The next one is a quick watercolour sketch. Here you can see a bit more of the buildings in the background and I'm starting to think about colour.
Then it's time for an Indian ink version. I'm having lots of fun with this one and by now my approach is evolving.
Now it's time to break out the gouache and think in terms of blocks of flat colour. I love gouache although I rarely use it. I used a lot of it mixed with washing up liquid for colouring the acetate cells of animation projects at my second time at art college in Harrow. The washing up liquid gave the paint a bit of flexibility so it wouldn't crack and fall off the acetate before videoing it. The flat colour lends itself to traditional graphic design and my Dad used to use it all the time. It has a very distinct smell and that coupled with the smell of gum arabic instantly takes me back to the 1970s and childhood. The final piece which I don't have anymore was a much tidier A3 version of this. I think the blocks of blue are particularly effective in creating the water which somehow looks a lot stiller.
Of course I have also done an up to date digital version which I think looks even more abstract and graphic. Perhaps even a little stark?
#comicsgate
#cguk
