Weekly Sketch – After Paolozzi – 19/03/2017

I visited the Eduardo Paolozzi exhibition at the Whitechapel gallery yesterday, and it fair took my breath away, leaving me inspired and a bit overexcited! All I can say is go, go, go! I especially loved the lower ground floor which included work from the 1940s through to the 60s. His early drawings, prints and sculptures really spoke to me – they were intense, energetic and (his prints) full of amazing colour combinations. His print work is so interesting because up close it is full of lots of detail, but the prints still work from far away – clever stuff.

As usual the gallery have provided an amazing catalogue to accompany the exhibition, including great images of all the work displayed. I managed to get a very good discount (alomost £10 off rrp) on the paperback from Wordery (a few remaining at a discounted price).

Here is a pen drawing from me of Paolozzi’s brutalist concrete sculpture Seagull & Fish; and then I tried to emulate the lines in a drawing of a barn owl – which I like, thought it isn’t very brutal!

And here are two images from the exhibition to whet your appetite:

Fish, collage and ink, about 1946, Eduardo Paolozzi

https://art.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/38102/fish-about-1946?artists%5B20399%5D=20399&search_set_offset=30

 

Parrot from the portfolio As is When, screenprint, 1965, Eduardo Paolozzi

 

(© Catherine Cronin)

 

Weekly Sketch – Alhambra Garden 2 – 28/02/2017

I’m enjoying drawing with chisel tip marker pens at the moment; this is another drawing of a courtyard garden at the Alhambra.

 

(© Catherine Cronin)

 

Weekly Sketch – Alhambra Garden – 22/02/2017

Remembering sunnier days abroad; permanent marker pen drawing of a courtyard garden at the Alhambra, wish I was there now.

(© Catherine Cronin)

 

Weekly Sketch – Little Owl – 12/02/2017

I’m working on capturing the characteristics of a full set of five English owls. This is the last owl, the Little Owl, which was actually introduced here in the 19th century. I am still paying attention to pattern, colour and simple forms. I have in mind to work up all these owl images into final pen and watercolour pictures and printed editions. I took these photos today in the gloom so there are some shadows on them that I couldn’t fix.

Little Owl, pen sketch, A4 © Catherine Cronin

Little Owl, pen sketch, A4 © Catherine Cronin

Little Owl, pen sketch, A4 © Catherine Cronin

Little Owl, pen sketch © Catherine Cronin

Little Owl, pen sketch, postcard © Catherine Cronin

Little Owl, pen sketch, postcard © Catherine Cronin

Little Owl, pen sketch, postcard © Catherine Cronin

Little Owl, pen sketch, postcard © Catherine Cronin

Little Owl, pen sketch, postcard © Catherine Cronin

 

Some facts about Little Owls are:

1) As the name suggests the little owl is the smallest owl to be found in Britain, it is only 22cm long and it weighs a third as much as a Tawny Owl.

2) Little Owls can live up to 16 years; but many do not reach maturity being killed by harsh winters, predators and road vehicles, so their average life span is only 3 years.

3) This is the owl that is closely associated with the Greek goddess Athena and the Roman goddess Minerva; representing wisdom and knowledge. The genus name Athene commemorates the goddess, whose original role as a goddess of the night might explain the link to an owl. The species name noctua has, in effect, the same meaning, being the Latin name of an owl sacred to Minerva, Athena’s Roman counterpart.

4) Little Owls feed mostly on insects and small rodents; and they love eating earthworms after it has rained. But they also prey on amphibians, birds and on occasion rabbits! As well as swooping down on prey from an elevated position these owls will also hunt on foot, running to capture their prey.

5) In the UK the Little Owl prefers lowland farmland with hedges and copses, parkland and orchards. Males are sedentary, remaining in their territory throughout the year.

(© Catherine Cronin)

 

Weekly Sketch – Short-eared Owl – 28/01/2017

I’m working towards a full set of five English owls. So far I have captured the characteristics of the Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, and Long-eared Owl. This week number four is the Short-eared Owl. I am still paying attention to pattern, colour and simple forms. Unfortunately I ran dry my favourite black markers, so I ended up using green and dark red markers instead.

Short-eared Owl, black marker pen © Catherine Cronin

Short-eared Owl, black marker pen © Catherine Cronin

Short-eared Owl, green marker pen, A4 © Catherine Cronin

Short-eared Owl, green marker pen, A4 © Catherine Cronin

Short-eared Owl, marker pens © Catherine Cronin

Short-eared Owl, marker pen & watercolour, postcard size © Catherine Cronin

Short-eared Owl, marker pen & watercolour, postcard size © Catherine Cronin

Short-eared Owl, marker pen & watercolour, postcard size © Catherine Cronin

Short-eared Owl, marker pens, postcard size © Catherine Cronin

Some facts about Short-eared Owls are:

1) Short-eared owls are one of the world’s most widely distributed owls, and among the most frequently seen in daylight; often seen hunting over open ground such as grassland. However they do most of their hunting at night; daylight hunting seems to coincide with periods of high-activity in their prey, voles.

2) Their habitats also include coastal grasslands, heathlands, meadows, shrubsteppe, savanna, tundra, marshes, dunes, and agricultural areas.

3) As suggested by their global distribution, these owls travel long distances including navigating oceans; it has been reported that these owls have been seen alighting on ships hundreds of miles from land.

