Thursday, July 2, 2009

Riverboat - Tight vs. Loose - Two Sketches

First sketch - Tight - Fail


Worked on this first sketch for about 45 minutes and wasn't pleased with it. The proportions were wonky (drawing lead-free) and there was too much dead space on the top deck. The only thing I liked was the contour line of the trees. I did however enjoy the zen of all that crosshatching.

What drew me to this scene was the bright red smokestacks. That's all I really wanted to capture, but two red sticks and nothing else would look funny.

Found a quote by Andrew Wyeth

"If you clean it up, get analytical, all the subtle joy and emotion you felt in the first place goes flying out the window."

Exactly! I had analyzed all the joy out of this.

Started over just trying to capture the smokestacks and the essence of the rest. The second sketch took 2-3 minutes, tops. The proportions are still wonky, but they are joyfully wonky.

Second sketch - Loose - Joy! LOL!


I can see an improvement in my watercolor sky and clouds. I didn't fight with it so much this time. Practice, practice, practice! I like the way the distant riverbank came out gray and hazy. That's just lucky happenstance.

3 comments:

Shirley said...

I'm inspired by your determination to start over and bring your passion to the drawing! It is a lovely cropped composition and your looseness and joy can be felt.

Janice said...

what a wonderful quote from Andrew Wyeth ... I'm going to make a copy and put it up on the wall above my painting table

thanks so much for this, and the red smokestacks are brilliant

Alex said...

Very inspiring indeed, and i love all the lines you've laid, and the colors are just so soft and nice. :)