Akib - Painting urban and cityscapes

Painting Urban
and Cityscapes

Painting Urban
and Cityscapes

Hashim Akib

THE CROWOOD PRESS

First published in 2017 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2017

Hashim Akib 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 269 4

Frontispiece: Barcelona Cafes, 28 36in, acrylic on canvas. People, light, cafes and shadows are all the ingredients needed for a striking cityscape.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Rose Kudlacek and the ladies of The Victory Painting Group, Wolverhampton, friends and family, Christine Hopper, Sebastian Chew for the use of certain reference material, and all the artists who contributed their amazing artwork for this book. I would also like to thank Steve Pill of Artist and Illustrators magazine, the wonderful galleries who showcase my work and individuals who have both supported my career and purchased the odd painting or two. Lastly, thanks to my partner, Marie, whom I cherish and will be forever grateful to for feeding and watering me while I was in the process of writing, painting and panicking.

Contents

Introduction

M any people take up art for all kinds of reasons: some want to join a club and meet like-minded individuals who share a common passion; others are intensely keen to improve, exhibit and sell their work, some dip in and out and use it as a way of relaxing and immersing into their own creative world. Whichever category or new category you fit into, this book will provide new knowledge that you certainly will not find anywhere else. I have been drawing, painting, making and thinking art since I was a child and thankfully this has led to a career that I am enthused by more and more every day. I have been very careful not to dwell on drawing and painting techniques that have been handed down for centuries but concentrate on more contemporary drawing and painting approaches and ideas that have helped my own creative evolution. I have come from a background that prizes technical skill and I worked very hard on honing these aspects before moving into a looser, more colourful way of painting. Ideas evolved into approaches that contradict or bend the established thinking to create my own artistic aspirations. For beginners new to drawing and painting you will find less emphasis on formal aspects of drawing and painting and a greater appreciation for letting go of your inhibitions and developing your own creative thoughts. More seasoned amateurs who perhaps are waiting to turn an artistic corner or branch off from the well-trodden path will discover a rejuvenated palette of ideas to choose from to enhance their own. Either way, I hope the following chapters and images are engaging enough to stimulate and even provoke some artistic inspiration.

Welcome, 30 48in, acrylic on canvas. Cityscapes and Venice go hand in hand and encompass all the best qualities a location has to offer.

Practical drawing and painting will reward you for all the minutes, hours, days, weeks and years that you devote to or casually spend your time creating art. Any successes, failures, mistakes and surprises contribute to the effort and there is no such thing as a drawing or painting that was a waste of time. I had a realization a few months ago as I was looking through my body of work and realized just how consistent I had become with whatever quality threshold to which I adhere. I still remember the complete failures I had and continued to have until I became consistent from gaining knowledge and skills that were born out of all those failed attempts. As ideas marinade and processes become refined you begin to blossom as an artist and crave more challenges to feel that urge to acquire new knowledge and skills.

As challenges go cityscapes have it all and more. It is the ultimate as so many elements are combined. There are figures, the majority of which are generally moving, in all directions and of all ethnicities. They are all going about their daily routines and creating a narrative to which we can all relate. The figures are not the only things moving as cars, vans, cyclists, motorbikes and buses zip by and are dwarfed by large steel or concrete structures both old and new. Dramatic sunlight glints off metal and glass and casts long shadows to connect one area with another. On rainy days subtle, earthy and muted hues dominant the urban scape with odd sparks of colour from fluorescent raincoats or garish umbrellas. As evening descends the city is illuminated by a multitude of colourful lights that resonate high into the night sky.

As diverse as the theme, this book will provide a wealth of ideas with exercises, step-by-steps, a range of other styles and practical advice with which to springboard. I will be using water-based paint, mainly acrylic, with some watercolour, acrylic spray cans and drawing materials, with plenty of food for thought to take your paintings into a more contemporary realm. In some respects it would be easier explaining what Ill be avoiding, including painting every window, signpost, lamp post and providing easy short cuts or fixes to create a generic street scene. I am hoping through this book you will be inspired to look further and feel more, which will strike a chord within your paintings and anyone who will have the pleasure of viewing them.

CHAPTER 1

Materials

Working Conditions

I am very fortunate to have a dedicated studio space that is shared by a collective of artists in a converted old fire station. I have a room for storing paintings and materials, a room for painting and there is a large hall for exhibitions or to run art workshops. In the past I have worked on kitchen tables and floors but wherever you draw or paint your workspace should be a little sanctuary to where you can escape and produce your artistic creations. The lack of space I used to endure did result in me becoming organized and well prepared for a days painting. Being in any way organized is probably not the remit of many artists but one that is valuable to propagate. Clearing away and preparing for any painting creates the environment where the momentum of painting will become fluid without the distractions of looking for any materials or running out of paint. I know some thrive in the creativity of chaos but I would rather the chaos only occur on canvas. It is stating the obvious but lighting is everything as the impressions of colours do change under different conditions and you certainly need to see what you are painting. Natural light is obviously the best source and making the most of mornings does pay dividends rather than working into the evening. This is all complete common sense but these are all things I used to ignore as I would sometimes paint under the most atrocious artificial lighting; it wasnt quite painting by candlelight but fairly close. The daylight bulbs you can purchase also seem very dim to me as I would imagine you would need a few to make a really plausible light source. I mention this as a realization that my own eyesight is not what it used to be and as a way of preserving this precious resource, finding better conditions will mean longevity in painting.