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Monday, September 6, 2010

How to Make Quick Watercolour Sketch Part5

This week, I'll chat over body language.
Gestures carry messages. Pantomime is a sophisticated art. My belief, "Smile,"
....and "Money" is a universal language...;-) ?!?


Now, you are a detective to nab body language and break
codes! DON'T draw all what you can see. Capture "what impresses you most" on paper.

Step1. Whole or Part of Body?
Define which part of body speaks.

Hands? Feet? Torso? What else? A whole body?a) Part of Body
If so, practice drawing specific parts only, is a good idea!

Probably, hands are very "chatty," apart from a face.
Hands tell gender, age, occupation, emotion etc, etc.

So,
I often sketch hands with a face. In the left quick drawing, hands are main. In the second one, a face was a subordinate subject added later, even though the model was for life drawing.

b) Whole Body
If a whole body conveys a message, need to capture a movement.
In Part One, I talked of how to catch movement. Enjoy quick drawings in 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes etc. Make lots of stick figures to record movements in a moment.

Step 2. Emphasize ValueMake a drama. Before forgetting the impression, quickly pin it down for drawing. Exaggerate value--is effective for watercolor painting. 2 ways colour settings : same color or several colors.a) Several Colour Use
Mixing Colours for Dark&Contrast.
Opposite colors make a strong contrast in a picture. So, I often use opposite or opposite-like colors for darks.

b) One colour
Simple and often convinces viewers.
Depends on a colour choice, a single colour often makes very attractive and sophisticated works.
Technical advice. If you use only one color, just put it again on a dark area. A second stroke darkens there and save time.

Step 3. Celebrate your work.
Have fun with your model, friends, family!
If your model gets upset, if your model is very happy---
both mean your work hit spots! A very famous British watercolorist said, "I lose friends...when I make their portraits."
Please tell your model, "Oh, you do not know National Art Gallery will collect my work...in the future," with a biiiiiig wink.
Be brave.
In my experience, people love quickies and turn a blind eye to my sketches.
This gentleman and I were on a train. He was having very late lunch after a looong day... but my sketch brought him and all the people a smile in the cart. I really appreciated his big heart to enjoy my work. Yey!!

Now, did you enjoy becoming a detective of body language and will you try it? I sincerely hope so.

From a next week, I'll chat over how to sketch adults (male, female),children and old people. If you'd like to know something more or other stuff, please leave a comment.

But I'm getting busy with work and preparation for annual exhibitions. If I just upload sketches, oh, darrrrling, please do not forsake me!


If my tiny posts give you some hints and joy of art,
I would be so happy. Let us say, "Cheers!"
In addition, while I was sketching a beer tap, anyone wanted to look at it in a pub. The only shame was my courteous decline of an offered beer... Otherwise, another non-existing tap should have been added on that picture?!

Friends, h
appy painting ... and happy drinking!!
Thanks millions for your support and interest in this blog.

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28 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for all the wonderful advice and beautiful examples you've shown us so far in these posts! I look forward to seeing more!

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  2. Thanks Sadami, that was awesome. I will keep trying. :)

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  3. Sadami, qué preciosidad de niño!!!!
    Me encanta como dibujas y pintas esos personajes tan diversos y en movimiento. Eres una gran pintora. Sí. Te felicito!
    Un abrazo.

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  4. Hola, de nuevo soy yo Sadami.
    Muchas gracias por esa lección magistral que nos acabas de dar.
    Todo eso es fácil de decir, pero luego, dificil de ejecutar. Son horas y horas y...muchas horas dibujando, que se adquiere esa práctica.
    Me gusta mucho la forma que te expresas.
    Un abrazo.

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  5. Dear Angela,
    Thank you for a kind commnet. I love your blog both content and paintings. Particularly, "identity" or "seek oneself, meaning of life" is so touchy and lovely. Please keep up. To know "who I was/have been" and shift to "what I will be most" is beautiful. I've found it in art.
    Kind regards, Sadami

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  6. Dear Carol,
    Thank you for a nice comment. Have fun! That's the point. Joy must come first.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  7. >>>>>Joshemari said...
    Sadami, what a darling child!!
    I love how you draw and paint these characters as varied and moving. You're a great painter. Yes Congratulations!
    A hug.

