Festival Sketch,
by Jennie
Well, I am back, slowly getting into the swing of things again and resting up from a full easter. I really am looking forward to the new site, anything will be better than the dust and hills and such – I’m still exhausted!
I had a particularly enjoyable time looking at illumination sources at a collegiate. I was supposed to be painting but instead got involved in a lovely discussion on pigments, blending and the evolution of painting techniques. as you all know I m very interested in the history of oil painting and am researching it whole heartedly. I was particularly excited to learn that a current oil painting technique had it’s start in 15th century french illumination. I believed that grisaille evolved from flemish technique and verdaccio but it actually evolved from the illumination technique by the same name. after it was adopted as an oil painting practice it took glazing skills from Flemish technique and verdaccio to produce a well rounded paining technique. I will be researching it a bit more after I have translated the oil painting resources I do have. I will also play with the illumination technique during scribes guild as I have been told in no uncertain terms that I must attend! 
I also got back into one of my old habits. When I was a kid and dreamed of being an artist, I was told that many artists sharpened their hands and eyes and characterization by sitting somewhere busy and drawing passers-by. candid portraits of people who don’t know you’re there, they don’t pose, they don’t stay still and you need to be on the ball to capture the essence of their face before you lose it all together. I used to sit in food courts and just draw faces for hours on end.
It took me a while to slide back into the mindset, but once I did I couldn’t stop. I bought a new sketchbook, leather bound (for a revoltingly cheap price) and took it everywhere, drawing. at least until my pencil broke. I intend to take this book to events and try to capture looks and faces that inspire me.
