I went to the Edinburgh College of Art degree show last weekend (in new shoes, so new blisters has meant no wandering this weekend!). I particularly enjoyed the Illustration room, which had some great visual diaries, together with books (both comic and children's books) illustrated and written by the students - some were really fantastic. I am rambling, however, I have noticed a tendency for the comic books I've seen to have buccaneers and I've also picked up the pirate theme in things I've seen elsewhere in Edinburgh. So I thought I would try my own hand at drawing buccaneers, with their flamboyant fashion and big attitudes. So far, I have found a few pictures of 17th century men's fashion to base the drawings on mainly at http://www.costumes.org/. These ones are just starters, but I haven't posted anything in my blog for so long, I wanted to post something so you know I haven't disappeared.
Today I did my usual Saturday afternoon in Edinburgh and went out hunting for an art gallery and something to sketch. I went to The Queen's Gallery to see the Art of Italy Renaissance exhibition and fell into the hands of Titian (or attributed to Titian) via the Boy with a Pipe (on the right). The work swallowed my heart whole. The work is so beautiful, the Boy is so beautiful and thoughtful, it amazes me. After the gallery, I traipsed down Calton Road and chanced upon this monument (on the left). Its only a quick sketch, as I'm trying to change my focus to expressing my impression of what I see not what's exactly there. Also trying to learn to cope with all the distractions of sketching in a live area, with people walking by having serious conversations about what to tell their boyfriend about stuff, crazy hyperactive people running and laughing, people taking photos and looking over my shoulders.
