Summer 17 Sketches & Studies and a quote #7 - Backup

Quote from the Book Vincent van Gogh - Letters to his brother:

'Do not be shy to criticise me. Critique, I do not reject from the start, though, in many cases, it is much more time needed to change something, than to propose a change.'

Deutscher Text aus dem Buch:

'Du darfst Dich nicht scheuen, mich zu tadeln. Tadel schlage ich nicht von vornherein in den Wind, doch vielfach ist mehr Zeit nötig, etwas zu ändern, als eine Änderung vorzuschlagen.'

Backup - study in sketchbook

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Summer 17 Sketches & Studies and a daily quote #6 - Camper

Quote from the Book Vincent van Gogh - Letters to his brother:

'A painters responsibility is to immerse himself deep into nature itself and to use all his available intelligence to put his own emotions and feelings into his work, so others are able to comprehend the effort. But working towards selling, in my opinion, is just not the proper way, rather means cheating your patrons. This, the genuine artists did not practice, but their appeal, which manifested sooner or later, was based upon their sincerity...'

Deutscher Text aus dem Buch:
'Pflicht des Malers ist es, sich ganz in die Natur zu vertiefen und seine ganze Intelligenz einzusetzen, sein Gefühl in seine Arbeit zu legen, so daß es anderen verständlich wird. Aber auf Verkäuflichkeit hinzuarbeiten ist meiner Meinung nach nicht gerade der rechte Weg, sondern heisst vielmehr, die Liebhaber zu beschwindeln. Das haben die echten Künstler nicht getan, sondern die Anziehungskraft, die sie früher oder später ausübten, beruhte auf ihrer Aufrichtigkeit...'

Camper - pencil in sketchbook

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Summer 17 Sketches & Studies and a daily quote #5 - Followed

Quote from the Book Vincent van Gogh - Letters to his brother:

'What I want to say about the difference between old and todays' art is this - maybe, the modern artist is more of a thinker... Rembrandt and Ruysdael are sublime, then and now; but contemporary art has something, that touches us more in a personal-intimate way.'

Deutscher Text aus dem Buch:

'Was ich in bezug auf den Unterschied zwischen der alten und der heutigen Kunst sagen möchte, ist dies - vielleicht sind die Neuen in höherem Grad Denker... Rembrandt und Ruysdael sind erhaben, für uns ebenso wie für ihre Zeitgenossen; aber in den Modernen ist etwas, das uns mehr persönlich-intim berührt.'

Tourist ship, that followed ours on our way through Kornati 

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Summer 17 Sketches & Studies and a daily quote #4 - Corner

Quote from the Book Vincent van Gogh - Letters to his brother:

'There are colors, which naturally complement each other, but I try hard to make it as I see it, before I carry on to make it as I feel it. Nevertheless, to feel is something grand and without feeling you achieve nothing.'

Deutscher Text aus dem Buch:

'Es gibt Farben, die von selbst schön zueinander stehen, aber ich gebe mir große Mühe, es so zu machen, wie ich es sehe, ehe ich drangehe, es so zu machen, wie ich es fühle. Und doch - Gefühl ist etwas Großes, und ohne Gefühl würde man nichts erreichen.'

Corner - Brushpen & Watercolor

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Summer 17 Sketches & Studies and a daily quote #3 - Lonely Bay

Quote from the Book Vincent van Gogh - Letters to his brother:

'With charcoal, which was bathed in oil, you can do fabulous things... the oil then fixates, and the black will be warmer and deeper. But I better try this out in a year or so,..., because I want, that beauty does not originate from the material I use, but through me.'

Deutscher Text aus dem Buch:
'Mit Holzkohle, die in Öl gelegen hat, kann man fabelhafte Sachen machen... das Öl fixiert dann und das Schwarz wird wärmer und tiefer. Aber das sollte ich lieber erst in einem Jahr machen,... ich will nämlich, dass das Schöne dran nicht durch mein Material kommt, sondern durch mich.'

Lonely Bay - Idea and study for a later oil painting

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Summer 17 Sketches & Studies and a daily quote #2 - Woman and Boats

Quote from the Book Vincent van Gogh - Letters to his brother
'Artist, I am ... it goes without saying, the meaning of this word is 'eternal search, without ever really finding.'

Deutscher Text aus dem Buch:

'Ich bin Künstler... es versteht sich von selbst, daß dies Wort bedeutet: >>stets suchen, ohne je ganz zu finden<<.'

Woman and Boats - pencil study

Check out: Quote #1

Summer 17 Sketches & Studies and a daily quote - Robbys Boat

Quote from the Book Vincent van Gogh - Letters to his brother

'Making studies, in my view, is sowing the seed. And painting is the harvest.'

Deutscher Text aus dem Buch:

'Das Studienmachen betrachte ich als Säen, und das Bildermachen ist ernten.'

Robbys Boat - pencil in sketchbook (a little smeared because lag of fixation)

40 degrees plus understandably crossed plans of working mainly with oil this summer, reducing the artistic effort to quick pencil studies in a sketchbook. The synergy of this and a deep appreciation of van Goghs passion, love, the all consuming commitment to become an artist, evolved into the idea of combining some quotes from the above mentioned book and some sketches from my summer vacation in Croatia.

At the Goethe Museum Düsseldorf: Part 3

This sketch is the view from the upper west side window of the Goethe Museum Düsseldorf. It shows part of the Hofgarten and in the fainting back the top of the Dreischeibenhaus.

Upper West Side View from Goethe Museum Düsseldorf - Ink & Wash

At the Goethe Museum Düsseldorf: Part 2

Trying to get more drawings done for the Urban Sketching exhibition end of august.

Ilioneus statue at the Goethe Museum Düsseldorf

At the Goethe Museum Düsseldorf

For an exhibition at the Goethe Museum Düsseldorf end of august this year, our Urban Sketchers Group met last Sunday to get some more work done. I concentrated on a couple of busts, drawing with brown ink & wash on old sheets of paper, found in an old cupboard.

Schiller Bust - at Goethe Museum Düsseldorf

Goethe Bust - at Goethe Museum Düsseldorf

At the Rhein - Ruder Gesellschaft Benrath (Duesseldorf)

The sun today had sunburn quality, which I enjoyed very much! We were at a baptismal service with family and afterwards went to the 'Ruder Gesellschaft Benrath' to feast together. The break between dessert and coffee and cake we spent at the Rhein on a bench.

Fit to go wall?

One thing my wife keeps complaining about, is, that I paint and draw so tiny. Those little sketchbooks are okay, fine, you know. But can't hang'em on the wall! Alright, maybe it should be more of a focus. Not like, there is nothing to show off from my past ambitions. It has been a while, though, since my mind was set on framing. Good idea then, to stay comfy in my zone for now and use pen and ink and not mess with colors, thinner, medium, etc.

I remember, turning right on a shopping street in Ljubljana last year, going through that dark archway, 'cause I spotted a painting on an easel back there. Kind of wasn't ready for that slap-in-the-face backyard romantic!

Do you sometimes dream about homes? A new home? Like a really, really beautiful one, out of this world home, maybe even surreal? I do. A little bit more rent? Moving? Jep... plays into it, even then. What the hell! For this, I sacrifice. And waking up, carrying the beauty you found into reality. Lately, it is hard to spot. Got to really look for it! If it's a dream, well, fine. Actually seeing, experiencing, pushing your effort and idea out into the world, maybe as a drawing... it is all about dwelling, extending the fade out.