Saturday, December 4, 2010

Trip to the Cemetery

That pressure of posting three times in three days has me going. I just couldn't let the day slip by and miss number four! Last year, as one of my new year's resolutions, I had decided to post twice as many times this year as I did last year. Well, that didn't happen for me. In fact, I need to post ten more times this month just to be even with last year. More than that though...and I BEAT last year! (trigger the Rocky theme song, please)

So, I did this yesterday. I went to a cemetery with my mother, who needed to take a picture for someone on a site called 'find a grave' or something like that. (She does genealogy.) I figured it would be a good sketching opportunity. Did you know that it only takes a few minutes to take a couple of pictures?? Well, I rushed through the sketch, sort of in a panicky way, knowing any second it would be time to leave. This rushing feeling made it hard to concentrate and I flubbed up on the folds of the robe. Wasn't happy with the sketch, but threw some paint on last night to see if I could make it work. It was really difficult to tell what was what (fold lines versus shadow lines) and I basically just guessed on everything. The gray color I used was a mixture of everything that was already on my palette. Thinking I was done, I wiped off the palette, only to see that some of the shadows didn't get dark enough.

One thing that I know I didn't get right, is that I drew the hands a little too normal-sized. His hands were HUGE! Big Fred Flinstone hands! But in the end, I like it.

There, four-for-four!! :D

22 comments:

  1. That turned out very well -- and looks like it would have been difficult to do because of the drapery, hands, face and upward angle.

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  2. It looks good Raena.. the folds and all too.. I don't really know whether I would be able to try sketching at a cemetery! I'm not scared but it kind of gives me a spooky feeling to think of it..!

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  3. It looks fine to me considering the pressure to do it quick. It's difficult when you're with someone who doesn't sketch!

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  4. 4 in 4! Woah! I can't keep up ;-)
    As I haven't seen the original I have no idea what should be folds or shadows and had you not told us you had a little trouble I wouldn't have know because it looks good to me.Looks great against that back ground too.

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  5. Tell your inner critic to sit down and shut up... this is very nicely done... looks great. I read somewhere that sculptures have over large hands to keep them from breaking off as they are the most fragile part of the statue.

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  6. Great job, Raena! I love the statues in cemeteries, especially the angels, but I've never tried sketching one. And I admire you for sketching out where people can see you. I'm proud of you. I haven't gotten that brave yet. :)

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  7. Hooray for you Raena! I really like this painting and will cheer you on as you go for 11 blog postings this month.

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  8. I am liking the background so much !!!

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  9. Be still, oh inner critic. It is a sketch-you captured the moment AND you did a nice job.

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  10. Go you! Your comment about beating last year made me laugh ^^! Your drawing looks great on the green background!

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  11. I can understand the difficulty of working quickly when you are with someone who doesn't sketch with you, but you have made a good work. I like the colours of the background, they bring light and life to a subject that may appear sad or a little gloomy, being a funereal monument. I also appreciate, for the same reason, the light, delicate shadows on the statue.

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  12. Raena, Your statue is absolutely beautiful! It has so much going for it. The 'sketchy' quality of the statue gives it a friendly, soft feel that is hard to achieve in a statue. The leafy, bright background is a wonderful contrast to the gray figure. Altogether this is a very appealing sketch! Good for you for sketching in 'public' amongst the silent witnesses. ;-)

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  13. It's really nice. Sometimes quick drawings are really good exercise. For me, they betray all my bad habits so I can see immediately what I need to fix, but fast sketches seem to have a life of their own, too. Your statue here looks like a statue that's about to come alive.

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  14. Five-minute sketch! This is great--nothing looks flubbed. Although it's of a statue, it's energetic.

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  15. Beautiful! I love it =) It sure would take me longer to do something like that...if I could

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  16. Great drawing, very well done. I often ask myself when painting later, "what did that line mean?!" then I paint it as I think I should.

    4 for 4. Bah humbug! I think I'm going to take this blog off my favorites list. ;)

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  17. This is amazing with your quick sketch and your hurried mind. Yet, you brought it all together when you added your paint and your memories in your mind's eye. I need to practice more like this! I love cemeteries as long as they are not family or friend's funerals!

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  18. It'd have taken me a week, no, a year, er.. maybe more to get even close to that! Art on the run... well! I can only admire it. Like the lush background.

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  19. This a a lovley drawing. It is all very solft and delicate. I agree with the others, the backgroud makes the drawing stand out.

    I hope to go drawing in the old cemetary when I am home at Christmas (assuming the weather is not too hot in the middle of Summer)

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  20. I think it looks great. If you wouldn't have said anything, I would never have guessed the hands were off. Cemeteries are wonderful places to visit; quiet, peaceful and soothing. I've been taking photos of the statues in cemeteries. Some of them are very striking and creative.

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