Sunday 9 January 2011

Smoked undyed cod loin

I was just about to cook my smoked undyed cod loin for dinner when I read Ronell's post about her scampi and prawns.  It had never occurred to me before that I could draw fish for watermarks - after all it's Jeanette who does the fish! ;)

Anyway I thought I'd have a go - but since it meant delaying dinner this was a very fast sketch!

I have to tell you that I now believe painting the flesh of fish ought to be part of every painter's training - in learning how to see colour and the subtlety of colour.  The colour changes are so subtle that I think anybody who mastered painting the flesh of fish would find painting flesh for portrait painting an absolute doddle!  Who knew?

This is a very imperfect sketch of my dinner - uncooked and on a pale duck egg blue plate - although I only had half for dinner!

Smoked undyed cod loin
coloured pencils
Katherine Tyrrell

7 comments:

Jeanette Jobson said...

Oooh lovely! Quick sketch or not, you've caught that golden smoky colour and against the blue plate it makes a wonderful contrast.

I agree, the flesh of fish is quite complex - and the skin even more so. And lumpsuckers have aqua coloured flesh in parts!

Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen said...

Gorgeous Katherine!! It is hard to believe this is aquick sketch, I can only believe it, because I've seen you sketch fast. You're right, the flesh and as Jeanette says the skin is so challenging and you've given it absolute truth in your rendering. I actually like that pale blue plate very much. So glad you posted this, it reinforces that desire in me to capture all these water creatures.

Sarah said...

isnt it good practice to draw what you think you know but never really look at. This is good Katherine, more fish suppers for you then?

vivien said...

beautiful soft colour changes and I agree about it being good practice for skin tones

Theresa Evans said...

Lovely colour and I really enjoy the freshness and vitality of your pencil marks. Sometimes these quick sketches are so beautiful because of that. And the skill of the pencil weilder of course!

debra morris said...

Lovely sketch, such soft colours...wish we could buy smoked fish over here

Laura Frankstone said...

It's that Tyrrellian luminosity again---such delicate, ethereal light. And from a piece of cod, no less!