Finalise your sketches

Concluding his series on improving your landscape painting, Tom Cringle shows you how your improved sketching skills can inform a studio painting

Concluding his series on improving your landscape painting, Tom Cringle shows you how your improved sketching skills can inform a studio painting

All too often I see students becoming frustrated that they can’t reproduce what they see accurately enough. They want to give up and even throw the work away. I think artists (at all levels of ability) are sometimes unrealistic about what they are trying to achieve, their hopes and expectations can be dashed and confidence can plummet.

I would argue that it is not their skill that fails them, but their approach, so I concentrate on a more mindful process that is less stressful and born from our natural ability to scribble, make marks and doodle. My previous articles have looked at a process for drawing in free flowing lines, marks and shapes that are quick, fun and natural to do. It is a technique that I like to think captures a feeling of what you see, rather than just how it looks.

Find a view

In the first part of this series (July 2021 issue) I mentioned plein-air working. This is a huge subject but I want to show you how my simple method can be used as a process to kick-start your artistic adventures beyond your studio or kitchen table. Start with Exercise 1,

below left, then repeat the exercise using different views from your home. Work outside in the fresh air if you can, perhaps go for a walk, take some photos and then repeat the exercise back at home. Look at the different shapes you see and, with practice, you will be able to sketch views and objects around you quickly and with style.

As you progress you may find that you can go straight to the continuous line sketching stage, especially if an object is moving and you don’t have time to capture the shapes. This is a natural progression and can result in dynamic and dramatic work.

Remember these exercises are here to help you free up and relax, and to help you become more confident and fluent as you start to enjoy your sketching more. Bear in mind that each drawing doesn’t have to be a masterpiece; these are primarily working sketches that will help you record what is happening around you. They are for your sketchbook but I can assure you that some may become the most dynamic and expressive drawings that you do. Do get into the habit of making a note of what your sketch is, where, when and how long it took.

Applying these techniques en plein air

Now you are going to try these techniques outside as you move on to Exercise 2 (page 44). There is no need for fancy new equipment, field easels or clothing, just take a sketchbook, pencils and crayons (mine were water-soluble).

I recommend dressing to suit the conditions, wearing sun cream and a hat if it is sunny. It is most important to find somewhere comfortable to sit, where you won’t be too disturbed, where you can enjoy the view and relax and enjoy your day’s drawing.

If you are new to this, make life easy on yourself and don’t take on too much. Find a view that is simple and that you like, as you may have to look at it for a while. A simple fact is the more you draw and sketch a scene, the more you will remember it and take it in.

By introducing these methods I hope to equip you with an approach that will help you to enjoy the creative process. These methods should help you to loosen up, find artistic freedom and gain confidence to tackle more. I have talked about simplification, reducing objects to basic shapes, but the irony is that if you learn to do this you will find it easier to look at complicated scenes and take them on.

Relax

In the end I believe the most important thing about art is that the process is enjoyable, so whatever art you do, relax, take a breath and have fun: it is your time to be enjoyed. Think of the process of art as like going on a nice walk with friends. Enjoy the banter, enjoy the views, enjoy the air – but in the end it doesn’t matter where you get to, it’s the journey that may be the best bit.