• About

About Sketching

~ My drawings and experiences related to them

About Sketching

Tag Archives: illustration

A Two-handed Approach

02 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by K.A. Renninger in Art, Barns and other structures, illustrations

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Antietam Farm, barn, canson XL watercolor tablet, farm buildings, graphite, illustration, oil pastels, Portfolio Water-Soluble Oil Pastels, springhouse, wagon shed, Waynesboro PA

wagon shed with vines

wagon shed with vines

The Story Behind the Sketch:

The tendonitis I had quickly developed in my left wrist from over-use, had left me unable to sketch at all for a couple of weeks, –most distresssing!— but with the help of a brace, visualization/relaxation , and careful avoidance of use, I began to feel like I could try it again. 

After a three-week hiatus from painting-out with the group, I was missing my artist buddies. Hauling the chair, table, & other equipment needed for this activity, worked out okay thanks to help from friend George. The group went to the beautiful Antietam Farm outside Waynesboro, which has a delightful assortment of old  buildings including this wagon shed.
The Technical Stuff:

Canson XLwatercolor tablet, Portfolio Water-Soluble Oil Pastels, 5B graphite sketch pencil. Various acrylics brushes.

My Experience in Doing this Sketch: 

Having some use of my right hand now, I chose to use both in doing this sketch. First I drew in the general outlines of the bulding with the oil pastel using my left hand. I found that, in “thinking with my left” so to speak, my sense of perspective was different; it took some getting used to.  I did some brush work with both left & right, eventually falling  into a rythm of adding color with one hand & brushing water over it with the other.

The picture seemed to lack definition, as I find my work often does when using water-soluble media, so I outlined almost everything with a graphite sketch pencil. I made a point of doing this with my left hand so as to stay in practice.

One of those things that happens sometimes with outdoor sketching is that you have to change locations halfway through the sketch due to some weather condition, in this case hot sun. My painting partners & I actually had to move inside the wagon shed. Needless to say; I had to “wing it” from there on out. As a result I’m not sure I got the perspective correct, but then again , with old buildings, things are apt to be crooked anyway!

NOTE: All images and text in this post are Copyright K. A. Renninger 2013. I am more than happy to have you share them through your own blog, and hope you will do so—but you must give me credit. Anyone who uses them to make money will be prosecuted.

Advertisement

Share this:

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading...

Left-handed Sketch: Black-eyed Susans

10 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by K.A. Renninger in Art, illustrations, Nature, Plants, Water-soluble Pencils

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

black eyed susans, Black-eyed Susan, botanical drawing, colored pencil, Derwent Aquatone, Derwent Watercolor, illustration, water-soluble colored pencil, watercolor pencil

My first left-handed sketch; Black-eyed Susans

My first left-handed sketch; Black-eyed Susans


The story behind the sketch:

When I knew I’d broken my wrist, I immediately made up my mind that if I suffered ill effects from it later on, such as arthritis, it would not stop me from doing artwork. Thus began my journey toward “ambidextrosity”.

My husband, being aware of my resolution, went out & bought me a Derwent water-soluble colored pencil sampler to encourage me. On my third day of being “one-handed”, I began this sketch from a view of our flower bed through the front door, while relaxing on the couch.

My experience in doing this sketch:

The Derwent pencils were very nice to work with. The “Watercolor” ones can give good sharp detail, and the “Aquatone” can provide a wider stroke, being a woodless pencil. I found I could both sketch &  then brush-over with water to good effect, with either type, & that the were both useful for  adding in more color & detail on damp paper. The Aquatone seem especially well-suited to dipping directly into water & applying to paper.

Working left-handed was very slow, but I think the advantage in it is that total concentration is required, which is therapeutic for me. I think it may activate un-used portions of the brain, and heighten the ability to observe as well.

It took several short work sessions for me to complete this, but that seems immaterial in comparison with the benefits I feel I received in doing it.

The technical stuff

Substrate: Canson “XL” watercolor tablet

Pencils: Derwent Aquatone & Derwent Watercolor

Size of work: Approx. 8x 10″

Share this:

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading...

What We Focus On

06 Tuesday Aug 2013

Posted by K.A. Renninger in Art, Barns and other structures, illustrations, Water-soluble Pencils

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

barn, canada geese, Chambersburg PA, Coldbrook Farm, Derwent pencils, farm buildings, graphitone, illustration, springhouse, vertical siding, water-soluble graphite

water-soluble graphite barn and springhouse sketch

water-soluble graphite barn and springhouse sketch

The Story Behind the Sketch:

My artists group met a week ago at Coldbrook Farm, a piece of artists’ paradise in Chambersburg, PA. Among the inspirational sights were a barn, springhouse, & pond with Canada geese.
The Technical Stuff:

Canson XLwatercolor tablet, Light and dark grades of  Derwent Graphitone water-soluble graphite pencils were used for most of this sketch, plus water & a Grumbacher #2 bristlette round brush, a #1 Plaid  3/4″ craft brush, & a Royal & Langnickle small #4 angle.

My Experience in Doing this Sketch: 

As in all situations we choose what we will focus on. While there were frequent sounds of sirens from the nearby hospital, there were  also

serenades

from catbirds & mocking birds. While the siding on the barn was actually asbestos shingling, I looked at the flavor of the structure  & drew simple vertical siding instead. A rough sketch was all I was after this time around; I was there to enjoy myself on that singularly beautiful day—& so I did.

NOTE: All images and text in this post are Copyright K. A. Renninger 2013. I am more than happy to have you share them through your own blog, and hope you will do so—but you must give me credit. Anyone who uses them to make money will be prosecuted.

Share this:

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading...

Spring in Colored Pencil

20 Monday May 2013

Posted by K.A. Renninger in Art, Nature, Plants

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Brunzeel Aquarelle, Canson, colored pencil, Crayola, illustration, iris, nature, pencil work, Prismacolor pencils, Spring

Spring scene (Iris) in colored pencil

Spring scene (Iris) in colored pencil


The story behind the sketch:

Spring is so colorful it just begs for a medium that will express some of that. This scene was at a friend’s home, & was chosen & sketched spontaneously.

My experience in doing this sketch:

Colored pencil is fun–that’s the best word I can think of to describe working with it. It may not produce the most realistic or sophisticated results—although some artists have achieved such through careful use of layering & blending techniques. It’s great for outdoor sketching because it’s clean, portable, & lets you work in color without paint. This sketch was relaxing to do, & it evokes a nice memory of a beautiful place when I look at it.

The technical stuff

Substrate: Canson “Sketch”, a smooth paper with just enough tooth for pencil work. Prismacolor pencils were the main ones used, but Crayola, and other “kid’s” colored pencils were used too. A Brunzeel Aquarelle was used and a General’s colored pencil too. (Unless I’m doing a work of fine art that will be exposed to light over a long term, I don’t worry too much about using expensive pencils. The ones designed for artists are definitely more pigment-dense & softer, but sometimes one of the kid’s brands will have just the color I”m looking for.)

Share this:

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading...

Kathleen Renninger; Artist

Kathleen Renninger; Artist

Past Blog Posts

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 178 other subscribers

Search this Blog

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • About Sketching
    • Join 120 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • About Sketching
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: