Wednesday, February 27, 2013

108: The Art of Sketching

IT'S BEEN A WHILE since I've made a video but I wanted to share some of the fun I've been having lately with sketching. Not only is sketching incredibly important to develop a great composition it is also a valuable way to evolve a distinctive compositional style. Your compositions should have the same signature look as your paint strokes.

I also wanted to share a great sketchbook my wife gave me that was created by book maker Teodora Poiata in Portugal. I love drawing on the highly textured pages which have been toned with a beautiful yellow ochre patina. Teodora's Etsy site is here.

9 comments:

  1. Hi, Brad -- Great video, as usual. Your sketches really stand on their own!

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  2. Thanks Dave. I wasn't sure that many would have an interest in drawing from memory but it seems as though many are connecting with it. Thanks for the complement about the sketches. I remember when I really struggled to get a good sketch. Now it is pure fun.

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  3. Your sketches are beautiful. I'd love to see you try them in a tonalist approach.

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  4. Thanks Rob. I have always loved the tonalists although for some reason I tend to have a wide range of values in my paintings (it might be a hold over from woodcut where value ranges tend to be simpler and extreme). But it is a great idea. Will have to give it a try.

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  5. I'm a new reader to your site and I'm thrilled to have found it. Very good information and inspiration here.

    I'm curious about your sketchbook as it doesn't appear there are any like it on Teo's Etsy shop. I'm especially interested in the toned nature of the pages. There is a "traveler" journal with antiqued pages, but they appear much darker than the pages in yours.

    The sketches are beautiful as well. Thanks for showing them.

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  6. Chris, I am pretty sure that my sketchbook was a custom made item. However I believe she would make more of them if you suggested it as all of her books and sketchbooks are custom made. She may have labeled it as a journal but the paper is perfect for sketching. I love it. There is contact info on her Etsy site. Let me know how it goes. I definitely want to be able to get another one (or many!)

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    1. Thanks Brad,

      I did contact Teo and she said it was a custom book. I gave her the link to your video and she was thrilled to see the book put to such a good use :)

      She said it wasn't possible to make a book exactly like yours because she doesn't have any paper or leather like that left. I don't mind, I don't want your book, I want MY book. Thanks again and I look forward to continuing reading through your blog. I've started at the beginning and am working my way through.

      Cheers!

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  7. Chris, I hope she can get some paper that is similar because I absolutely love it. It has great tooth and takes graphite really well so I can build up a rich black. It almost feels like vellum. Plus the texture adds ready made value and the messiness of it takes away the fear of the white page. Let me know if you have any luck getting a similar (or maybe better?) paper.

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    1. Teo was very nice and said she would send me a paper sample before I ordered my book. So when you are ready to order a new one, just have her send you a sample to try the paper.

      The paper in your book does look fabulous.

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Thanks for your comments!

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