. I'm not sure sugar paper was the right choice for this as it makes the shading so coarse.