Shoot it, Sketch it revisited: Stand

November 4, 2013May 13, 2015 | Anna Cull

Redwoods – acrylic on canvas, 255 x 305 mm, 2013 (sold)

I started my Shoot it, Sketch it posts a year ago today. Yes, a whole year has gone by! Some have been In the style of… posts, inspired by the work of some amazing illustrators, and in total there have been 50 of them. The only two weeks I missed were when I was away on holiday ― taking more photos to sketch, draw and paint : ) When Bec from Clouds of Colour and Alana from The Little Leaf started this feature, I had no idea that I’d still be going a year later. No wonder I’m running out of room in my little studio! Today’s painting was originally done with pastel on card and posted here.

Shoot it, Sketch it: Waxing the moon

August 19, 2013February 8, 2014 | Anna Cull

Moon sketch – Neocolor II pastel on black paper, 148 x 105 mm, 2013. — Moon sketch – Neocolor II pastel on black paper, 148 x 105 mm, 2013

Moon over Christchurch – original photo, 2006 and edited photo, 2013. — Moon over the city – original photo, 2006 and edited photo, 2013

For years I’ve been wanting to create something based on this view of Christchurch taken from the Port Hills and now I’m finally getting around to it. I made a couple of little changes to the original photo because a not-quite-full moon just seemed a little sad.

This sketch is the reference for an acrylic painting that I’ll post for next week’s Shoot it, Sketch it.

Shoot it, Sketch it: Stand in the place where you live

July 8, 2013October 22, 2013 | Anna Cull

Stand – pastel on card, 295 x 205 mm, 2013

Redwoods – Hamurana Springs Reserve, 2013

We encountered these exotic giants on our way to Hamurana Springs. The redwood grove was planted in 1919 and so the tallest tree is only 55 metres high ― they can grow up to 100 metres! Still a pretty good effort though. The painting was made using a ‘wet on dry’ technique: soft pastels were dipped in water and applied to card giving a kind of impasto effect.

Stand – showing the texture in more detail

Shoot it, Sketch it: City lights

February 25, 2013December 18, 2013 | Anna Cull

City Lights, original photo – Christchurch, 2012.

Today’s Shoot it, Sketch it offering is based on a photo I took on my way to LUXcity last year. For one night, Christchurch was illuminated by 16 light installations created by architecture and design students from across New Zealand. The event provided an opportunity to visit a part of the central city that many of us hadn’t seen since the earthquake in February 2011. An hour before the event, the Great Airbrush Artist in the Sky painted a breathtakingly beautiful sunset and stole the show.

City Lights – chalk pastel and tinted charcoal, 210 x 297 mm, 2013.

Also participating in Shoot it, Sketch it are Clouds of Colour, The Little Leaf, Lunch Sketch, Poppytump, Two Scamps, Breana and 30 Minute Art.

Shower rose

September 30, 2012September 15, 2013 | Anna Cull

Something just for fun.

I came up with the idea for the shower rose a couple of years ago. It was a student project where we had to make a picture by combining a man-made object and something from the natural world. I wasn’t happy with the drawing I submitted (done in pastel, see below) but I’ve always liked the concept. I had another go at it a couple of weeks ago, this time using watercolour (Shower Rose #2).

Pastel shower rose — Shower Rose #1 – pastel on paper, 350 x 280 mm, 2010.

This was my first attempt to draw with pastels. It’s not a medium I’m drawn to (no pun intended) but perhaps I should give it another chance. After all, I had fun with charcoal — eventually.

And this is the photo I used as a reference. The rose, for anyone who may be interested, is French Lace and is one of the few plants (other than weeds) that has managed to thrive in our garden.