The challenging thing with just using pen is that I can't paint over a mistake. I usually redo a face more than once. I didn't mean to make their face so stoic, it makes them look like a statue.
I finaly finished this painting. I started it two years ago and then forgot about it for a big while. I am very happy I did it.
https://www.facebook.com/Amelyalatelier/photos/a.210485196527749/332000904376177/?type=3&theater
An article/rant/annotation to an illustration. A #Hackney bar and its flies.
This picture is not as sad and blue as it might at first seem, I promise.
It is early in the week and the pub becomes the territory of the most outspoken drinkers. Raised somewhere between Churchill and Harold MacMillan, a night such as this is time for them to spin out a yarn of nostalgic fantasy. Encouraged by the lack of a crowd and with space to fill, statements start to fly.
In the opening rounds the barman athletically hits back with factual blocks and reality-check haymakers; statistics and personal experiences are given. Two histories cross examined, one where 1982 means Thatcher and the Falklands, the other renders Reagan and the AIDS crisis. Stoicism and national pride vs mental health and realism.
In the latter rounds the barman is fatigued, swaying on the backbar, glasses begin to stack up as form begins to drop. The older men seem stronger than ever.
The barflies come in close now, they scrutinise his generations work ethic and make wild political comments on poverty, immigrants and the minimum wage.
The barman is close to sheer bloody despair, he maintains his defence and focuses on breathing while maintaining his professional stance.
But at the end of the night the barman knows HE will ring that bell, they will politely leave and they will return again in a week and maybe, just maybe there will be a change, common ground or maybe at least polite silence.
But what these interactions have given despite the salt in the eye is community and an exchange between generations, culture and class of those participating. No home is ever straight forward, no relative without their good and bad traits and in a world where we often slide into echo chambers online or in our physical environments, the pub is still a place where society is family, face to face, pint to pint. Or maybe it's just a room with alcohol on tap?
This painting is a technique I enjoy mostly because I see figures in the ordinary and draw them out from what I see in abstract backgrounds I paint. In it you see a group of people enjoying time together. I used Acrylics on Aquaboard, a surface especially made for many layers of wet media.
This is the the Icelandic parliament house in Reykjavik Iceland.
Usually I don´t draw houses, I am more into faces, but have always wanted to draw houses though and enjoy watching them. This house has always been one of my favourite.
Architectural subjects are not my penchant....but this is a pen line drawing of our house which I did a few weeks ago near the beginning of the "stay at home" phase of our lives. Seemed a fitting subject. Just a couple of micron pens on a smooth surfaced paper.
I pride myself for not being into internet drama or spreading gossip, but i do have a guilty pleasure. Mohammad agbadi is a youtuber who talks about problems with the art community, like tracing, theft, harassing and difficulties with etnic representation. Hopefully he wouldnt mind me borrowing his face to practise drawing black men... even though i heavily overworked his skin.
So here is the fanart I promised. Gonna try doing more of this however I am gonna take a break from digital drawing for a small bit. Not saying I won’t. Just saying a bit less digital drawing. Nova is from the renegades trilogy and is a fantastic character. Marissa Meyer does best. I thought I wouldn’t face head on because I got inspired from some other artists doing poses so I thought it would be cool!
I uploaded one before this but Inwas not happy with the face so I changed it. Mixed media collage. Portrait drawn separetely then glued on top. I'm still learning to draw straight onto the collage but I"m not there yet.
I felt bored so i decided to draw a handsome face instead of the usual female portrait.If you want to see more of my drawings check out my Instagram account @shadowyarts
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