A neat building...

[Ross Macintosh]

For fun I pulled out an old pen&ink sketch and proceeded to start colourizing it in Xara. I didn't get too far when it started to remind me of my pre-xara days. I used to take an airbrush to sketches like this. Because I was an airbrush novice, I used considerable restraint. The goal was as much not to wreck it as it would be to colourize it. Often I'd add about as much colour as I've done in this Xara example. I liked those poor examples of airbrush skill! So it is I rather like this xara example with its limited colour.

The historic building itself is remarkable. The wood-framed building arcs around the corner making it extremely unusual. It is in the town of Annapolis Royal which was founded in year 1605.

Regards, Ross

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[Ross Macintosh]

For fun I pulled out an old pen&ink sketch and proceeded to start colourizing it in Xara. I didn't get too far when it started to remind me of my pre-xara days. I used to take an airbrush to sketches like this. Because I was an airbrush novice, I used considerable restraint. The goal was as much not to wreck it as it would be to colourize it. Often I'd add about as much colour as I've done in this Xara example. I liked those poor examples of airbrush skill! So it is I rather like this xara example with its limited colour.

The historic building itself is remarkable. The wood-framed building arcs around the corner making it extremely unusual. It is in the town of Annapolis Royal which was founded in year 1605.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[Soquili]

Hi Ross,

Sorry about the Ted Turner joke, I couldn't resist [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] he colorized old Black & White movies.

Excellent use of colour, I like it very much. I especially like your Pen & Ink drawings.

Soquili [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[gwpriester]

Ross

I know this may sound odd, but I have always envied people who can really draw. I can render, but I could never draw worth a damn.

When I was attending art school, sometimes we'd sit on the front lawn and draw trees and things.

There was a grammar school across the street and sometimes we'd be drawing when school let out and the kids would walk across the lawn and look over our shoulders. One young twerp looked over my shoulder at my attempt to realistically draw tree bark or some such pursuit and said, Boy are you bad!

Sigh

Nice drawing.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Even So Humble...

[Ross Macintosh]

That looking over the shoulder thing prevents most people from learning to sketch. Going out and sketching the trees is probably the best way to learn. Its not to late to develop those skills now. Get youself to sketch something every day. Even if you only spend five minutes a day - you will get better at it. Do it for yourself. Resist the urge to get feedback until you are more confident in your abilities.

If you try what I say you will quickly improve! Give it ten minutes a day for three weeks and you'll see big improvements in the product and in how comfortable you are. You will learn to have your hand/pencil tap into your vast experience in observing things.

Sketching is not only fun. It is a useful way of communicating and recording ideas.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[gwpriester]

But Ross, I've forgotten how to hold a pencil, not to mention the fact I don't even have any pencils anymore. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Do they still sell pencils?

Actually that is a very good suggestion. I will try to purchase a sketchbook and take the time to draw the roses.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Even So Humble...

[RTK]

It makes we want to start practise drawing "real" things again [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

I try to get in atleast 30 minues of doodling each day. It is nothing organized just on whatever scrap paper happens to be lying around. I don't try to depict anything special I just draw what comes to mind.

But to really practise how to sketch/draw I think I should be trying to depict something concrete and recognizable [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Ross, I agree, drawing from life is probably the best excercise of all. It is very different drawing a subject from life than a subject that has already been flattened for you (photo).

I think there is just enough colour in the sketch to add some warmth. More colour and the colour would become more important than the actual subject and/or how it was depicted.

Great stuff!

Risto

[Ross Macintosh]

It used to be common for those getting a liberal arts education to have to learn to sketch. Just as people learned debating, latin, and script lettering skills - they learned to sketch. Today sketching skills seem to be getting rarer and rarer. Just because they are now rare doesn't mean they are hard to learn. Stick with the few minutes a day thing and you will definitely improve in short order.

Do occassionally draw the same thing over again (and again and again). It will help you to really start seeing aspects of it you didn't originally perceive. Most people when they start sketching get boggled down in details. With practice you start to appreciate what lines are extraneous and eventually you draw fewer and fewer. I'm still working on that aspect myself. It is interesting to figure out what lines you need and which you don't. Start with the important ones and then progessively add in the less important ones until you reach the point where you are satisfied no more are needed.

I certainly don't sketch much these days. I do it enough that my skills are maintained but I'm not really improving. I do know that if you work at it, there is no limit on improvement. Famous sketchers like Picasso got better throughout their lives. Remember when he started he could only draw stick men like most people. There is hope for us all!

Regards, Ross

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[Bob C.]

Hi Ross,

Great image and very encouraging words of advice. Thank you!

Bob C.

[Ross Macintosh]

Hey - I've just learned the building has is own website. The site also features paintings by Xartist and fellow Nova Scotian, David King.

Regards, Ross

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