It’s been a busy art week in the Cheadle house. I attended a watercolour workshop last Sunday and painted a swan. these workshops are 3 hours so its a time challenge to get the painting done. I must finish because the chances of me going back to a painting are small.
Picture caption: My watercolour painting of a swan. I used metalic white paint for parts of the water and swan. I mixed white metalic paint with other colours like blue and aqua (green and blue) to get a shimmer for the water.
I also worked on my new project, a buffalo. Sometimes I wonder why I chose such difficult pictures to draw but then I realise that challenges are how I roll so I just go with it. The buffalo has the cutest expression on its fact but it’s head is at an angle so it was a lot more difficult to draw. I had to use a ruler to ensure the eyes, nose and mouth lined up at the correct angles. I use a grid to draw onto large canvases. This time around, I had to draw diagonal lines to get the positioning of the eyes and nose correct.
Picture caption: This is a close up of the buffalo’s face. You can see there was a bit of erasing of mistakes that happened. This is the most difficult picture I’ve attempted to date but I am happy with the drawing now and started painting last night.
Picture caption: this is a bigger photograph of the full drawing. It wasn’t complete at this point. I forgot to take another photograph before I started painting.
Michael also had a big art week. He had to hand in his final art project for this term. He did a portrait of Kirt Cobain in charcoal.
This was his initial finished artwork. He wasn’t happy with the eyes so I offered to help him on Monday evening. We worked hard on the eyes for about 2 hours and the second photograph is the final result. Can you see the difference? I think its fantastic.
I agree the 2nd image the eyes are more natural far bettern plus youcan see feeling in the eyes if that makes sense x Your art work is coming on in leaps and bounds, Robbie x
Thank you, Carol. I agree about the eyes. Eyes are very difficult to draw in humans. In animals it is the noses and mouths that are the most difficult.
I can imagine they are, Robbie they do say eyes are the windows to the soul and must be very difficult to get them correct in humans..I’ve never thought about the difference in human and animal portraits but interesting that you say noses and mouths are the most difficult in animals…x
That is my experience š©µš¦
I love your swan! And you both mastered the eyes of Kirt Cobain. The anger, pain and frustration of a damaged soul comes through. Good luck with the buffalo. xo
Iām pleased you like the swan, Darlene. Watercolour is getting easier for me. Practice, practice š. Iām so pleased you could see Kirk Cobainās soul in his eyes. Itās hard to capture that in a drawing.
Runs in the family… I like the swan. I can’t make out the reference photo for the buffalo, but I am sure the final painting will be great.
The swan was enjoyable to paint š
I love your swan painting Robbie, and yes the eyes in the second face look better; smaller and more balanced.
Hi Brad, Iām pleased you like the swan. The teacher helped with the eyes originally and they were very anime. Michael worked to try and change them but wasnāt ruthless enough. I just erased and told him to redo š
Such elegance in the swan and the waving reeds
Hi Derrick, I’m so pleased you enjoyed the swan. My watercolour painting is improving with practice.
Oh I wish I could draw, I love your artwork. I also enjoy seeing how it progresses from the outline to the end result. 2 hours work on the eyes show! Make a good piece of art into a āwowā – I enjoy seeing such talent develop šSuzanne
Hi Suzanne, I am so pleased you enjoyed this post. Art is a lot of work but I find it very rewarding. Michael is coming along in leaps and bounds.
Great work, and yes, there is a big improvement in the eyes in the second picture. I look forward to seeing more of the buffalo. And watercolours… You are so talented, Robbie, well, you and Michael both are very talented!
Hi Olga, thank you. Michael is coming along really well with his art. I am so pleased. I am delighted you like the pictures and I’m enjoying the buffalo which I’ve started to paint.
Nice artwork.
Thank you š
You’re welcome, Robbie.
Love the swam and buffalo! They have such personality. The eye difference in Michael’s work is awesome; they tell a deeper story.
I love the buffalos quirky expression. Eyes require thought and care to capture the personās personality.
Your swan painting is beautiful, Robbie! I like the eyes of the second portrait of Kirk Cobain. Eyes are hard to draw and Michael did a wonderful final job! Congratulations to him. He’ll get A+ on his artwork.
Thank you, Miriam. Iāll let you know what mark he achieves. He has been very stressed and has developed shingles, poor chap.
Oh, no! Sorry to hear that, Robbie! Michael is a sensitive chap. What stresses him, school or friends, or study? Shingles is definitely stress related. I get eczema when under stress.
About 14 years ago, my sister who is in Hong Kong was under so much stress because her husband’s kidney failure and had their children in Canada by themselves. She had eczema on her face and skull and caused spotted hair loss.
At least we can deal with it when stress manifests in skin problem before it causes more serious condition in our brains.
The swan is stunning, Robbie!
I need to use lines for eyes quite often I find once the eyes are in place, the rest of the face follows. of course I’ve only drawn 1 dog (Copper) but have done about 20 human portraits now.
Michaels charcoal is really good, and I do see the difference in the eyes.
Congrats on the new blog! I have followed you! xx
Hi Resa, I found your comment. I have to approve first time commenters on all my sites. You wonāt have a problem going forward. Lines are very helpful for details and I use a grid when I draw. I donāt use a projector though as that feels like cheating. Iām pleased to know you also use lines for positioning. Va Gogh did too, I saw them on some of his paintings at the Van Gogh museum.
Yay!!!
Yes, agree , grids help, projectors are cheating.
All of the massive murals I find are done eye to wall. I’ve seen the artists paint. No projectors!
Love it! You, me and Van Gogh!
I am glad to know that, Resa. Using a projector is like tracing. Yip, the three art musketeers š„
All right! āļøšØš”
What a beautiful swan! Your son has inherited your artistic talent; that’s a great portrait of Kurt Cobain.
Thank you, Stevie. Michael does have a great interest in art and writing.