Window Work – August 2019

watercolour

Since finishing last month's 'The Picnic of Mephistopheles', I've been getting organised for my Big Show – more of which below. As a result, there's been very, very, little artwork done in the last month. So here's some Window Work for the August post.

As usual, they're very small rapid sketches in Payne's Grey watercolour, done looking out the window at people passing by. These ones are fine as far as they go, though I have to confess that due to the break-up of my regular routine, I've not been as concentrated or regular in this drawing exercise as normal. Luckily, though, from quite a low hit-rate, I've come up with a few worth posting.

I've been chopping and changing the brushes I use for these recently. I was using a brand of cheap synthetic (see the cyclist) which was quite good; the hairs are quite stiff and I like the feel of the handle, but their big drawback is that they just don't hold an awful lot of paint, and needed recharged very quickly. I then had a go with an oriental brush (girl on left). I used to use these all the time for watercolour - they hold huge amounts of paint and allow you combine both large wide shapes and fine sharp ones in single strokes. This one, though, had quite a lot of very soft goat hair, and very little stiff hair (whatever that was, might be ferret or stoat), and I found it very difficult to keep to a fine point (not always the case – depends on the individual brush). I then started using a sable which I have, but had rarely used (no example). This held a lot of paint for its size – much more than the synthetic. Its marks tended to be very rounded though, not as precise as I'd have wanted, and it had a weird bulky handle. I finally went out and bought another sable the same size, but with a normal light handle and an extra long, fine point. Now that really did feel good (bloke with shades, and schoolgirl) – it holds enough paint, is comfortable to hold, and easily makes light, fine, fast marks. Which is nice.

Now, the news bulletin bit. The show I mentioned at the top is at the Open Eye Gallery – the one on the corner of Dundas Street and Abercromby Place. There's no title for the exhibition, just 'Keith Epps'. I did think about 'Indifferent Skies' for a few hours, but the next morning realised that that maybe wasn't a very good idea. 

I think there are thirty paintings altogether – fourteen larger canvas or panel pieces, and sixteen of the smaller 'sky' paintings on card - and can all (currently) be viewed on the Gallery's website. It's open to all from 7th September, so if you happen to be in Edinburgh, pop along - it'll be up until 30th September.

I'm not too nervous – not just now anyway. I will no doubt be dropping in and out of the gallery for a while (unless they get fed up with me!), but after that it will be very nice to get back to normal and resume my painting routine, hopefully fairly soon. The next set of work is planned, and the surfaces prepared. Palettes are clear, brushes cleaned, and the composed image files and sources have been transferred to the studio laptop. 

Feels good...