Gig art
I have drawn two types of gig since I started my artwork. The first is the Cornish Pilot Gig, a traditional clinker built wooden rowing boat that has its own class for competition and a growing number of clubs in the UK and across the world. The second is drawing while at gigs -music events.
In this post I thought I would share examples of both including some sketching I did last week on a trip up to London.
Rowing gigs
In 2017 I completed a few pieces where I drew gigs mainly static on the beach. I hope gradually to take my own pictures of racing gigs and develop art from these. This year for PAW18 I took some photos pre Swanage Sea Rowing Club’s Regatta on the second weekend. I produced two small framed originals which I took down after the studio closed and sold one of them.
These are a selection of gig pieces and a bit about them.
In fact these first two are not gig pictures and show earlier boat drawings from Essex and Norfolk. I have always been keen on water based sports and find the perspective involved a challenge and especially like pieces that show the structure or construction of the boat.
These are two canvas pieces I completed in PAW17 based on photographs pre the SSRC regatta last year. The gig fleet pic was photographed as it developed and sold pre completion. The other pieces has faded slightly after being on show at events but I still love the different ideas I tried out with the clouds, geology, water subject to shadows from the sky.
These all developed from trips out with the rowing club at Swanage or visits to Swanage Bay. A print of “Ready to Row” was donated to the 2018 regatta raffle.
This is my most recent piece complied from lots of my own photos, research online and work in my sketchbook before doing the final piece. I am pleased with it, but still aspire to complete a black and white pure pen and ink piece in the future.
Music gigs
Early on when I kept sketchbooks I started to attend more live music events and as a lapsed musician (one who plays infrequently and fails to practice) I like to watch the musical techniques and skill of the musicians. Not confident in my drawing of people I started to do sketches at gigs, they vary in standard but have always been sketchbook based so far.
These are from an Artsreach concert in Chetnole, Dorset. The Kora instrument has fascinated me for a while through the music especially of Maliaan Toumani Diabate. As a stringed instrument player (cello) I find this stringing, structure of the instrument and technique intriguing.
Another Artsreach event this time Moishes Bagel at Corfe Castle. The first picture shows how a moving Fidler can end up distorted but overall I was pleased with the details I picked up about the musicians individually.
Nick Mulvey, the first two at the Cambridge Folk Festival 2016, the second two in concert at the O2 Bournemouth in 2017. Do you think the work has developed?
The Reptiles performing at Swanage Fish Festival on the last weekend of PAW18 in the amphitheatre setting of Prince Albert gardens, Swanage – I felt the urge to draw and used a card about my open studio then gave the work away as an Art card
Finally, the set for Ed Sheeran’s tour at Wembley Stadium last week. Pre the warm up acts I sketched the stage and section of stadium around it – a different scale to capture but an enjoyable piece that took about 40 minutes once I had shaded in the covered seat areas (after this photo).
So in my opinion, both gigs offer lots of drawing opportunities, hope you enjoyed the range of pieces.
Thanks for reading
Andy
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