Hopped over to Amsterdam last weekend to visit my good pal & awesome artist Gerby. It's a great city to explore on foot, strolling around the canals & skinny houses is very relaxing. With such a short visit I had to limit the cultural visits; we got to the Van Gogh Museum & Rembrandt's house, but had to leave the Rijksmuseum for another time.
Rembrandt's house was very impressive. To see where the master lived & worked, and the recreation of his studio & household really was remarkable.
It was fascinating to see the collection of 'reference' objects Rembrandt kept. Classical busts, animal skulls, stuffed crocodiles, tribal weaponry-there was even a sabre tooth tiger skull- how did he get that?!
Disappointingly there was not much of Rembrandt's work currently on display. There was however an exhibition on of the work of Rembrandt contemporary Jan Lievens. As a painter he didn't come close to Rembrandt but he was a fine draughtsman.
This drawing of a woodland copse was stunning-right in the far background you can see the artist at work.
nice your sketchs like the contour drwings as well is that when you draw without taking the eyes from the model and not looking to the paper?
ReplyDeleteHi Isabel, thanks. Contour drawing is technically drawing the outline of figure or object (sometimes interior details are included) very deliberately following the form-it can be done either with or without looking at the paper. 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain' has some good exercises using these techniques.
ReplyDeleteYour street sketches are brilliant, that second sketch in particular is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWhere's my "Spare Room" drawing?
See you soon,
Uli
Fine reportage work! Rembrandt's house looks fascinating-I particularly like the objects artists collect and keep, and his look incredible!
ReplyDeleteWhen do you do the post on the brothels/nightlife/midgets/chicks with dicks?
Thnx Uli-I've been working on the 'Spare Room' pic-I'll send you the rough soon. Have to find bigger paper!
ReplyDeleteM@- Rembrandt's collection of rare objects is nothing compared to your cabinet of sex toys. The 'nightlife' post will be on a secret blog of its own-I'll send you the password.
Never cease to be amazed by the quickness of your line with these architectural studies - yet all the information to give a sense of the scene is there.
ReplyDeleteThe drawings from the museum are lovely too - thanks for posting
Brilliant photos!Really interesting!:o)
ReplyDeleteCheers guys!
ReplyDelete