Hello!
from my little corner of Scotland!
After my last newsletter, we had a deep freeze, from which I am just now thawed out. The light is slowly coming back to us (though it still feels like a sunset all day - not complaining). When it’s not too cold or rainy, I go out for long walks and a fresh perspective. There’s a cafe just over a mile away, which makes the perfect destination and motivation to get out. I like to take the scenic route, which takes me by the river and through a dense forest. The cold air coats my lungs as I breathe deeply beneath frost laden boughs. Will I miss winter in the height of summer, when the same branches cannot protect me from the heat?
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I’ll be sharing my acrylic gouache demo on Basics Day:
The Tree of It
Last year I felt like my artistic growth was a little too slow and I lacked a study plan. I had too many projects to juggle and my own growth fell by the wayside.
This year I am doing something a little differently on my Patreon in order to help with that. I’ve chosen 12 landscape themes I’m interested in studying and each month we will tackle a different one.
January was tree month - my favorite subject - and it was the perfect way to start the year.
I find myself amused when I think about how often I’ve “gone back to the basics” to study something I’ve been painting for years.
The truth is, our skills will level up each time we paint, but sometimes growth feels so slow that I almost wonder if I’m regressing. In those moments I pause, reassess what I’m trying to learn, and seek simplicity.
By breaking down a subject to it’s foundation, it’s skeleton, I can build up from there with new methods and vision.
Going back to the “basics” with trees was exactly what I needed. It’s so interesting how explaining something to others helps me to learn it better. By that logic teachers make themselves smarter by teaching, right? :)
I shared a very long post on Patreon about the absolute basics for trees - how to start with a simple shape and build up into a detailed tree.
Peek:
Then we painted a reference together with gouache. Many of the participants said it was eye-opening. Watch the paintalong.
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A New Method
At night I’ve been enjoying very relaxed drawing sessions, mostly playing with graphite in a new way.
I used to sketch primarily with 0.5 blue mechanical pencils using basic hatching. It has a distinct look and feels more illustrative in the end.
Over time I had found it wasn’t ideal for proper value studies, or quicker sketches on the go. Hatching seems quick because of how fast the hand moves while doing it, but it can take a very long time to fill in a larger area.
I wanted a method that would allow me to draw larger, faster. For those cold days in the forest when I want to study a tree, but have a few minutes before my toes are numb. For those moments during travel where I have 20 minutes in front of a cathedral before the next scheduled stop.
This method is a hybrid of hatching and soft shading. Steps to achieve this look:
Do a loose sketch of the overall tree.
Loosely apply graphite over the entire piece (including background). 2B or softer works best. Current favorite pencil: Graphgear 1000
With a blending sponge (I use a makeup sponge), rub the graphite gently over the paper to spread it out. This creates that soft airbrush look. This also helps it adhere to the fibers of the paper so it doesn’t smudge as easily.
Start hatching the shadows and contours of the tree. In this step I switch between hatching and soft shading.
For greater shadows, add more graphite, rub in, add more, rub in. You get the idea. Don’t worry about going over lines.
For highlights, use a small eraser (I like the Tombow Mono Zero). As long as the paper is sturdy and smooth, the eraser won’t tear it. I’ve been enjoying the Jackson’s softcover square sketchbooks. But I often use my Stillman & Birn Beta or Zeta which are great for mixed media. That way if you feel like splashing some watercolor over it, you’re good to go!
If you want hatching and linework visible in the end, use a fine detail pencil to add some in key places but don’t rub them. I like to use directional lines to indicate curvature of branches and roots.
I’ve written more about it on my blog, have a read!
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On a Personal Note…
Taking a pause at the beginning of this year was exactly what I needed to feel refreshed. Now that it’s February and I’m getting back into work mode, I see the benefit of relaxation even more. Without time off, there’s nothing left in the tank except fumes which won’t last long, especially when the voyage ahead is bumpy. I have quite a few projects in the works, each with their own mental challenges, so I need all the fuel I can get!
One thing that has really helped me is to stay connected to my art community, as small as it is. Here are some images from recent meet-ups. Lyn (above) is a wonderful artist I met at Iain Stewart’s watercolor workshop in Scotland two years ago, and we instantly connected. So when she visited the Cairngorms last month I knew I had to drive down to see her!
My plein air group has been meeting monthly and we just celebrated our two year anniversary! I wrote about it in this blog post.
I am meeting with them later this week in beautiful Portsoy, and am really looking forward to some sunshine and cold fresh air!
I’ll be taking some time off at the end of February to celebrate my birthday. Turning 40 feels surprisingly easy. I wish I could tell young Sarah that it’s no big deal. To take a deep breath. Each phase of life provides something new, and wisdom accumulates.
Take care and see you next time,
~ Sarah
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