Friday 31 July 2009

Back to the waterways project, doodling

Frog Island Factories, Vivien Blackburn

I've been playing with a new sketchbook that has brown wrapping paper pages - there's something really nice about brown wrapping paper! (even if the paper in this book is very thin)

This is from a plein air sketch done some time ago and was intended to be done simply in a range of browns. The Lyra skintones set has a gorgeous range that goes from soft apricots, through mauvey browns to siennas and umbers. I combined these with a brown Pitt pen.

As it developed I decided to add a touch of icy blue in the sky, canal and touches of it reflecting in the corrugated factory rooftops. I like the coldness, cooling down the warmth of all that brown.

It may be worth developing this as a painting, looser but with a limited colour range like this?

8 comments:

Jeanette Jobson said...

I like the feel of this piece and the colourway.

It could translate into a painting using a limited palette such as Zorn. Its worth experimenting with.

Patricia said...

When I first glanced at the drawing before I even began to read your posting I thought that it was down a century ago! I love toned paper. This is beautiful work.

vivien said...

Thanks Jeanette and Patricia :>) - yes sepia toning with old buildings does give that antique effect!

Lindsay said...

I too loved the toned paper. The subtle addition of blue makes the drawingssing!

vivien said...

thanks Lindsay :>)

Laura Frankstone said...

It looks like an illustration for a 19th century children's book. It is lovely, Vivien. I'm trying to imagine it as a Vivien painting, looser and bigger, and I think I can! Now, please do it so I can see if I was right ;D.

vivien said...

:>D

it does have that illustration feel! Oliver Twist coming round the corner ....

Anonymous said...

This is so lovely vivien! I would love to see more "architectural" work from you!And the limited palette..stunning.
ronell