Low tide near the Solway Firth – Inktense Pencils on a Watercolour Moleskine
This is a quick effort to try a idea by Margie. She suggested drawing “dry” with these pencils then wetting the area to “fix” the colour in an effort to create texture. This seems to have worked, Margie, to a certain extent but, boy are these colours BRIGHT.
The scene is from a photograph from some years ago – slightly modified. Its on this link.
Margie 9:28 pm on February 27, 2009 | #
I like this and think it works, as bright as it is… especially since you put the cool colors in the background. Its not as atmospheric and poetic as your watercolors, but the brightness finds a nice home in this scene.
I bought some more Inktense pencils that were not included in the 24 set and found a few calmer colors (not much calmer, but a wee bit more): Oak, Ionian Green Dark Chocolate ( a beautiful purple-brown), Bark, Charcoal Grey.
I jut thought of a great way to try calming them: since they don’t lift, what if you painted a base painting in the Inktense, then glazed with washes in complementary colors, and near complements, like the masters did in oil? I’ve not tried this, but i want to. Since the Inktense will not lift once dry, it seems this would work! Let me know if you try it. I don’t have time this weekend to try it. I have to see King Tut and the Chinese Army (both exhibits are in Atlanta right now, and its my birthday weekend).
roseindigo 9:38 pm on February 27, 2009 | #
I agree in that I think the brightness works here. But it takes some getting used to when you have been working with watercolors. I’ve had the same problem when I work with the Inktense pencils, but I guess one just has to use them for what they are—-BRIGHT, and work with it!
trebor61 2:42 am on February 28, 2009 | #
Thanks Margie & Roseindigo. I’ll try your suggestion, Margie but have to find a suitable scene and I’ll let you know how it goes. Happy birthday! Maybe, roseindigo, you could have a go at Margie’s ideas and we could compare results. Cheers – Bob
roseindigo 11:23 am on February 28, 2009 | #
Bob, I would love to post some of my work here because I enjoy this site more than any other I’ve run across besides “Urban Sketchers”. And I just love the Moleskine watercolor books.
But alas, I don’t have a scanner and I’m still on dial-up because I live so far from civilization, and it would take forever. Hopefully one of these days we will get DSL out here and then I’ll get a scanner. Until then I come here just to see the wonderful work that other artists all over the planet are doing, and to marvel at the talent I see here. I try to be patient while the pictures load with my slow system.
I live in No. California, close to Mount Lassen, and this country is also endlessly beautiful with the mountains and the flora and fauna. Of course, the centuries of history and architecture that you have all over Europe is missing. We think something is “old” at 100 years and most of us can’t even imagine something that dates back as far as some of your sites do. I do have some idea of the charm of that because I was born in a town in Germany that to this day has parts that date back to the 12th and 13th century, but have never been back to look at it as an adult. It would be so much fun to do that and sketch it all, but it seems I can’t get enough of these mountains either because it’s all so beautiful. Too bad I can’t be too people in different places at the same time. Hahahahah!
Anyway, hopefully one of these days I’ll be able to post my work here and we can then compare. All I can say is that I have a lot of trouble controlling the brightness with Inktense pencils and have to practice a whole lot more before I “get it”. So I love seeing what you are doing with them, and maybe I can pick up a few pointers just by seeing your results.
trebor61 3:21 pm on February 28, 2009 | #
Hi Roseindigo, thanks for your message. I did a “Google Earth” on Mount Lassen and was/still am very jealous. What fantastic country! I have always been “at one” (I hope) with nature and your “Area” looks like my idea of Heaven. Please do not apologise for being without “civilisation”. I am only sorry if I suggested that you should be able to participate when unable to do so. I have often been aware of folk, in your country, expressing a lack of history before, and have felt bemused since your history is our history. The fact is, some of your ancestors fled from some of my ancestors for a better way of life. I might seem, to those who read my stuff, proud of my history but, often, I wonder why things worked out as they did. Folk in your “New World” had/have had/are still having, a chance to make a difference. Sometimes I wonder if we, on the other side of the ocean, are still in the dark ages as regards tolerance, opinion etc. My wish, for you, is to visit your roots in Germany, a country which has recovered from its own dark ages in modern times, to see how similar people across the globe are. Such a visit would be, of course, unthinkable, without a detour to Ratho, near Edinburgh, where visitors, like yourself, are always made very welcome.
PS For Goodness sake, do not rely on my efforts with Inktense pencils to further your education. I am seriously skilled at their misuse and have often considered sneaking them into the bucket (refuse) only being cautioned by the fact that they were a Christmas present from Margaret.
roseindigo 2:29 pm on March 1, 2009 | #
Yes, I agree, the area where I live is a sort of heaven, and if you and your wife are ever nearby, you would certainly be welcomed and I’d show you the sights. It’s still wild nature with 75% of the county being national forest, which means no buildings will ever go up there, and one is free to hike almost anywhere if you have enough stamina. You can even still pan for gold in the rivers. These days I pretty much stick to the roads, even if they are dirt back roads. When I take such a back road with a cityfied visitor they always get nervous. Not everyone is comfortable being that far from civilization, and they usually need a lot of reassurance that I really do know where I am and that we won’t get lost to be eaten by mountain lions. Personally, I love it and just live with whatever negatives there are to that way of living, because the positives outweight by far—-that is, if you love nature.
I doubt I will ever get back to Germany. I’m enamored of the American West, and would need several lifetimes just to see all I want to see here.
Margie 5:13 pm on March 3, 2009 | #
Roseindigo – I love reading your descriptions of where you live. I’ve been to the Southwest several times and love it.
Bob- don’t you DARE throw those Inktense pencils away, ever! [vbg]
trebor61 10:50 am on March 4, 2009 | #
(Curses! Been discovered!). Sorry Margie. Don’t know what I was thinking about!