#PostcardPictures & #SketchBeforeBedtime Series
It was back in January that I picked up my sketchpad again. I don't really know why but I had a sudden desire to do a sketch. I had a bunch of images on my smartphone, either downloaded from Facebook or Twitter or taken by myself on that phone.
I came across a particular image of our puppy, Harvey, and decided to try a quick sketch. Nothing too tight, just as loose and free as I could. When I finished it I wrote 'To You, Love Me x' and gave it Gabriella, my wife.
I was so pleased with her reaction. I was also content with the fact that I'd kept it loose, using cross-hatching for shading and not correcting any mistakes. The following night I did another, working from a different photo from the same walk, this time giving it to our daughter. Another evening I worked on a quick sketch of T1, Land Rover BAR's first test platform catamaran for their America's Cup challenge and also one of some silhouetted British soldiers on patrol in Afghanistan.
After that, as I found it a nice way of settling down for sleep and an alternative to reading, I carried on. Each image is drawn directly from a reference photo saved on my smartphone and in most cases no erasers have been used in creating the sketch. I decided I wanted to maintain this bare, stripped back approach to what has evolved into this #PostcardPictures series. In itself by doing it all this way, it has presented some challenges.
When I started, each picture was taking anything from a little over 1/2 an hour through to 2 hours or more to create. Now, as I've ended up being more invested in the results I find that they take longer as I am not as prepared as I originally was to show flaws in my work. The commissioned work takes longer (I don't record the time now) as expectations are rightfully higher.
The process - As I mentioned, each sketch is drawn directly from a photo saved on my smartphone. That in itself makes the process a challenge since my reference material is small...in actual fact the finished sketches are more than double to size of image I am working from!
Even the photos of the sketches have been taken with my smartphone (edited slightly where needed using the rudimentary editing tools therein) and then uploaded to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram through the phone. I like this set up. It is small, compact and just like the results.
My kit consists of my phone, a sketchpad (either A6 - approx. 4" x 6" or A5 - approx. 6" x 8"), a putty rubber (they don't smudge and leave no 'crumbs', a Stanley knife (for sharpening pencils - very important to keep them sharp - Advice Point Number 1 for budding artists out there) and a couple of pencils (usually H and HB). That lot easily slips into a backpack so I can carry this stuff with me if I'm travelling anywhere.
I now use Staedtler HB pencils as my mainstay although I find that the student quality pencils have just the right amount of resistance on the type of paper I'm using. I used to only use artist quality but found them to be ever so slightly too soft for my liking.
I took the kit to Cowes during Cowes Week. I knew I'd be waking early; my bedroom were I stay faces east, overlooking the entrance to Cowes Harbour so I get the full force of the sunrise (I could've closed the
curtains but I like waking naturally and even if 5:30 am is a bit early, it allows me to set up for the day and in this case in 2016, do a few sketches before sailing - hence the #SketchBeforeSailing hashtag as well!). I also took this kit with me on an offshore race to France earlier in the summer. It worked out well as I had quite a bit of time to sketch whilst we all waited for our delayed ferry to arrive to take us back to England!
Once I found that I was really into this new 'project' I decided to show people. Facebook and Twitter are good outlets for this and I also added an instagram account, too. I also decided I needed to give them a memorable name so over time came up with Postcard Pictures and Sketch Before Bedtime. When I publish one on any of these social media channels I include the hashtags so that if anyone wants to search for more of my work they can hopefully access them all quite easily.
Apart from being a (usually) enjoyable experience creating them, these sketches have really re-ignited my desire to draw and paint. I often have a fight with paintings, they don't often come easily. Perhaps that's me striving to create the best that I possibly can and do justice to the subject matter. I also have a firm commitment to anyone commissioning me, I do the very best that I can to surpass their expectations. whether I get there or not is for them to decide but that is my focus each and every time.
I find sketches more relaxing and cathartic than painting, I think that's because I've been doing them for longer and for the most part, this series is more about what I want to draw at any given time. I have loads of images on my smartphone, I think I'll be sketching before my bedtime for some time to come...
