19 January, 2007

Italian Street Sketch


Italian Street with Red Clay Pots, Casey Klahn,
Pencil, Colored Pencil, Charcoal and Pastel on Sketch Paper

We're in the middle of a big studio remodel, so I have to work when the kids are out of the house. I have set up on the dining room table temporarily, and am suffering through the bad posture that goes with drawing without the easel.

Can't wait for the springtime, and when we get electricity to the new studio.

Anyway, I have resourced some more images from Italy, as my own are limited. This is a "first go" at an Italian landscape. I started out with colored pencils, but digressed to my comfort zone of soft and hard pastels. This one needs better value range, but I am having fun with it.

This drawing and the self portrait were also uploaded from my scanner bed, just for speed's sake.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Casey, this is a nice one! you could make a good abstract from it if you felt so inclined!

I know what you mean about the easel ... my latest project is on 3 small canvases and I am sitting at a table to do them. Oh my back! - right across the thoracics!

Us old 'uns should pay more attention to such things ... else we pay for it!

Casey Klahn said...

Thanks! I'm actually divided between working on some more realistic than usual Italian landscapes, and producing some van Gogh influenced works. We'll see which way it goes.
Anyway, it's a start.
How many easels do I own? 3 or 4. Still can't get to them, especially with the studios in transition and the sanitary needs around little ones.
Keep an eye out, because I'll be posting some of my Colorist American Landscapes here, as soon as the VVG series slows down.
Abstracts! That would be a serious break and a luxurious vacation from my "commercial" work! Harder, though, I think, but that's what would be the fun of it.
Yesterday, I sent a nice e-mail to one of the galleries I'm pursuing. Then, I found out the Sundance Festival is on, there. Oops - I'll be lucky if the gallerists can spare the time to look at it!

Robyn Sinclair said...

Wow Casey, that's beautiful. The colours are gorgeous. I'm going to stick around for this series. I'm waiting for the furniture to arrive at the end of the month and the electrician whenever for my 'studio' which is currently a windowless 'storage room'.

Casey Klahn said...

Thanks, Mrs. Snowy. You may've been on that street a time or two. Just a hunch.
I'm not sure which series I will settle on. I'll post my colorist abstracted stuff, known as Colorist American landscapes soon.
Then, I might bring some Vincent van Gogh work to an Italian theme.
Then again, I might work on some realism. Who knows?
Will you have a window in your new studio? I hope so, and I hope it will face north!

Anonymous said...

GREAT WORK Casey!!!!!! I love it! I have about 3 easels too.... cheap ones..but easels all the same. MAN! Having children around would be a hard thing! Bet you have your hands full eeee? Anyhoo...really great work! The colors are OUTSTANDING! I look forward to seeing more!

Casey Klahn said...

Angela, thanks for the good word. I'm going to have fun with an Italian series...when I can get to it!

Unknown said...

Oh a studio... well at least the kitchen table I share with my kids artwork/snacks/etc has a big window facing North right next to it! I would love to see pictures of the new studio when it is finished. I figure if I see enough pictures of artist's studios I may just have one someday.

I like the Italian landscape - it already has a slightly Van Gogh feel - must be the yellows?

-Nicole

Casey Klahn said...

If the perfect work that you produce, like the coffee image, and the still life with fruit, coffee and JSS sketch are any indication, I would suggest that you don't change anything! Stay at the "magic" kitchen table!
I will divulge a secret project, here, since I know that these comments only reach part of my readership. I am planning to take a virtual trip to Italy, but in the personna of VVG. Somehow, he survived the gunshot wound, and needed to convalesce in Italy. There, he took up pastels, and it saved his life!
Stay tuned...

Making A Mark said...

Wow Casey - you can't wait for our Van gogh project then?

Which coloured pencils are you using? Brand of pencil has a considerable impact on dgeree of enjoyment........

Casey Klahn said...

Hey, Katherine. I use Faber-Castell and Lyra Rembrandt. They lack the wax "bloom" I was getting from regular (whoops, I forgot the name of those pencils that are popular!).
I started up with colored pencils a few years ago and then put them away to focus on pastel. I did pick up some great techniques on burnishing.
Your article on sketching in your recent link was very informative, especially the use of terp. washes.
Anyway, I have to jet out to pick up my kids. I'll post some interesting things here, later, regarding my VVG project.
If you are actually doing one, I am in.

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