Capturing characters

Work continues as normal for me during the current Covid19 lockdown. Sketching, paintings and getting out on short local walks is really my daily routine. I am able to get lots of preliminary work done for the Lakeland 365 project. These sketches get posted as a daily “Guess the fell” quiz across my social media platforms.

It was whilst I was sorting out my archive of previously completed works that I came across a couple of photographs of watercolour paintings which I produced about 25 years ago. Considering how long ago they were painted I was surprised just how accomplished they were. Many people will not realise that I had quite a wide portfolio of subjects in my early days of being a professional artist.

Just for interest I posted them up on social media and I must say, I was humbled and surprised by the reaction.

The Dalesman, pencil character sketch by Andy Beck

The Dalesman

The portraits were of characters that I saw whilst working in the dales, faces that had a story to tell were of interest to me, farmers, shepherds and gamekeepers were all possible subjects.

The Gamekeeper, pencil character sketch by Andy Beck
The Gamekeeper.

In general these watercolours were about 9″ x 7″ in size and I sold them on a regular basis. (The Gamekeeper was in fact purchased by The Duke of Norfolk.)

Of course, once I undertook the Wainwrights in Colour project subjects like these were totally put to one side.

Over recent days since I have posted these examples on Twitter and Facebook I have been asked if I will be posting any more. Well, I am always up for a challenge…… In addition I was also curious for myself as to whether I could still produce such work, after all, painting the lake district fells is a different skill to capturing the likeness of a person.

But give it a go is what I have done……only in pencil for now though.

The quarryman, pencil character sketch by Andy Beck
The Tilberthwaite Quarryman

This portrait of a Quarryman from Little Langdale was taken off my own photograph. I had a good chat to him and his son when I passed by their workshop high on the fellside about a year ago. I loved the texture of his face, which was covered with the dust and grim of his work. Of course, I could sit down and portray famous folk but for me it’s the fact that for a brief moment I had personal contact with this man, we chatted about his work, my work and general subjects. In this portrait I see this man, maybe one of a dying breed. And I drawing him brings back memories of that chance meeting. I would like to think that I have captured something of his personality.

More importantly, in producing a portrait of a normal working man I tested myself on my drawing skills. Using just 2 pencils and minimum amount of erasing I was looking to give a convincing depiction of dimension, depth and texture to the face, the subject matter is almost secondary. It is the drawing skills which I wish to be judged on not on the fact that it looks something like a celebrity. Yes, there is perhaps room for improvement but I am rather pleased with the result.

After a 25 year layoff of this sort of subject I am now inspired to perhaps produce more…….another idea to add to my ever growing list of ideas and subjects. Watch this space.

Thanks for reading.

Andy

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