Playing with colour and umbrellas today.
Watercolours, nib, waterproof ink.
Figure Drawing
“Charging in” in Class
Giving my Lamy Safari and the watercolours another chance tonight at my weekly, evening class.
The “charging in” is a watercolour technique which means you continue an “activated”, washed area with a new colour.
E.g. you mix 3 washes on your palette (me, I mixed a green, a yellow/orange/ocker, and a greyish blue). You start washing an area and then switch the colours and let the new load of wash touch and mingle with the still active area.
Figure with Fountain Pen
Decided to just take my new Lamy Safari fountain pen and one sheet of paper with me today (190g/90lbs, Hahnemühle Skizze 190). 
OK, I also had a few other pens along, but I didn’t touch them. It was a really good evening and I enjoyed the flow of the pen.
Figure Drawing again
Wow, … no easel today, no charcoal, no newsprint, just a 4B pencil and smooth drawing paper. Inbetween a stint at watercolours, which actually doesn’t look too bad for a noob like me.
Tutor wasn’t there tonight, so I took over the role of setting the timer, I also sat all night at a desk, which was probably quite hilarious for the other students.
We begin with three 5 minute poses, then <coffee break>, then two 10 minute poses, then <small chat (break)> and a 15 minute pose, then <walk around and inspect “competition” break>, 
then 20 minutes for the watercolour (started with 3B sketching, then an obviously non-water-resitant Japan-nib 0.5mm Derwent fineliner and finally the watercolours, that’s where the fineliner ink starts to show its non-water-resistance), then <yawn, stretch and take a break>,
in the End a 13 minute sketch for me (3B) … and clear up and go home to a glass of Prosecco.
New Model
A very interesting evening with a new model. And this evening I arrived with the idea to do some watercolouring. 
As I am not very experienced with watercolours, I need to do more and more and make mistakes for the first year or so.
So here goes, after a phase of warming up with charcoal on newsprint, 
one watercolour was achieved during a 3 x 5 minutes spree and a 5 minute break.
An Evening with George B. Bridgman
Well, actually it starts with a morning on my own.
Attempting to sketch/draw a figure without reference and from the top of my head. This has been spooking around my head for a few days and before I left for the office, I wanted to give it a try:
… and a few more tries, even reducing the figure to a simple gesture drawing. This exercise is good for me (not falling back on references). It is very honest and displays my current lack of skill. It can be depressing and I believe this is what stops me from drawing most of time. But honestly, I mustn’t forget I wasn’t doing anything like this a year back.
So, perspective is still quite an issue and drawing believable 3 dimensional objects. Gesture isn’t quite right either. But what can I expect from not practicing. Anyhow, got back from the day job and tried a few more off the top of my head. Until I decided on retrieving my George B. Bridgman “Head” book from my ever growing tower of drawing instructions.
Now this is where I want to be one of the days, without looking at the book. It looks so simple just a few lines and it’s there. Ha! So simple … perhaps one of the days. Practice, practice, practice.
Stuartdraws 