4) These owls nest on the ground. The female will scrape a bowl out of the ground and line it with grasses and feathers; they will often build their nest atop the nest from the previous year. Nests are about 10 inches across and 2 inches tall. They will lay between 1-11 eggs.

5) The Latin name for this owl is Asio flammeus; Asio meaning a type of eared owl and flammeus meaning flame-coloured. This owl has short ear tufts which are hard to see and as in the Long-eared Owl have nothing to do with the owls’ ears!

(© Catherine Cronin)

 

Weekly Sketch – Long-eared Owl – 14/01/2017

I’m still drawing owls, I’m working towards a full set of English owls. This week it is the turn of the Long-eared Owl; in these drawings and paintings I am still paying attention to pattern, colour and simple forms. I’m using black marker pens for the line and pattern, then splashing on watercolour afterwards. I found drawing the essential forms of this owl’s facial features more difficult to capture than my previous owls.

Long-eared Owl, black pen © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen, A4 © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen, A4 © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen, A4 © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen & watercolour © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen & watercolour, postcard © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen & watercolour, postcard © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen & watercolour, postcard © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen & watercolour, postcard © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen & watercolour, double-size postcard © Catherine Cronin

Long-eared Owl, black pen & watercolour, double-size postcard © Catherine Cronin

Some facts about Long-eared Owls are:

1) It’s ‘ear tufts’ are nothing to do with the owls ears, and in fact are feathery tufts that the owl raises when it is alarmed.

2) This owl is nocturnal and secretive; and therefore only usually spotted when migrating or travelling back and forth to a communal roost in winter. Communal roosting is an unusual characteristic of this species of owl.

3) These owls roost in dense vegetation and forage in open grasslands or shrublands; also open coniferous or deciduous woodlands.

4) The loud hoot of the male Long-eared Owl can sometimes be heard up to 1 kilometer away.

5) Typical lifespan is 4 years.

 

(© Catherine Cronin)

 

Weekly Sketch – Tawny Owl – 07/01/2017

Over Christmas I drew some owls in my sketchbook; I thought I’d revisit my Tawny Owl sketches, working on them further paying attention to pattern, colour and simplifying form. I’m using black marker pens for the line and pattern, then blocking in watercolour after. These initial works are trying to get a grip on the form and posture of the bird.

Tawny owl black pen sketch © Catherine Cronin

Tawny owl black pen sketch © Catherine Cronin

Tawny owl black pen sketch A4 © Catherine Cronin

Tawny owl black pen sketch A4 © Catherine Cronin

Tawny owl black pen sketch A4 © Catherine Cronin

Tawny owl black pen & watercolour sketch A4 © Catherine Cronin

Tawny owl black pen & watercolour postcard sketch © Catherine Cronin

Tawny owl black pen & watercolour postcard sketch © Catherine Cronin

Tawny owl black pen & watercolour postcard sketch © Catherine Cronin

Tawny owl black pen & watercolour postcard sketch © Catherine Cronin

Some facts about Tawny Owls are:

1) Resident of the UK and they prefer woodland, shelter-belts and gardens. Their short wings give them great manoeuvrability to hunt in woodland.

2) They live up to 4 years; they pair up in their first year with a mate and usually stay together for life. Tawny owls prefer to nest in a tree-hole but have been found to use magpie nests, squirrel drey, holes in buildings, and nest boxes. A pair will typically produce 2 to 3 eggs in a clutch.

3) It is thought the contact calls between females (ke-wick) and the answering male (‘hoo-hoo-oo’) is the source of the idea that a tawny owl’s call is ‘twit twoo’. And this misrepresentation may be derived from Shakespeare trying to make the overlapping calls fit into a verse in Love’s Labour’s Lost.

4) They are a nocturnal bird, active at night and roosting in the day. Old names for this owl are:  hill hooter, screech owl, wood owl, beech owl and ivy owl. Some of these names are a reminder of the owl’s daytime roosts.

5) The pioneer bird photographer Eric Hosking lost an eye to a tawny owl while trying to photograph it. His biography was aptly titled An eye for a bird.

 

(© Catherine Cronin)

 

Weekly Sketch – Barn Owl – 01/01/2017

Happy New Year to you all!

I am starting the new year with lower back pain, which means I can’t do any printing as it hurts too much. I have been drawing and painting Barn Owls over Christmas. Such a beautiful bird. Initial sketches transform into patterned forms.

Barn Owl Sketch 1 © Catherine Cronin

Barn Owl Sketch 2 © Catherine Cronin

Barn Owl Sketch 3 © Catherine Cronin

Barn Owl – watercolour 1 © Catherine Cronin

Barn Owl – watercolour 2 © Catherine Cronin

Barn Owl – watercolour 3 © Catherine Cronin

Barn Owl – watercolour 4 © Catherine Cronin

(© Catherine Cronin)

 

Weekly Sketch – Birds – 06/07/2016

Here are some more pen drawings from June; most are after coloured images with no backgrounds of birds in a book from the 1960s, and the barn owl is after a British Library card coloured image with no background. As I am not lucky enough to see such birds in the flesh, I have to use other sources for information and inspiration. I think that if I use enough different sources to get to know the birds characteristics, I can then draw my own original represenation of these birds.

(© Catherine Cronin)