Drawing in a Museum - Hints & Tips

Travelling light... basic equipment for a few hours sketching

During the past week I have had lots of practise sketching in a museum setting - an activity I always really enjoy. The mixed media class I run takes place in the studio at Henderson Art and Framing in Gaywood, King's Lynn. For a change this term I put a 'field trip' on the programme. The two afternoon sessions took place in Lynn Museum, plus I went prior to these as the displays have been revamped since I last visited. I put myself into the mindset of a newcomer to this activity and jotted down some suggestions to discuss:

• Walk around - get the feel of the museum and what is displayed.
• What interests you / catches your eye?
• 'Warm up' - do some quick small sketches to get comfortable in environment / concentrate the mind / get hand-eye coordination 'on the go'.
• Move into more concentrated sketching / drawing - what interests you most about subject / object?
• More than one drawing of object? Same or different view / treatment / media?
• Make notes alongside sketches? Factual about object / subject or jottings about colour / light etc?
• Try different media / approaches?
• Multiple sketches on page? Larger drawing going across gutter / ringbinder? 
• Try turning sketchbook around for variety of formats - portrait / landscape etc.

Two members of the class busy with their sketchbooks
(yes, they gave me permission to use my photo here)

The two sessions were a great success, although a few members missed the opportunity for one reason or another. None of them had ever actually experienced drawing in a museum before. They settled quickly, generated several drawings each in their books in a variety of media and coped admirably! I was really pleased and hope that they might consider using sketchbooks more often when out and about. I stressed that it wasn't about making pretty pictures, or with a view to getting enough information to create paintings from. It was purely drawing for the enjoyment of studying and recording aspects of an object / subject that appealed. No pressure, so no problem. Try it for yourself, it could lead to whole new avenue to explore...

I shall leave you with some photos of my own efforts, and if you were wondering about the glue stick in the image at the top of this post - it's to attach the receipt to the page and make it an integral part rather than an after thought.

Start with simple shapes like these pots before trying a more complex study

  

Savage's Fairground Ride captured in water soluble pen
 - reminded me of 'Roadrunner' from the cartoon

Back to pencil and a line drawing of the timbers from Seahenge,
 it was the negative spaces between them that caught my eye

Water soluble pencil, and when I had gathered enough information
I moved on, no need to slave over a drawing

Ah, subject matter I love - translated on the page in sepia & black pen on the left,
water soluble pencil on the right 

Turn the sketchbook around for a different format
to better suit the subject... sepia pen and water soluble pencil
for added tone

Finally...

The Central Stump of Seahenge looking very sculptural and set off
with a dark scribble of pencil as a background

Sepia pen for these wooden carvings

Graphite pencil for this handsome beast

Thank you to the staff at Lynn Museum www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk who were very friendly and didn't mind us commandeering chairs and stools as we moved around the space tracking down objects of personal interest.

Holiday Sketchbook in France

Creating a watercolour sketch in Le Crotoy 

Bonjour!  I have returned from an amazing, relaxing holiday in France.  Just an hour from Calais, on the outskirts of a town named Rue, in an incredible Chateau for a whole week.  Bliss.  When will I realise how much easier it would be to post more frequently?  With hindsight I could have explored the possibility of using my mobile phone to upload images and text to this blog.  I have quite a few images to share with you of work done in 2 different sketchbooks.  One was a gift from friend in the West Norfolk Artists Association - by Derwent (17 x 12cms) it has useful pockets inside the soft suede-like hardback cover to store receipts or collected ephemera.  I discovered that pencil and pen glide beautifully over the paper surface but light washes of paint soaked in immediately.  This sketchbook became ideal for quick line drawings when time was short.  The other sketchbook is from Stillman & Birn in the Delta Series (14.5 x 22cms).  I had read a lot of favourable comments about this brand and wanted to try it myself.  It's a little larger than A5, black hardback, and I found it takes watercolour, water soluble pencil and Inktense pencils really well.  This sketchbook then is perfect when time is more flexible and I can settle down with some watermedia. Here's the art kit I took with me:



Art equipment fits into small (stylish) shopper bag

  

Large pocket on front of handbag perfect for sketchbook & small pencil case

 



I shall not bore you with lots of words and waffle this time but hope you enjoy the following photos of some of the sketches I made during my week in France.  Oh, starting with a few from Dover as we stopped there the night before taking the ferry...

Two views from sitting on a bench in Dover

A few captured lines from studying the ever moving seagulls and pigeons on beach

The harbour gets busy with people and the local sailing school

 

Evening stroll, stopped to watch cattle by Chateau entrance

Inktense pencils - attempt to cope with all those greens!

 

Guess where I am...

Monet's House and Garden, Giverny

Not brilliant but looking at it brings the experience back fully - the receipt
 was from early lunch and yes, I had small Prittstick in my pencil case! 

 

The famous bridge - painted on a wet afternoon in the Chateau from my photo
 (the only one not from life)

Water soluble graphite pencil to describe misty start to the day



 

A second sketch with soft diffused watercolour washes

Looking out across bay at Le Crotoy

Pencil sketch - view across site Battle of Crecy, 1346

Visit to museum at Azincourt.  Overheard young girl whisper to parent "I saw a lady drawing in her book"...

Observing cattle just up the lane from the Chateau

 



The cattle quickly lost interest in me, and I was left in no doubt

Nell the Chateau cat is very old - like most of the fixtures & fittings in the Chateau!

Lovely way to spend an hour on our last afternoon in France

I have a confession.  I did try one plein air painting with water mixable oils in the week.  I stood in the delightful Chateau grounds and attempted to paint the building itself, framed by trees.  I thoroughly enjoyed the process despite struggling to depict the façade of the building and all the windows without getting fiddly.  However, I confess to it being a total disaster.  The painting looked very flat and unconvincing.  Take heart - it happens to all of us!!!  Nothing for it but to keep on trying.  And I have a cunning plan to keep me motivated and to continue working from life - a self set project in the pipeline.  I shall reveal all in another post soon.

Rear view of Le Chateau du Broutel



Ouick Sketches

Last weekend we were in Kendal (Lake District) for a christening - the weather was glorious!  I am now in the habit of carrying a small Moleskine sketchbook with me and a slim pencil case in my day-to-day handbag.  This has definitely helped me increase my 'sketches from life' tally.  Paul and I had a bit of time to ourselves exploring Kendal and, so long as he has something to read, I can manage to settle for brief periods to capture a quick impression.

Bridge over the River Kent, water soluble pencil in small Moleskine

St. Thomas Church, Kendal, Lamy fountain pen in Moleskine

Ruin on the distant hill, pen & wash in A5 sketchbook 

Before setting off home we made a detour to a bookshop in Grange-over-Sands and also took a short stroll along the promenade.  It was bright and sunny and we perched on the wall amongst the flower border so I could snatch half an hour to record the bare bones of the scene before me.

Looking into sun across the saltmarsh, pencil in small Moleskine

View looking in other direction, pencil in small Moleskine

There were sheep grazing on the saltmarsh and it seemed rather a coincidence because just a few weeks ago, in class, we were painting a view across Devil's Dyke and I had focused on how to simplify the grazing sheep by the general shape and letting the shadow indicate the form.  Used the same principle here.  What's that I hear?  You would like to see this painting...

Close up detail of sheep - simple shape & shadow indicate form

Devil's Dyke, Sussex, watercolour

So, if you are out and about this summer take a simple sketchbook and pencil, or maybe even a basic set of watercolour pans and grab those opportunities to record an impression of what you see.  Those insignificant scribbles may just spark an idea for a more considered painting - and the lessons learnt from more considered work will help you with the quick sketch!