DRAWINGS & PAINTINGS: May Edition

Reece Bell
2 days ago
2 min read

A word from Harry

"The European figurative tradition is one of the tools with which we measure ourselves against the past.” - Harry Holland

Welcome to this month’s edition of my studio newsletter.

I’m really pleased you’re here - it is good to be able to share this space with people who value drawing and painting as a means of observation and expression.

What I'm Working On

I’ve always regarded painted sketches as a part of the process towards a painting, very enjoyable but not finished art in itself. I’ve been pondering that.

Here’s a few examples of the latest:

Harry Holland - Drawings

I’m glad to say that my book Harry Holland: Drawings is available, signed if you want.

It’s a curated selection of sketches and studies from across the years, offering a close-up view of my process for anyone curious about how these images come to life.

Buy Your Copy Here

One of my favourites

Pope Innocent X by Diego Velazquez, in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome.

The contrast between the magnificent robes and setting, and the suspicious expression of a man conscious of his power, enlivened by the magnificent brushwork, really excited me when I first saw it, and still enthralls me today.

About Drawing

When I look around me, in the studio or in the street, I’m struck by the strangeness of it all. Some of it is pleasing, some not. Parts frightening, parts curious, parts lovely. You only have to go to a supermarket or anywhere they gather and look at the astonishing differences in people’s faces to know what I’m talking about. The knowledge that evolution has made us particularly sensitive to those differences doesn’t stop me from being delighted and amazed at the spectacle. Drawing is for me the best way of looking at the richness of the visual world.

My inadequacies in doing so, which I’m very conscious of, is another thing that keeps me doing it.

Materials I am using

I often get asked what i use.

For drawing:

Conte carres, mostly HB and 2B
Blackwing graphite pencils
Cretacolor Nero pencils, all grades.

Paper:

Canson Mi-tientes, various colours
Suffolk cartridge
Strathmore medium surface, Toned Tan and Toned Gray

Eraser:

Koh-i-Noor Hardtmuth kneaded eraser.

Whether you’re a collector, fellow artist, or simply an admirer of art - thank you. I hope this newsletter is a way for me to share the process, and thanks for being here.

Until next time,

– Harry