    Hello, again I am Sadami.
    Thank you very much for that lecture just gave us.
    All this is easy to say, but then, hard to execute. There are hours and hours y. .. many hours drawing, purchased the practice.
    I love the way you express yourself.

    A hug.

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  8. Dear Joshemari,
    Thank you for kind comments. The kid was sitting just next to me, watching young people dancing along wrap music(I was sketching their movements). Suddenly a big man sat in front of the boy. Pity. But the boy's face and body language was so cute. I could not resist it!!

    Regarding technical things, it's true that takes years to learn it. I've wished I could make quick drawings since childhood and I never gave up. Today, I stepped one step further than I dreamed. Watercolor quickies. I'm still learning a lot and finding more and more. So, Joshemari,just keep up.
    I believe one can reach a star. If it's too far away, pick up a ladder. It's up to an individual option of what sort of ladder is. Methods are tens of millions and the potential is unlimited.
    Kind regards, hug and kisses, Sadami
    Estimado Joshemari,
    Muchas gracias por los amables comentarios. El chico estaba sentado justo a mi lado, mirando a la gente joven que baila a lo largo de la música envuelva (yo estaba dibujando sus movimientos). De pronto, un gran hombre se sentó delante del niño. Piedad. Pero el rostro del muchacho y el lenguaje corporal era tan lindo. No pude resistirlo!

    En cuanto a cosas técnicas, es cierto que toma años para aprender. He deseado que podría hacer dibujos rápidos desde la infancia y nunca me di por vencido. Hoy en día, me acerqué un paso más allá de lo que yo soñaba. Acuarela rápidos. Todavía estoy aprendiendo mucho y encontrar más y más. Por lo tanto, Joshemari, sólo seguir el ritmo.
    Creo que uno puede llegar a una estrella. Si es demasiado lejos, recoger a una escalera. Todo depende de una opción individual de qué tipo de escalera es. Los métodos son decenas de millones y el potencial es ilimitado.
    Un cordial saludo, un abrazo y besos, Sadami

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  9. Watercolor quickies of people. Think I will add that to my list. Love the idea of not over analizing and just experimenting more... :)

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  10. Dear Margaret,
    Thank you! I totally agree with you. I have to confess,I've never thought of how to. But often people ask me about it. So, for the first time, I've challenged myself to write down my tips in order. I'd really appreciate feedback that is very precious for my next step.
    Kind regards, Sadami

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  11. Bellísima y muy instructiva esta serie de trabajos rápidos que has estado presentado en tus últimas entradas; me ha gustado mucho, muchas gracias por compertirlo.
    un gran saludo

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  12. Dear Carlos,
    Thank you so much!! I admire your watercolors.
    Kind regards, Sadami
    >>>>Carlos said...
    Beautiful and very informative series of quick jobs you've been presented in your last entry, I was very pleased, thank you very much for compertirlo.
    a big welcome

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  13. Querida Sadami, es un auténtico placer volver a disfrutar de tus acuarelas y apuntes tras un largo periodo de vacaciones en el que no he podido visitar tu blog. Tú sabes que me encantan tus trabajos y aprendo mucho solo con contemplarlos. Son tremendamente didácticos, y sobre todo mágicos. Yo contemplaré despacio todo cuanto me he perdido hasta hoy.
    Abrazos y sonrisas

    Dear Sadami is a real pleasure to enjoy your watercolors and sketches after a long vacation in which I could not visit your blog. You know I love your work and learn a lot just to see them. They are extremely educational, especially magic. Slowly I will behold all that I missed until today.
    Hugs and smile

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  14. Thank you for all your hints on art. I ALWAYS learn something! If you are going to be too busy to write, I still want to see your sketches. Just looking at them I learn.
    Thank you also for your kind comments on my Blog. I feel like you are a good friend.

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  15. Estupendos dibujos Sadami, me gustaria dominar el inglés para comunicarnos mejor. Saludos.

