Thursday 31 May 2012

A Week in Staithes (4)



















Yellow Houses at Staithes 
(Disposable fountain pen with watercolour pencils in 21 x 26 cm sketchbook)

No wind abatement, so by now I was looking for places where I might get a bit of shelter. Half way up a path that climbed the south side of the valley, I found I could look across the roofs to the other side.

I really liked the yellow houses over there, so I was disappointed when the lines from the disposable pen ran into the yellow pencil and spoiled its purity

8 comments:

Boud said...

Just goes to show how people differ! to me this is the liveliest and most interesting of the drawings to date! largely because of the bleeding of one color across another.

I do a lot of ink and wash drawings, and one of my favorite techniques is to get this blurring and softening of outlines, to give the eye more to understand about the subject.

Do the locals still pronounce Staithes as Steers? I live thousands of miles away now but still have memories of it, and the fishwives, knitting at their front doors.

harry bell said...

I'm glad you like it, Boud. I often like other people's work where there's a soft, blurred effect but my own work tends to be ... strong and, well, "chunky" and when I don't achieve that I'm dissatisfied.

I think you might find Staithes a sad place now. It has a rather run-down atmosphere with many of the houses up for sale and the rest for let to the tourist trade. I suspect only about 10% are occupied by natives. Certainly I met no one who might pronounce "Staithes" in any way like you describe. The pub landlord was from Down South and there was not a fishwife to be seen.

Melliott said...

I like the softness too.

harry bell said...

Thanks, Melliott. It's always good to please others with my work.

nanke's stuff said...

I like it too, but I totally understand feeling a tad dissatisfied with one's own work whe there's love it! Nancy

meegan said...

Lovely style Harry. I dont mind the "tainted" yellow - makes the house look lived in.

harry bell said...

Nancy -- I think it's rare to be totally satisfied with anything I do. If I were, I might as well stop.

harry bell said...

Meegan -- Maybe I'll grow to love it ;0)