Sketches on the train and bus in June III (700th post)

My adventure in blogging started in 2006 with maybe only 2 posts in a year, but today, 4 years after, I'm on my 700th post.



It's all about my pure passion for sketching!



I never tire and whether it's a painting or sketch or a drawing-I always strive to keep putting in my very best! Thanks to you all out there for following and reading!!

Evening Light, Charing Cross Road wins Agnes Reeve Memorial Award at the Chelsea Art Society Centenary Exhibition

The Chelsea Art Society , Centenary Exhibition came to end over the weekend and I would just like to highlight that My piece, "Evening Light, Charing Cross Road" Won the Agnes Reeve Memorial Award for a Painting of London.



Evening Light, Charing Cross Road, Watercolour with hints of mixed media, 2009

This piece highlights a road I can almost, if it was possible, walk through it, blind-folded! It has hosts the very popular Leicester Square station, National Portrait Gallery and a number of theatres. The Theatre I captured here with its artificial lights interposing the late evening light in the atmosphere of a busy London Street is Wyndham's Theatre, which was then hosting Jude Laws' Hamlet.



I couldn't attend the Awards Ceremony at the Private View on the 15th of June as I was "locked up" in Exmoor with the BBC filming my adventure with sketching and painting Wild Ponies!

Morning Rush, Earls Court Station, 6" x 8", Oil on gessoed card, 2010

Morning Rush, Earls Court Station, 6" x 8", Oil on gessoed card, 2010


This is another piece that got into the Chelsea Art Society Open Exhibition, which comes to an end today. My other piece "Evening Light, Charing Cross Road" won the Award for the Best painting of a London Scene, my next post would be on this.


Picture by Shila Sultana, Picture Editor TNT Magazine


Earls Court in the morning is busy and I'm really loving these crowded scenes. I worked on this one for almost 3 hours, it is small but it was a very complicated piece.


Snapshot of the scene



Adebanji painting

Spring Crowds, National Gallery, 6" x 8", Oil on board, 2010

This piece is one of my great shots at crowded scenes. It would be exhibited at the Chelsea Art Society,CENTENARY Open Art Exhibition.

Celebrating 100 years from its foundation in 1910, the Chelsea Art Society will hold its 63nd Annual Open Art Exhibition from 16th to 19th June 2010 at Chelsea Old Town Hall. During the exhibition, over 500 paintings and sculptures from both established and aspiring artists alike will be on view. Covering a wide variety of styles including figurative, abstract, oil, watercolour, print and sculpture.



Spring Crowds, National Gallery, 6" x 8", Oil on board, 2010


I got to Trafalgar Square, one of the busy places in London in Spring/Summer and I parked my Pochade box in the middle of the Square to get a view of the National Gallery and the crowded people around the area.


Adebanji Painting


This day was really crowded, as it seemed to have so many school children visiting the National Gallery that day. God bless those kids, they came over, with such politeness and openness and asked so many questions, which when it got a bit too much their teachers needed to tell them to stop. They were great! Some tourists took pictures while others donated money, don't know why? All this was buzzing while doing this piece and I really enjoyed it all!


Snapshot of the scene


I worked in thinner oil applications here but I managed to bring on the impasto applications, especially on the figures, towards the end.

Sketches on the train in June II

These are recent sketches I have done on public transport.

Morning Rush, Wet and Rainy Day, Victoria, 6" x 8", oil on board, 2010

Morning Rush, Wet and Rainy Day, Victoria, 6" x 8", oil on board, 2010


I love crowded scenes with people, I love the rush hours. Every time I found myself passing through Victoria, I have often wondered when I'll have the chance to paint the place or how I'd go about it, since it is a crowded place and is so busy. But this week I broke the jinx. I set off early, got a good spot under Apollo Theatre, just as the homeless guys were waking up from their beds as this same spot is their sleeping place. It's a good shelter place and I needed it to be protected against the rain and also, people, because, even though I love people coming around, sometimes they talk so much, I end up analysing what they are saying and not analysing the scene. But that still didn't stop the honest enquirers coming for a peek!


Adebanji painting............



This painting was done on board with no underpainting. I worked shape by shape and section by section. I really enjoyed it and now I am fired up to take on more rush hour scenes.




