Twin Bridges, Acrylic glazes, Italy

May 20, 2010 by Erin Hill Sketching

I haven’t worked in acrylic before. This was an exercise in layers and glazes. We would begin with A1 sized gesso’d 300 gsm paper and after working out the composition in sketches, indicate where on the paper it would be. You can see the 2 layers  managed before it rained, but did get the sponged off areas lifted before it dried ( or got rained off!) it looks to have progressed at high speed and indeed next day the acrylic […]

Categories: Compositions, painting in italy • Tags: Acrylic, Layers & glazes, Painting outdoors

Charcoal Sketching in Italy

May 17, 2010 by Erin Hill Sketching

Last time I used charcoal was at life drawing classes somewhere in my distant memory. Here is an exercise said Chris. Pick a spot, do a 10, 30, 60 and 120 second series of sketches and get to know your subject. Then do a one hour drawing. It’s the little chimney on top of an ancient outdoor oven. This of course can become the basis for a painting in whatever medium you choose to work in. You will have worked […]

Categories: Compositions, painting in italy, Sketches • Tags: Charcoal Drawing, Looking for light & dark, Painting & Drawing in Italy

Rooftops to Sacre-Couer

May 6, 2010 by Erin Hill Sketching

Well I did say I don’t draw everything from cafes! This was one of those fabulous rooftop vistas, from the top of an apartment building. In fact it would have been the maid’s quarters at one time, but a great abode for Joanna’s friend who’s cat we’d gone to feed. We’d been in Momtmartre just that afternoon, so to climb all those stairs and find this view with Sacre-Coeur just beyond was such a bonus. In fact I shifted a […]

Categories: Compositions, Line & Watercolour, Paris • Tags: Location Sketches, Quick Watercolours

Oriental Lilies

March 27, 2010 by Erin Hill Sketching

One could get the idea that all my sketches recently are this bouquet of perfumed Oriental Lilies.  I promise this is the third and final one. The blooms are mostly out now and I’ve taken out any that are over, so it’s not exactly the same anymore, but then neither has my treatment of the medium. I decided to put the colour down first. This meant letting go a bit, as I didn’t even do a pencil composition. Just wet the […]

Categories: Compositions, Line & Watercolour, watercolour • Tags: Soft colour, Watercolour Wash with Line

Line & Watercolour – On the Esplanade

February 21, 2010 by Erin Hill Sketching

More drawings. This is one of two that I’m working on, in skinny portrait. That’s because I can fit two on my watercolour block and they are a nice size. I might do the next two as skinny landscapes. This time I used less hatching than ‘Kiosk’ and with watercolour going over the top. it probably didn’t need it. The lines are very free. I never use a ruler,  – as if you couldn’t guess, and they tend to go […]

Categories: Colour, Compositions, Line & Watercolour • Tags: Beach Views, Line drawing with Watercolour

Snow Compositions

January 1, 2010 by Erin Hill Sketching

I am so excited by the prospect of taking home my sketches and pics, and beginning the paintings that will follow this adventure. There is a lightness to the whole scene which I hadn’t expected. Unlike a rainy day, the snow flakes I’ve met just touch your face and melt. Different of course when you take the shovel and try to clear the driveway. Then it is solid and hard to move. For my paintings, I will show the lightness […]

Categories: Colour, Compositions, Painting Snow • Tags: Colours of the USA, Composition & Colour, Great reference pics

Snow is Art

December 29, 2009 by Erin Hill Sketching

I have been warming up to painting snow scenes. It’s not something I have done very much of – apart from snow capped distant mountains. This is a new challenge to be sure and I’m doing as many reference shots of different snow compositions as I can. I am getting used to having to overdress against the cold before venturing out. Means it takes ages to get pens, pads and camera etc out of 100 pockets. But we get there. […]

Categories: Colour, Compositions, Painting Snow, The challenges of strong contrasts • Tags: Art in Snow, Colours of the USA, Composition & Colour, Patterns of Snow

San Francisco Christmas

December 10, 2009 by Erin Hill Sketching

Still a week or so till Christmas, but the level of decibels is right up there with carol singers harmonising, bands trumpeting, charity boxes rattling, children sqeaking in delight at window displays, and people rugged up rushing. It does feel different for us not to be sweltering as we were a mere few days back. But I love the excitement in the air, and the prices of glittering goodies are very tempting. Tomorrow I’d like to see the street cars […]

Categories: Compositions, Great reference shots, Places of note, Special Occasions • Tags: Christmas celebrations, Winter activities.

Fairlight to San Fran in Sketches

December 9, 2009 by Erin Hill Sketching

This was the sketch I did on my early morning walk. It’s gorgeous swimming here and we had the last we would get for a while last evening. Then home to pack and get to the airport with a suitcase of woolley clothes and Christmas Gifts. Heavy bags indeed.Probably my sketch pad and pens that did it. Did a sketch when waiting at the airport to be boarded, but somehow these are in the wrong order. Oh well you can […]

Categories: Compositions, Drawing on the run, Places of note, Traveling & Sketching • Tags: Great reference pics, Location Sketches, Travel