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Rome In March 1997, I was involved in teaching a small group of Australians the art of simple watercolour sketching. The idea was not to make works of art, but simple little 5 minute sketches that capture some of the essence of the Italian landscape. The drawings had to be quick and spontaneous. At the end of 3 weeks, we were meant to have a group exhibition in Venice.
"Imagine if you didn't have camera, and you had to record something of the view before you. Where do you start? Well, we started in Rome at St Peters Basilica. And everyone froze at the daunting, imposing image before them. How do you tackle something as grand as that in 5 minutes? Well, the trick is to not bite off more than you can chew. You must be selective, and you must simplify. Not as easy as it sounds. Especially if you can't draw well. That round dome of Saint Peter's is really "just half a circle" with a few "frilly noodles of sculpture" thrown in. Ugh!! Too often, our brain gets in the way of our eye. We tell ourselves its too hard, before we really analyse what is in front of us. The first hurdle is to convince yourself that you really can do it! "Limit yourself to only one idea per page. Keep it simple."
Find a simple view. A interesting window or fountain. A car outside a restaurant. Be selective and ignore all other detail. Take only from the view before you what you need. Limit yourself to only one idea per page. These little sketches are your personal postcards. A little minuet, not an opus! One of the marvellous things about sketching in Italy, are the crumbling old building with centuries of aged grime baked over the surface. Watercolour is the perfect method to recreate that weathered look. There are no sharp edges. No hard angles. The fountains are full of graceful curves. If your proportions aren't right, well, it doesn't really matter.
Tuscany
The quality of light in Italy is full of wonderful nuances. When a sketch is going right for you, the emotional joy it gives you can lift your spirits enormously. When painting, you need to think before you act. Beginners usually paint very heavy-handedly. Some people apply the paint to the paper, the same way that they paint the walls of their house, in a bored repetitive stroke. Then they wonder why their painting looks drab? Vary your strokes. Only apply so much, then stop.Keep mixing your colours. Don't get lazy!
Copyright Frank Gapinski 1998
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