Thirty minutes of rain and snow
Posted: December 3, 2014 Filed under: Uncategorized 56 CommentsA few weeks ago a friend recommended that I try a field sketching technique from painter Edward Norton Ward. Instead of using sketchbooks, Ward tapes down a number of quarter sheets of watercolour paper onto a support board. When one sketch is finished, he removes the tape and under that he has a new sheet of paper. I was curious about this painter whose work I had never seen so I ordered his book “First Impressions: Sketching Nature in Watercolor”. He paints in a wonderfully loose way and many of the sketches in the book are painted in less than thirty minutes. What??? Less than thirty minutes. Sounds like a challenge if ever there was one. So armed with my taped quarter sheets, and knowing that I had to be at school in less than two hours, I set out on this rainy, slushy and snowy day to find a place to paint. The sketch below is what I managed to do (in my car) in that amount of time. No lines added after, no work done at home, and mostly painted with a 1″ flat brush. It’s a great exercise that forces you to look at the big shapes and also to try to get the values right the first time. And as the name of the book suggests, it really is about capturing that first impression. It’s something I will definitely be trying again.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
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WOW
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Thanks Christiane.
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Love it! The colors are clean and it has a great feel. Really amazing for 30 minutes, too.
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Thanks so much Robin.
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Great painting….great exercise!
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Thanks Carole!
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That wet street is out of this world!! Awesome. That’s how I want to paint….
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Have a look at the book if you can find it Miz Dee. You might enjoy looking at Ward’s work.
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I think the challenge worked very well!
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Thanks Angie. It was a good exercise for someone who is always pressed for time.
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Excellent watercolor !
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Thanks so much Mark.
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Terrific. Why do we ever bother fiddling with detail?
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Exactly. I asked myself the same thing.
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Whoa, another Aha moment looking at this watercolor. Great color, just enough left out to engage the viewers mind. Your efforts never go unappreciated by those who are trying to follow your lessons. Thank you again.
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And your comment are always appreciated George.
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I also love that wet street! I can feel the dampness/cold and hear those “sloshy” sounds.
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It was that kind of day Linda. Very “sloshy”.
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I love Edward Norton Ward’s book! It wad one of the first watercolor books I bought. I am so intrigued with his work still 20 years later.
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I’m happy to hear that Sue. I’m reading it really slowly, savouring every page.
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Thanks Shari for this insight. How we grow through sharing ideas and experimentation!
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All the fun is in the experimentation John. And I probably would never have done all this without the sharing part that has been so much fun on the blog.
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Yrs Ago Started with a 1 inch flat… and have never ever gone back.. Only WIDER! Big color shapes under 30 minutes are my recipe too.. GREAT Capture. Love this one
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Big brushes are the way to go Therese. Have you ever painted with a three-inch brush? I have one but have never used it.
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Every time I see one of your works I long to be included in your Montreal summer workshop.
Sigh.
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I hope that by January I will have some idea of what I will be doing in the summer. I’ll post it here first.
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Baited breath. High hopes.
Happy weekend Shari.
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You really catch the feeling of that damp street. I am going to study this. I wish I could take a course with you. Will you be having a workshop anywhere near Florida one day? Thanks.
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I wish I could be in Florida right now Lee. It’s so cold here already. For the moment, no Florida workshops on the horizon…
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Hi Shari. I have this book too (1990 edition) and love it. Some lovely fresh paintings, expressive brush marks and lots of reserved whites … all of which still look good good nearly 25 years on. And your painting captures so much of the same – as well as the feel of the day. Best, Tony
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Thanks so much Tony. I think it’s the expressive brush marks I like so much and it’s true, the sketches still look great 25 years later.
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Crazy good !!! The reflections in the pavement are awesome. U R Amazing. Jacques
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U R so nice John.
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Love the reflections in the wet road.
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Thanks Joe.
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Exceptional capture of wetness. The reflective surface of the street is fantastic.
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Thanks so much Kari.
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I have a few questions Shari.
1) What was the sketch size? Was 1/2 hour or more?
2) Looks like you did a bit of pencil work first? How much of the time was drawing and how much painting?
3) How did you feel while doing this so fast? Any anxiety or feelings of being too rushed?
I keep thinking I would like to do faster work (like speed reading) but don’t quite get around to it.
Very nice painting!!! Looks like plenty of detail to me.
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Les, the paper is 15″ x 11″. It was really just 30 minutes with a few minutes of pencil but if you notice there are very few pencil lines. For me, far fewer than I am used to drawing. Most of the detail on the building is brushwork only. The only real lines are the roofs and the poles. No anxiety while working at all except for the first moments when I say to myself “Are you about to ruin some good Arches paper because you don’t really have enough time to paint a quarter-sheet?” And then I talk myself out of that and get to work.
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In your explanation I am hearing themes that Tom Hoffman espouses.
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There might be a few of those in there…
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The book is readily available on Amazon. I can’t resist!
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I know you will like it. It is your type of book Mike.
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Captures the quality of light spot on.
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Thanks so much Peter!
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When I was reading snow and rain
I imagined a Dirty drawing. But what a surprise when i saw it! Soooo nice colofull and clean!!
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It was kind of a dirty day but the buildings helped. I’m glad I included them.
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Getting the book! Thanks Shari!
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I hope you like it Suhita!
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Your sketch seems to capture exactly the feel of dripping wet as a heavy snowfall thaws!
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It was really wet snow as it changed from flakes to drops. Thanks!
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Ok so the fact that this was your first attempt at a new style of painting and it looks like this is truly amazing to me!! Wow, the first time I try anything it is usually headed for the garbage:).
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Andrea, I have thrown plenty in the garbage. And although this was my first attempt at this fast painting, I have painted so many sketches the past three years. That helps for sure.
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You blow my mind! I can spend hours trying to achieve what you just did – and NEVER succeeding. The premise that quicker you paint the better it is, is proven true!
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Lovely…so nice!
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