Music is in their blood

I've been doing these quick direct sketches and really enjoying them. When I don't do a pencil drawing, I feel that I'm really just sketching and the result is much looser and more spontaneous.

Flamenco guitarists, watercolor sketch

With the first one I did everything wrong - started with the figure in the back and had to leave white space for the white of the foreground figure. But in the end I quite liked the result.

Street musicians, watercolor sketch

The second doesn't have a particularly good composition, but I remember I liked the music these guys were playing.

Accordionist, watercolor sketch

The first attempt on this subject produced a man with such an enormous head, he looked like a cartoon. This is the second try.

Figure sketches

I did these small sketches directly with the brush, without pencil drawing, so there are some problems in proportions. But I so enjoyed painting them. Although, I took  the reference photos in the andalucian villages, these people could be anywhere along the Mediterranean. 

Man sitting, watercolor sketch

Man standing by the wall, watercolor sketch

Man standing 2, watercolor sketch

Gates of Anadalucia 3

Gates of Andalucia, watercolor, 40 x 24 cm

Continuing with a previous subject. It is apparent that I was quite impressed by the doors and gates in Granada and the Anadalucian villages I visited and I took  many photos of them.

The little sketch below was the only successful one I managed to do without a pencil drawing - not an easy task when doing geometric shapes. At least for me straight lines are a challenge. I've always admired watching some artists just running the brush through the paining, creating a perfect straight line. It takes skill, a steady hand and lots of guts...

Andalucian door, watercolor sketch

Alhambra

Alhambra, watercolor, 32 x 42 cm

Water is such an important part of Alhambra, with the multitude of calm water surfaces, reflecting the beautiful buildings. I had to give this view a try. Even though it has so many geometric details, which were dragging me into fussing and fiddling.

Patterns of Andalucia

Stone-laces in Alhambra, watercolor 20 x 24 cm

Arches in the Mezquita, Cordoba, watercolor 32 x 24 cm

Stone-laces in Alhambra 2, watercolor 32 x 24 cm

Stone-laces in Alhambra 3, watercolor 38 x 28 cm