Sketches on the tube, train and bus in February X (MY BIRTHDAY TODAY)

More sketches a busy day yesterday! I went on the tube, train and bus. At the beginning of the year when I thought I wouldn't be able to use the trains again because of the high rise in prices, I despaired because it is harder sketching on buses- shorter journeys, more movement and the sitting arrangement isn't that encouraging too. But I just went on to sketch on the buses anyway. If I saw a back view -I'll sketch it, a side view- I'll sketch it! I sketched anything that came my way and I never knew that it would make sketching in the train much easier. I noticed this yesterday when sketching on the trains and tube- it wasn't as hard as it used to be!





By the way, today is my birthday! Thanks to all you encouraging folks out there who take time to view these pages and read this blog! The old man is 37 today and If not because of the neck aches and back aches I still feel young as ever!

At the Royal Watercolour Society Open Exhibition 2009.

I was at the private exhibition of the RWS Open Exhibition on Tuesday and although I arrived a bit late I got to meet with Richard Sorrell PRWS, The President and David Paskett VPRWS, The Vice President, they were both impressed about my work and David Paskett who I snapped with my painting below said it was one of his best paintings in the show, they both encouraged me right there and then to apply for membership, they couldn't guarantee anything but they said It would be worth the try! So I am going to give it a try! There were some nice work there and If you have the chance get over and see it, it ends on the 15th of March, 2009.

David Paskett showed me his little sketchbook and I was amazed at the number of sketches he had done recently on his trip to foreign lands. One thing stood out and that was his keen eye for detail, little movements, compositions and settings that most people miss on trips like that. I was ever more encouraged to keep sketching! Just check out his site to see his fantastic watercolours

Sketches on the bus in February IX

More sketches, A few blunders, I got the proportion of my arms wrong but that's what its all about! Never say never!

Painting of Diana (Stage 3)

I had the opportunity to paint from life today. I continued with another 3 hours on Diana.




I had to change the background completely because the other background wasn't showing the beauty of her long natural hair, and that was the very thing that prompted me to ask her to model for me in the first place. So I work like a robot to retouch the background and then settle for most of her garment and face. Still a long way to go but I'm enjoying the process.

Sketches on the bus in February VIII

More people. Funny enough, I forgot my sketchbook today but I had some spare papers of about A5 size in my bag. What a relief, because without them the long bus journeys today would have been so boring and good enough I got some really intricate study sketches as there was so much traffic in the morning on the way to my studio.




I spent three and half hours commuting on the bus from Belvedere to Chelsea! That's no joke! I was exhausted when I got to my studio and I still had to paint my third sitting of Diana which I will post soon, when I have the energy.




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Sketches on the bus February VII

More sketches on bus. More people. No drama, a bit of a sleepy day on the bus.

EMOTIONS IX, 10" x 8", Charcoal dust, Oil base/Graphite Pencil on Heavy Watercolour paper, 2009

This makes number 9 in my current Emotion series.





The model here is my little boy "Josh".

You be the judge on the emotions here, I don't want to give anything away.......

This piece was achieved by first of all, ghosting and handling the charcoal dust as a watercolour, then blending it together with my fingers to give uniform tones. A medium oil base pencil was then used to put in basic lines, details and sensitive strokes. Then I employed a hard graphite pencil to temper the remaining parts.

Sketches on the bus in February VI

LINK TO MY BIRO SKETCHING KIT
More people today. One of the guys I sketched was quite pleased, I showed him the sketch and I'll be sending him the sketch tonight.




Another Sketch has a couple who seem to know I as sketching them but didn't bother to ask to have a look.

Sketches on the bus in February V

These are the recent sketches I have done, all yesterday on the bus.




There are some self portraits here too!




Sketching the sketcher is also my passion, when the odd model fails to surface.

EMOTIONS VIII, 10" x 8", Graphite on Heavy watercolour paper, 2009

This is number 8 in my current series on emotions.







The emphasis is on human emotions. I played a lot of American Snooker and Pool with my friends when I used to work with St Mungos. I co-ordinated activities and games, one of those games was Monday night pool- it was highly competitive and emotions flew high as there were great prizes at stake and prestige to loose or gain, a new champion to emerge or one to be dethroned....This guy here was one of the best players and you just needed to be looking at him before he released his bullet shot of perfect accuracy to understand what I was trying to depict here.

This was done with Graphite- chunky pencil 4B and mechanical clutch HB pencil an a H pencil.

Tooley Street(London Bridge Side) Accepted in the Royal Watercolour Society Open Exhibition 2009 SOLD

Last year I did this post on this piece and I am going to quote exactly what I wrote on that post-

"It was one morning early this month as I was passing through London Bridge, that I caught a sight of this view-It was enchanting- I was only armed with my digital camera - and that was it! One shot and the painting is now done. Sometimes we see places we love but just can't get down to painting them, but this time I made sure this one wasn't going to elude me!"

The exhibition highlights the recent developments in the watercolour medium and would run from 20th Feb 2009- 15th March 2009. at the Bankside Gallery.

The private view is on the 24th of February at 6.30pm(Hope I am sure about this). If you are in London, hope to see you there!

Sketches on the train and bus in February IV

A very busy day indeed, I had almost 5 hours of commuting. I was also fired up when I got to know today that one of my watercolours had been accepted into the Royal Watercolour Society Open Exhibition, 21st century Watercolour . The exhibition will take place at the Bankside Gallery. Now, good news can inspire and it surely did today!

I did 9 page spreads and I had so many onlookers, no one bold enough to make an audible comments but plenty of emotions, winks, nods and surprised faces, all FUN!