Barn at Malham (Pencil Sketch)

Description

Sketching is a balance between trying to capture information accurately and efficiently, and yet also keeping it manageable by editing and filtering out information that isn’t contributing to the overall composition.

This is a good example of a couple of things that I endeavour to achieve when putting together a preliminary sketch. Firstly, I don’t draw out every single stone in the wall; in fact, as the wall recedes to the barn, the details become less and less. The other thing that I sometimes do – not always, though (it mostly depends upon the context in which the sketch is being drawn) is to embolden some of the outlines after applying my shading. In a location-sketching scenario, a sketch may sometimes suffer from smudging caused by my drawing wrist. In a studio situation, where I have more time, that issue is less of a problem – usually avoided by placing a sheet of paper beneath my wrist as I shade.

This is Mires Barn, just south the village of Malham, on the footpath towards Janets Foss.

This painting is supplied unframed, and will be dispatched in protective packaging with rigid backing panel, ready to take to a framer.