drawing

A Demonstration on How to Integrate Drawing into Abstract Painting

A Demonstration on How to Integrate Drawing into Abstract Painting

This is ideal if you want to move towards abstract art but don’t want to let go of a representational element altogether. In this video, I demonstrate how I build a painting in layers using acrylic paint and line. The drawn line refers to botanicals in this case, but you can combine any subject matter into your abstract work using this method. You could draw from life, photos, or even include collage - which I also demonstrate in many of my other videos.

Drawing with Freedom & Expression for BEST RESULTS

Drawing with Freedom & Expression for BEST RESULTS

The key to good drawing is OBSERVATION!! Having the ability to observe the subject and represent it on paper doesn’t have to be a laborious exercise. Instead, by keenly observing the subject and allowing your pencil the freedom to record what you see AS YOU SEE IT you can create a drawing that has personality and is much more expressive. This type of drawing will convey a feeling rather than recording a photographic likeness. This is my favourite type of drawing.

In this video I show some examples of figure drawing done during a Drama Festival while I was watching young actors on stage. Then in my sketchbook, back in my studio I draw my daughter in the same style and this time create a composition with abstract shapes, line and markmaking. Watch to see how I integrate the drawing with the painting and use different media within the work.

How to draw with character and expression

How to draw with character and expression

This is my favourite drawing technique - it results in drawings full of expressive character while also developing strong observational skills. I love this style of drawing because it’s quick, but the results are powerful and surprising. Still life, portrait, landscape drawings can easily capture the essence of the subject and offer creative options for future explorations in paint.

Free & Loose Botanical Drawing

Free & Loose Botanical Drawing

Develop a loose and dynamic approach to drawing botanicals, using simple line and colour combinations, pen, pencil and paint.

Learn how to read the foliage and structure of the subject then create rich texture, form and detail in your drawings by making expressive marks with a brush, pen or pencil.

Building Layers with Mixed Media

Building Layers with Mixed Media

How do you integrate drawing and painting techniques in your artwork? Watch how I vary wet and dry media with differences in types of paint application. Working in this way holds my interest in the process and delivers variety to work with going forward.

How to Start a Painting

How to Start a Painting

Some people agonize over starting their paintings, which is a shame really because it’s like setting off on an adventure – but the best sort of adventure. You don’t have to scale heights, get wet, lost or hungry, you don’t even have to leave home. But you ARE venturing into the unknown with very little idea of what will result from the experience.

Questions to ask...

New Beginnings...

New Beginnings...

I also really enjoyed letting loose with drawing and using dry media a lot more in my paintings when I was working on the large sized paintings. This added a playful looseness which I really liked and prevented me working in a straight-line towards finishing when after each painting session I would draw and scribble over the painting. Coming back into it the next day I would cover a lot of the drawing over but the little remnants that peeped through were really fun suggesting a naivety which I liked.