I bought this little sketchbook earlier this summer in an art shop in London. It's a handy square 14x14c, (5.5x5.5") journal with 128 pages and the rounded edges I love. I was a bit sceptical, because the pages, though heavyweight drawing paper, seemed a bit thin for watercolours. But as it said on the cover that it "accepts light watercolour washes without buckling", I thought I'd give it a try.
And I'm really pleased with it. It actually takes a lot more than just a l"light" watercolour wash, with only very little buckling, and most of all no bleeding through at all, which is something I had problems with with another sketchbook. So this little sketchbook is going to be my "zoo animals series" sketchbook, and here are some bird sketches done after the photos I took during my visit to the zoo.
The King Penguins. There just such fun to sketch.
The funny Shoebill, they have these amazing blue eyes, which somehow don't really look like birds' eyes.
The Green-Winged Macaw. I must say that I'm very grateful to the zoo that they have these, and not the Scarlet Macas, with their yellow wing feathers, as I really don't like yellow, but love green!
There's still lots of room in my sketchbook for more zoo animals, and there's lots more to come. I certainly took enough photos to keep me busy.
Stunning! Your birds are so colourful and very beautiful. What a great little sketch diary.
ReplyDeleteWOW, stunning. Love the parrots!
ReplyDeletexx Monique
I love the idea of a themed sketchbook! This sketches are gorgeous! :0)
ReplyDeletewhat a great little sketchbook and I love your bird watercolour sketches - they're all so lovely and great subjects for painting. You're right about gouache re the colour lifting if you add more water but not to the extent that you'd end up with a brown mess. I discovered that by happy accident when I was doing the background of my painting which has a bokeh effect in the photograph I used as reference. I happened to use a bit more water than usual when I went over a bit and the colour sort of lifted off slightly which actually worked really well for what I wanted although I can see how that would be annoying if you didn't want it to happen. I think as long as you let it dry well between colours it won't go muddy - you can add light over dark which is good. overall I think they're great and I can imagine that the beautiful illustrations you do would pop with the vibrancy of gouache.
ReplyDeleteAwesome sketchbook and already being filled with your beautiful work. Your birds are very well done. Thank you for the info on the Liquitex and I did find them at Dick Blick's. Great work.
ReplyDeleteVad duktig du är på att teckna. Och flitig! Jag är imponerad.
ReplyDeleteLove your birds. They are brilliant.
ReplyDeleteWonderful sketches of your birds....great photos of them below this post too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delight! I love them all, but am especially enchanted by that Shoebill. You captured so much character in your paintings.
ReplyDeleteOMGosh! These are really wonderful! Glad the sketchbook works well for you. Always makes a difference to have the right materials. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic size! I just knew your photos would become gorgeous skteches.
ReplyDeleteRinda
I absolutely love all these! And you are right, the paper seem to react very well to the watercolor ;)
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