Saturday, February 17, 2007

A Day of Thumbnail Sketches in Ink and Watercolor

Click to enlarge images:
Today was a busy day and I knew I wouldn't have time for a full-fledged painting, so I began the day by making a two-page grid of boxes in my sketchbook. That way, I could do small thumbnail sketches as I went about my day.

I used a Uniball Vision Micro pen to do all the drawing. For some of them, I used the little Koi watercolor box that's in the sketch, with a water barrel brush; for others, I used the palette below with an Escoda #6 travel brush (the gold cylinder in the photo). I loved doing this "grid" approach to quick sketches. It made them feel managable on a day when I otherwise would not have done any artwork at all. It looks pretty cool in the sketchbook too!


6 Comments:

Blogger Trine said...

What a great idea! I use to paint ACEOs when I do not have time for a more normal size painting, but making them like this could be a great thing to do especially when travelling. I definately need to get myself one of those travelling brushes.

I especially like your still lives where you have unusual compositions like th box in the box and such. Looking forward to seeing lots of interesitng paintings of yours in 2007

Trine

5:43 AM  
Blogger Gretchen Kelly said...

Hi Jamie,
I relly like this concept and your little sketches are fun. I think I will try this excercise sometime.It is the perfect way to help make time manageble and I like the layout too and also the pen and watercolor is refreshing. Hey I live in the Hudson Valley too.

8:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What beautiful sketches! Each one is a little stand-alone painting. I noticed the hospital bed- hope nobody's sick or if so that they get well soon.

11:17 AM  
Blogger laserone_ said...

How neat! I've never done a grid like that. I bet it's fun to do.

3:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Jamie! Just discovered you on EDM! :-)

How big is this sketchbook? I'm wondering what size each of the little paintings is. Lovely sketches.

E-J

4:15 PM  
Blogger Jamie Williams Grossman said...

Trine, thanks so much! The down side is that they are affixed in the sketchbook, so I can't clip them out and sell them. However, when I do an ACEO, I usually work in more detail than I do for these quick sketches.

GK, thanks for stopping in! Maybe we can go plein air painting sometime if you're nearby! Little sketches like these are reeeeally good practice for composition, drawing, perspective skill when one is short on time. They enable me to do artwork every day---even on days I don't have time to paint.

Polygon, thanks so much! I was visiting my father-in-law at the hospital that day, so some of them were done there. We moved him back home yesterday. :)

Apugslife, try it sometime! The little boxes already made are so inviting to fill!

Hi EJ! The sketchbook is about 5x8. It's one of the Hand Book Journals sold by Dick Blick and Amazon. I love the paper in it---very heavy stock, takes all mediums very well. The little painting boxes are only about 2x2.25 inches!

9:56 AM  

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