The painting in the box




Snapshot of the scene

BIG ISSUE SELLERS XVI and XVII

These two sellers are from Poland, they couldn't speak much English but they let me know their names and they agreed for me to sketch them. Andrey has been in the country for about 3 years and Roman has been in the country for 5 years. Roman has been selling the Big Issue for 3 years and its been great for him. Andrey stands up holding crutches in one hand, so it was quite hard sketching him and unfortunately I pulled out a H pencil and that made things really worse, because the harder pencils scratch against the paper and don't favour quick sketching where firsthand bold statements are needed. I didn't have time to change pencils because once they are aware sketching takes place, they are a little tense and one just needs to be fast. It is like this for those standing but for those sitting it is far more easier because they are already in a relaxed mood. That's why I enjoyed No 17, I actually spent more time sketching him as he was such a delightful person too, he kept calling me Picasso!

It is also amazing the comments I hear from people around, while sketching. Some look at me with pity and say, poor chap-he has got great talent but.....other say look at him, this is natural talent, you don't learn this in art schools. Some look at me, and say, you actually know what you are doing. Some take pictures, some record videos... it's all buzzing. I just get on with the business at hand!

Enjoy the sketches and pictures!




Roman, No 17 XVII




No 17, XVII with the sketch




Andrey, No 16 XVI




No 16, XVI with the sketch

Bath Experience IX, Paintings, Review and The Exhibition, 2010

Raking Light, Quiet Street 20" x 24" oil on Canvas, 2010



I am currently featured in a Review with Bath Magazine, Click HERE for details


I am currently taking part in a group exhibition at the Bath Gallery. It includes work of five other painters(Nick Cudworth,Shane Feeney, Simon Hodges, Laurie Moses and Bonnie Porter) in oil. It runs from 5th-21st June, 2010. If you are in Bath during this period, please go and have a look, you'll love it!




Morning Light, Queens Square, 18" x 12", oil on Board, 2010



Adebanji working on Morning Light Queens Square




Morning light, Rail Station Area, 12" x 18" oil on BoardSOLD




Adebanji working on morning light, rail station area





Evening Light around the Podium, 12" x 18", Oil on board, 2010SOLD





Adebanji working on Evening light around the Podium






Wet and Rainy Day, Pulteney Bridge, 12" x 18", oil on board, 2010 SOLD




Adebanji working on Wet and Rainy day, Pulteney Bridge





Winter Morning Kingsmead Square, 12" x 18", oil on board, 2010
SOLD



Adebanji working on Winter Morning, Kingsmead Square

Silver morning light from Wandsworth Bridge, 6" x 8", Oil on gessoed card, 2010

I never intended to paint this scene I was on my way back from Battersea Reach, when I stopped to enjoy the glistering silver light dancing upon the Thames. It was just liberating. Then I though I would love to paint this but I have no clue how to go about it! So I just took pictures, then inside me, I just decided to give it a go and this is the result!


Silver morning light from Wandsworth Bridge, 6" x 8", Oil on gessoed card, 2010




It is a very moody atmospheric scene but I enjoyed the experience!


I had to hold the pochade with one hand, not so comfortable

All colours were applied thickly to capture the sensuality of the scene with paint!




The painting in the box



Snap shot of the scene

Still Morning Light From Battersea Reach, 6" x 8", Oil on board, 2010

This was the first of two paintings I did yesterday. This scene was calm and quiet in the early hours of the morning.



Still Morning Light From Battersea Reach, 6" x 8", Oil on board, 2010

I noticed that to get the still reflections on the Thames, one needs to be there early enough before any of the boats start moving. Once they start to move the water looses its stillness and gets all wavy.


That's me painting away

I have done this piece with oil almost in watercolour fashion, very thin. I did this because the scene sometimes dictates the way one reacts to paint and that was how I felt best to treat this scene.


The painting in the box




Snap shot of the scene

Childhood Joys, 16" x 16", Brown and Sanguine coloured pencils, 2010

This is a recent commission I completed and his parents were pleased with the result. I have actually drawn all other members of this family last year. Then this little boy was added to the family, his parents waited for him to gain some good stable features-evolving in to a boyish face and now he was ready for his portrait. Click HERE for the link to his dad's piece



I used three Faber Castell polychrome coloured pencils(walnut brown, sanguine and burnt sienna)and black for this piece on a Fabriano Printmaking paper.

Sketches on the train and bus in June I

Getting back to sketching wasn't that easy it I never good to leave a good habit of too long but I'm back on track and it was fun again! Enjoy these!