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  16. Dear Carmen,
    Thank you so much! This is very important; you "forgot everything and had wonderful holidays," that's the point of a vacation!!
    Very embarrassing, if you call my blog "educational." I try to share my skills with anyone. Not magic at all. I'm struggling to find how to show my tips in order. Although my poor writings, many people enjoy the blog and leave encouragements. I'll do my best.
    Hugs and smile,

    Querida Carmen,
    ¡Muchas gracias! Esto es muy importante para ti pero "olvidó de todo y tenía unas magníficas vacaciones," ese es el punto de las vacaciones!
    Muy vergonzoso, si llama a mi blog "educativo". Intento compartir mis conocimientos con nadie. No es magia en absoluto. Estoy luchando por encontrar la forma de mostrar mis consejos en orden. A pesar de mis escritos pobres, muchas personas disfrutan el blog y dejar estímulos. Haré mi mejor esfuerzo. Abrazos y sonrisa,

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  17. Dear Teri,
    Thank you! Me, too, I feel you are a good friend and indeed. Your blog always discovers heartwarming tiny daily matters that make us so happy. Your lovely sense of humour wraps up your findings with love. Please keep up.
    I think my basic tips of quickies are, so far, all uploaded. Often people tell me, not easy to sketch figures. So, I'll focus how to sketch people. But may not be in order.
    Love and smile, Sadami

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  18. Hi, Juan,
    Thank you for a nice comment!
    "Google Translate Function" enables us to communicate each other. By it, I always translate my English into Spanish.
    Cheers, Sadami

    Hola, Juan,
    Gracias por un buen comentario!
    "Google Translate función" nos permite comunicarse entre sí. Por ella, yo siempre traducir mi Inglés al Español.
    Cheers, Sadami
    >>>>Juan said...
    Sadami wonderful drawings, I would like to master English to communicate better. Greetings.

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  19. Dear Sadami, you know how to translate gestures.
    Your quickies are so expressive, it's always a pleasure to see them.
    Kind regards.

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  20. Dear Olivia,
    Thank you sooo much!! Your watercolors are full of "esprit," witty and often challenging to express something new. I love them all.
    Kind regards, Sadami

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  21. Thank you, Sadami, your lessons are so precious, I hope to improve my portraits by following you! Ciao!

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  22. Another great post Sadami. "Make a drama" - I'd love to be able to do that! Practise, practise, practise. Love that black and white sketch - lots of drama there!

    You have inpsired me, I have been drawing faces - will upload soon :). Have a nice weekend, Evelyn

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  23. Hi, Cristina,
    Thank you for the nice encouragements. Regarding landscape, I learn lots from your blog!
    Cheers, wink, wink, Sadami

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  24. Dear Evelyn,
    Your kind comments cheer me up so much. I really love your blog. Full of fun&joy& friendly! I look forward to your next post and work.
    Cheers and smile, Sadami

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  25. Thank you Sadami for this lesson. I am still such a not Quickie Person and admire your fearless towards this subject.
    I agree about hands. They can say so much about the owner. It might be a good idea to make a series about different paintings with hands of different people of different professions..

    Thanks again,
    Irina

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  26. Dear Irina,
    Thank you for the good idea! Hands, job and people are really good topics. I'll organize them.
    Cheers, Sadami

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  27. I love love love the painting of the child at the top....wishing I could get that looseness and character in my portraits. I suppose I should practice more. It's so daunting. Starting a painting of a portrait is a lot like standing at the edge of a cliff for me....that first jump(brush stroke) is the hardest. You make it look so easy!

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  28. Dear Gretchen,
    Welcome and thank you for the nice comment. I'm sure you can do watercolor sketches that requires drawing skills: corquie and dessin.

    I totally understand your say, "standing at the edge..." Me, too. If I do not relax myself, I cannot make good portraits. So, Gretchen, just relax yourself and have fun.

    By the way, everybody loves that work, the boy!! The boy and I were sitting on a ground and enjoying a free show. But suddenly, a man stood on our way. Hey!! But the boy showed a so cute face expression that melt my heart. I captured it. Later, the boy, his family and I had a big laugh:).

    Kind regards, Sadami

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