Saturday, 7 March 2015

Life's a Beach

 
 I enjoyed catching up with my friend Barbara at the beach yesterday. We bought a take-away coffee to sip while gasbagging on our towels before going in for a divine dip. When she trotted off an hour later to attend her yoga class, I enjoyed a second swim and then did a quick sketch. I wondered about adding colour on my return, but lately I'm feeling loathe to tamper with my sketches after I have left the scene. I must get in the habit of taking my paints with me as well as my pen.

                                     Some snaps I took with my phone while I was down there.







A few colourful feathered visitors we enjoyed during the week.
 


 
I was sorting out some old art-work of mine and came across a few drawings I'd almost forgotten about. I was quite a fan of Patrick Swayze in my younger years!
 

The sketches below I did in a life-drawing class when I was 15 years old. I so enjoyed drawing figures from life and have only attended one life-drawing class since then. Re-visiting these pictures inspires me to feature more figures and faces in my work. I very much enjoyed doing the sketch yesterday of the sunbather. I think what I love most about figures is trying to capture the stance and showing the weight of the muscles (if that makes sense!)




 
 






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20 comments:

  1. Helen Cooper7 March 2015 at 19:21

    That's a lovely little sketch Wendy . I need to do more on the spot sketching myself. I certainly hope you do more and I do understand what you said about capturing the stance and showing where the body of weight is.

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    1. Wendy Barrett10 March 2015 at 04:26

      Thanks so much Helen! Sketching on the spot is such a joyful thing to do. Maybe we can do some sketching together sometime if I get over your way again one of these days!

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  2. Catharina Engberg8 March 2015 at 04:35

    I understood what you ment by capturing the weight of the bodies when drawing, that is quite difficult. Can´t you use the photos to work with the paint after coming home? But I know that alot of the contrast dissapears on the photos, so in reall life it is easier, I know. Feels kind of strange to read about the beach nowadays as we have winter here in Sweden haha. But SOON we have summer too. Can hardly wait! Thanks for an enjoyable post!

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    1. Wendy Barrett10 March 2015 at 04:31

      Thanks Catharina, I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
      Yes, I could use the photos, and that had originally been my intention, but somehow I didn't like to tamper with the essence of what I got down at the time. Even though finishing it off in colour would definitely have made for a prettier finished piece.
      I imagine you will have lovely spring weather soon and will be able to enjoy all the beautiful bulbs that come with the season.

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  3. Lorraine Brown8 March 2015 at 11:17

    A nice blog post Wendy, great you have these drawings to look through

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    1. Wendy Barrett10 March 2015 at 04:33

      Thanks Lorraine, I've enjoyed seeing your latest work!

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  4. Joan Tavolott8 March 2015 at 18:38

    Great to see your old and new sketches!!! You captured the peach visitors perfectly!

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    1. Wendy Barrett10 March 2015 at 04:35

      Thanks so much Joan! I'm enjoying keeping up with your great blog - you are an ongoing sketching inspiration!

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  5. Barbara Muir9 March 2015 at 21:59

    Love your drawing and the post. You have won the Barbara Muir Happy Art Award -- check out my blog to see the details. Your work, your blog, your kind comments -- all make me very happy, which is the point of the award -- a thank you for the joy you bring to my artist's life.

    XOXOXOXO Barbara

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    1. Wendy Barrett10 March 2015 at 04:37

      Barbara, I am so thrilled to have your award bestowed upon me!! Your art is incredibly joyful as are all your posts. I feel very honoured that you included me!

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  6. Laura12 March 2015 at 03:02

    Hi Wendy. Isn't it fun catching up with friends... even if they are not particularly arty. I love how you managed to sneak a sketch into your day. The beach looks amazing. Lucky you. Have fun.

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  7. Wendy Barrett13 March 2015 at 05:33

    Thanks Laura! I imagine that you are enjoying all the spring bulbs right now - would love to see some photos of them!!

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  8. David Teter16 March 2015 at 00:45

    I can't remember winter = (

    Great little sketch Wendy. So happy to see you still at it and posting for us to see. It is always interesting to see the older work from other artists (and ourselves), to see where we came from and what we were doing years ago.
    I am always amused and sometimes surprised when I pull out my old work!
    Patrick Swayze! You, not me, but I did paint some of my own 'fan' portraits!
    Ha Ha!

    What a beautiful colorful summer you have down there!
    Keep drawing... and painting...

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  9. Wendy Barrett17 March 2015 at 06:01

    Thanks David! Yes, it is funny to see what we were inspired to draw and paint years ago.

    Sorry to hear you haven't had a proper winter - hopefully you'll get some serious rain soon!
    Good luck with getting your pieces together for your exhibition! I look forward to enjoying it all vicariously through your blog!

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  10. Celia Blanco19 March 2015 at 15:02

    Hi Wendy, what a gorgeous place to spend the day! I love your sketch and seeing your older figurative work. Big fan of Patrick Swayze myself, you did an excellent job on his portrait.

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    1. Wendy Barrett23 March 2015 at 20:05

      Thanks so much Celia!
      I love that you won Jane's beautiful painting!

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  11. art by Michael Perchard21 March 2015 at 08:14

    Hey Buddy! Remember me? So sorry late in writing comment Wendy! Hurt my shoulder! Maybe too much snow shoveling and snow roof raking! Record amount of snow in Boston! Total 109.1 inches and counting! Not painting much at all either! Of course I love your most recent post! Love all your art! I so love seeing the sketch of you relaxing on the beach! Love, love, love, all your photos! So much sun and warmth! Love your wonderful life drawings! Mother and Child awesome! When I was an undergraduate I was fortunate to also have a mother and baby pose for us in a life drawing class! When shoulder is better will get back to painting and write more! Take care Wendy! Your Still Loving Snow Buddy From USA Michael

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    1. Wendy Barrett23 March 2015 at 20:12

      You are very kind Michael! I'm so sorry to hear about your shoulder. I hope it heals very soon - I have been missing your lively artwork!
      Your continued love of the snow even in the face of unprecedented amounts and duration is an inspiration for accepting things as they are! Nonetheless, I hope spring arrives very soon for you!
      Your art buddy,
      Wendy

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  12. Kaethe Bealer22 March 2015 at 17:04

    What a great day and fun sketch! I had to put on my sunscreen to view your post! Thank you for sharing your older sketches! You were truly talented then and of course now!

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