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| Foxton Locks |
It’s been so long since I posted anything on here, that I should think most of you have deserted me!
To be honest, I really haven’t done a lot of art work over the last few months – there always seems something else that needs doing, and of course, you now the old saying about “a well-oiled rag” etc., well it really is true, because I am so very rusty that I may have to start all over.
This is a very quick sketch I did the other night of Foxton Locks. It’s a popular local attraction that gets very busy especially during the summer months, by both visitors and spectators alike. It consists of a staircase of ten locks, which raise or lower canal boats by more than 75 feet. The view is across the top two locks, and shows the upper side ponds, which save a lot of water that otherwise would be lost as the boats go through the system.
While this is only a rough sketch, intended for a proper painting that, well, may or may not get done, it has shown me how rusty I have become – something of a wake-up call really. If I am ever going to master this watercolour thing, I really have to buck up my ideas and get some practical work in!
Hi Frank, it's about time you did something..lol !
ReplyDeleteIt's a good start (again) ... has a lot going on .. but well done..
Your right about getting rusty, that's something I hear and know from my own experience. Honestly it's like beginning all over again if I don't keep at it.. Luckily I do have time and I've gotten to the point of doing something (watercolor) every day . Even if it's just a 5x7" .. Don't stop Now! BJ
Welcome back! Not deserted you and delighted to see you painting again. For a rusty piece this is pretty good. I'm glad its made you decide to do more, have missed you xx
ReplyDeleteI also find that if I don't pick up a pencil for a while, I feel as though I have forgotten how! It's nice to see you back! And I like your sketch too. It is really hard to fit everything in isn't it? And now Chrismas is coming up... Eek! :0)
ReplyDeleteThanks Barbra, Pat and Sandra for still looking in on me. I've already done another painting since this; we have a competition at our club in January, where the subject will be "water". With this in mind, I'm trying to get one or two paintings done with the aim of taking away the trophy - yes, in my dreams probably!
ReplyDeleteWe've missed you Frank! I honestly really like this sketch and can't tell a bit that you're feeling rusty from the look of it. But I know how you feel. I typically don't paint from Friday to Monday and just before I start painting again after just three days I get a real case of nerves that I've forgotten how to paint! Yes back to work for you now Frank! As much as you can! :)
ReplyDeleteNot a lot rusty with this Frank. Lovely fresh colours that I so envy. I was recently contemplating trying to force myself to do some plein aire work and a sketching day at Foxton Locks crossed my mind. Nice to see you posting again. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't long ago that I almost left a message to ask why you weren't posting...but then, it seemed kind of hypocritical since I hadn't been posting either!
ReplyDeleteI think your 'sketch' is quite lovely! I need to learn to do landscapes, mine don't look anything near this nice!
Welcome back! And thanks for your comment. One question: do you scan or photograph your paintings? I'm really disappointed with how drab the colors look on my most recent post. They aren't nearly as rich as they are in person. Can't seem to get the blues and grays to scan, not to mention the lighter yellows and pinks.
That's a very nice thing to say Crystal!
ReplyDeleteI think that when you get to the stage where you feel nervous about painting, then the more you put it off, the harder it is to get started again.
Thanks John, if you go to Foxton Locks to paint, then pop in for a cuppa first!
Reana, you should have left that message, just to make me feel guilty!
Can't remember seeing a landscape from you, maybe you should have a go, or is it best to stick to one's comfort zone?
I usually scan paintings unless they are too big for my A4 scanner. There are problems with both methods. Photographing renders white paper as grey unless you boost the contrast, which then takes freshness away from colours. Scanning is full of pitfalls, but produces a crisper image than a photo. You have to experiment with the settings, but I find turning off 'unsharp mask' and using 300dpi gives a more natural result.
Thanks for the advice! I checked my dpi and it was set very low! I'll have to do some rescanning and see if that helps!
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