TIM BAKER

Likeness is always a struggle during the portrait sessions, as was last week’s Portraits At the Pub with Steve. I seemed to make a lot of drawings and only one (the paint stick one that was intened to be abstract) actually look like him. Close but no cigar (but we do have a Russian hat). The first were the obligatory fountain pen drawings, using my new-ish Multi Arte Mixed Media ‘Flat White’ 250gsm Artway sketchbook. I’m not paid to promote them but like always, it is quality, and is made from 50% recycled coffee cups, so ecologically sound too.

I did really love my old Eco Artway books, but this has stolen their thunder somewhat – whiter paper, nicer feel, smoother paper, better with ink – only problem is the ever-present O-ring spiral binding which I hate. I give it a few months before it’s all bent (why I usually go for properly bound books).

The first drawing was the first of the session, well second, as this is a detail, there is a bad drawing I abandoned at the top of the page!

And continuing the tempera paint stick experimentation, here’s a very Van Gogh style drawing of Steve on another new pad, a cheap Canson XL Watercolour A3 sketchbook. It’s 300gsm and basically a replacement for the mixed media acrylic pad that I’m using up. I’ve really enjoyed working larger so wanted to do that with landscapes and portraits. The paper takes ink well, some texture but nothing major, and works well with the paint sticks.

Then the final piece was another Canson A3 piece, a large ink piece that was intended as a watercolour but as usual I ran out of time. Probably cos I chose to do it in dip pen, with Jackson’s ink, and the larger size precluded having any time to do watercolour so I did an ink wash. I quite like the quick swooping marks I made as I realised I had no time for the hands and lower body. I actually prefer those to the rest of the drawing!