The girl with pink hair
Posted: February 13, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized 33 Comments »I was drawing students on my lunchtime break today and I decided to paint this with no pen or pencil lines to start. Straight to paint!! Working this way requires that you look at only the big shapes and that you pare them down to the essentials. And it helps if you can lose some edges. For example, have a look at the way I treated her left arm and hands. One white shape with no lines in between. This is the first page of my 11th watercolour sketchbook, a book that will be used exclusively for working this way. No pencil. No pen. Just painted shapes. I’ll keep you posted.
You continue to inspire! I love this way of painting – can’t wait to give it a try.
Cathy
Let me know how you do Cathy. I think you’ll like it.
It´s such an exciting contrast between the simple shapes and the little detail in her hair and the delicate shadowline around the neck and arm. Wonderful work!!
Thanks so much Isabell!
Hi Shari
I love all your work and hope one day to attend one of your workshops as I have mentioned previously. Until then I will make a copy of each Sketchbook posting and put them in a ring binder to use as a learning guide so to speak. As in your last two postings I particularly like the way you demonstrate different techniques and mediums. Thanks so much !!
Thanks for the great feedback. That must be a big binder you have! Glad that they are helpful.
That’s interesting… where did you start and finish?
Where do you think?
What sort of answer is that? I thought you were supposed to be the helpful one. : )
Maybe… hair, neck, chair, upper torso, glasses, background (defining face, arms, hands)… then the other stuff???? Why am I doing this? Aren’t I the “follower” here?
The order is almost perfect. Hair, neck, upper torso, chair, legs, background, table, etc.
Ross, I think at this point you have graduated from “follower”. I don’t know you but I can venture a guess that you don’t follow anyone.
I think on this blog you are more like a “challenger”.
“Challenger”… Is that a paid position? : )
Not sure that I am comfortable with that label… I think I will just keep pointing out your mistakes, trying to moderate your feelings of self-importance and stopping you from getting a swelled head… as well as letting everyone know when I think you are just fishing for compliments or drinking your own bathwater. Is that okay?
When I get paid for doing this I can hire someone to be “challenger”. I’ll post the position but I’ll let you know in advance so you can dust off your cv and send it to me. In the meantime, as you were.
Not much of an offer… but, in the absence of anything better, I’ll take it. I won’t bother getting the old CV out just yet.
I applaud your bravery. I try to work this way meself.
Isn’t it fun Lee?
Outstanding idea and product! I sure hope that you have someone in your family who is interested in preserving your sketches. They truly are beautiful and would be a treasure to generations down the road.
Thanks so much Mrs. P.
I am sure there is someone in my family who will want these someday but for now they are all in a pile on my desk.
But them in a box! They are too precious to leave laying around!
I think I will put them on a bookshelf. How about that?
You are such an inspiration! Lucky students of yours!
Thanks Mike!!
WOW… this is really good… I’ve only tried this once and it was very hard to do… I really admire your ability to do this… can I ask which shape you started with?
Thanks Elaine! I started with the hair because it’s easier to work going down the page since the washes flow that way, one into another. Then I did the chair and the background shapes.
I like your art very much…and I learn a lot too…I wish Ross C would take a hike.He comes across as a real dummy.
Keep up your good work Shari !
Thanks Terry.
In defense of Ross — he was one of my first followers on this blog and has always encouraged me in my work. He even owns one of my paintings. We have a long tradition of banter but it is all in the spirit of good fun. And I think I give it back to him too when he gets out of line. Although it may seem like he is insulting at times, I think it is his Australian sense of humour which took some getting used to for a Canadian like me.
Hi Shari,
I totally agree with you about the Australian sense of humour — I myself LOVE it! I have alot of family in Australia, and that is how I know about it. And I actually think that they find us “boring” if we do not banter back — it is their way, which is nice — if we can get used to it. Canadians are very polite
On the subject of your painting, I can’t even let go of my first step which is to draw in ink and then moving on to the watercolour… I find that you are courageous! No pencil lines? No ink lines? Nothing? That is definitely very very hard — and you do continue to inspire because of that courage to learn and push forward that you have. Keep it up Shari
So true about Canadians Jane. We are so polite and boring. But I enjoy all the comments on my blog and love responding to people. And there have been some great discussions over the past few months. I think that is what blogs are for — a bit of back and forth. As long as there is nothing vicious or offensive.
So now Jane, it is time for you to try this. You need a good pointy brush otherwise your shapes won’t be sharp. And just look at the shapes. Don’t think about line at all until the end when you may want to add a bit of calligraphy with the brush. Use a small surface for this, not a big sheet. It is a really fun exercise and it will help you think about shapes when you are doing a larger painting.
Hi Shari,
I am following your lead Shari. So this weekend, I will pick up a pointy brush (don’t even know if I really have one –haha!!) and I will post it, even if it is a disaster… as a disaster may be a loomin’. Thank you Shari
Great Jane. And it is just an exercise. So don’t worry about it. And I don’t post every disaster, and there are plenty, so if it is horrible just chalk it up to learning.
Shari,thanks for explaining about Ross C…I apologize to both of you.I only meant to defend you from sticks and stones.My favorite one of late was the Chocolatir .Do you change the true colours to get colour harmony…eg mauve/yellow? Thanks,Terry
Thank you. Apology accepted Terry.
You’ve given me another ‘take away’ Shari. Apart from enjoying the graphic composition, I just put together the observation that you have been mixing up techniques and media in your daily sketches. Its clear that, as exercises, they all contribute to the competence of
your larger paintings.
thanks coach
You’re right John. There is a master plan in my head. Add more figures to my paintings and get better with the brush. Small steps every day.