Followers

DECEMBER

What we love, cherish, wish for. What the highlights of 2017 have been.
(Suggested by Bev Baird)


Update : We are now keeping Themes for a WHOLE MONTH



Friday, March 27, 2015

Spring, Deer at the Gallery, by Elaine (jaguarish)

It's not really spring here -- in fact, it should be autumn (because I'm in Australia!) -- but it is so hot that it's more of an Indian summer, as they used to say where I grew up (New York).  I thought, however, that this sketch might suit the theme.  The deer, to me, symbolises new life and growth, although this is an odd one -- the artist (Kohei Nawa) conceived the idea by playing around with photos of objects until this idea struck him. He got two identical deer, merged their bodies, and covered the result with various clear bubbles.  I heard about him in an art talk and made the notes in the margins of the sketch, along with some other ideas that struck me while I was sketching the work.

I sketched this very rapidly in pencil first as I was conscious of my friend waiting for me (also, somehow pencil encourages me to be more scribbly and fluid).  Then, over lunch, I added the watercolour.  I had some fun spraying the paper with water and doing some "wet-in-wet" painting.  It was not until later that I decided I needed to define the surface better, and added some ink lines.


Below is a photo of the work, taken by my daughter.  I love how the photo includes a gallery-goer leaning over to peer more closely at the work!


4 comments:

  1. This is an incredible drawing. Thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think you did a great job on your sketch of the sculpture of the deer!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Absolutely Love your painting, you really did capture the look of the bubbly deer. And what an amazing sculpture it is too. Great photo by your daughter.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Lia, thanks Joan and Ann! It is an amazing sculpture and I felt compelled to draw it. Lucky for me that watercolour is such a forgiving medium. (All those bubbles! Imagine trying to do it in realistic style!)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for dropping in and leaving your reactions to our art! We appreciate your comments! They are now being moderated however, to weed out spammers!