”No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist.” Oscar Wilde
creativity
Shoot it, Sketch it: Wellington Harbour
Today’s painting was inspired by my photograph of Wellington Harbour on a sunny, summer afternoon originally posted here. I also referred to the unedited image (prior to giving it the tilt-shift treatment and cropping it to remove the reflections from the hotel window) for some of the details.
Shoot it, Sketch it: Purple
I have no idea where my original photographs are but these are the arty versions (created quite a few years ago using Corel Photo-Paint) that inspired the diptych below. How I wish our garden still looked this good!
A loose, sketchy style seemed the thing for these two studies. I also used less intense, more natural colours and resisted the urge to define all the edges. In some ways they feel a little unfinished, like a work still in progress, and yet I can’t bring myself to add any more paint.
In the style of… Evaline Ness
I’ve only recently discovered Evaline Ness (although the illustrations in Sam, Bangs and Moonshine do seem curiously familiar). Her work is delightful and quirky across a wide range of styles and mediums. I particularly like the bold lines and restricted use of colour in the illustrations below. The reference photo is yet another one taken using my nothing-special cellphone ― which explains the appalling quality ― but it’s still good enough for sketching purposes. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (and I’m quoting photographer Chase Jarvis here), the best camera is the one you have with you. I’m starting to think it may be time to invest in a better phone… or a smaller camera.
Evaline Ness
Images from http://myvintagebookcollectioninblogform.blogspot.co.nz
American artist Evaline Ness (1911–1986) has several claims to fame. As well as being an extremely versatile illustrator and author of children’s books, she was also a fashion model, a fashion illustrator and was, at one time, married to FBI investigator Elliot Ness. It sounds like a movie just waiting to happen.
In the style of… appears occasionally instead of my regular Shoot it, Sketch it posts. Using my own photographs as a starting point, I’m drawing inspiration from some of the world’s greatest illustrators. It’s not about slavishly copying someone else’s art; it’s an experiment in seeing things differently.
Shoot it, Sketch it: Dunedin
This little painting has taken me on quite a journey with lots of colours, lots of layers and lots of lessons learnt along the way ― and now it is finally (finally!) finished. To see it in more detail, I’ve included a little slideshow (below).
The photo montage that inspired this painting was posted here last week and a WIP update was posted here.
Shoot it, Sketch it: First impressions
I was so impressed with Dunedin’s gorgeous architecture when we were there on holiday last month that I went mad taking photographs ― but then I couldn’t decide which one to paint first… So I arranged a few favourites based on a nine-square grid (editing it in Photoshop and adding a few extra cabbage trees here and there). And now I’m painting it. This may take a while.
Anna Cull ~ Art & Music 