The inbetween days
Posted: April 23, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized 7 CommentsIt’s a funny time of year to be out sketching. It’s warm enough to be outside but there’s still a general absence of colour. The best I could find were a few Scilla at the base of a tree and those deep shadows on the branches that only appear in spring before the trees leaf out.
Like the line work Shari. It’s like a contour drawing.
Coming from the man who draws the most beautiful trees, I am flattered.
What beauty you have captured in this early Spring watercolor! Just lovely. I like how you use fine line pens to show the texture of the tree bark! Frame it up! 🙂
Ok Corinne. Straight into a frame!!
Hello, I like A LOT your style for the watercolors. Found your site via USK and have your blog bookmarked. I’m a a beginner Urban sketcher and wonder if you can tell me how you achieve those almost gray hues for older wood trunks (highlights and shadows on this Watercolor). Where I live (beach town) there are tons of them including the palm trees that the trunk is almost gray that I have a hard time getting the correct hue for the old weathered wood. I started posting some WC posted at http://javilella.blogspot.com if you want to look at them (feel free to send some pointers. I can use any help I can get).
Thanks! J.Vilella
Hi Juan! Your sketches are really nice and I don’t think you need much help. They have a beautiful fresh quality, they’re not overworked and your colours are great. To get the grays in my sketches I usually use a combo of three primary hues. I think for this I probably used some ultramarine blue mixed with raw sienna and then added a bit of burnt sienna and maybe a touch of permanent alizarin. I always start with the blues and then add the other colours, going with more yellow if I want a warmer gray or more red if I want it cooler. If you look carefully at the tree you’ll see some raw sienna in there as well as a reddish tone.
I will often use cerulean mixed with cadmium orange or red as well. I hope that helps!
Thanks for the tip Shari, I’ll try these and let you know how it goes.
By the way. I really think your USK watercolors are great. These look very relaxed and not overwork and at the same time I have a feeling of looking a finished piece. I look forward to your daily drawings! Thanks again, Juan