Warming up to do work

April 14, 2016 | 7 Comments


Well, I wasn’t planning to post today, but lifting my self imposed daily commitment to blog by 5pm Sydney time has meant that now, after dinner, I have a moment to share this morning’s warmup sketch. Sometimes I do crazy rapid lines to get myself in the mood, other times it’s alternating between line and colour (yesterday), today it was a small and controlled abstracting of shapes.

Today it’s a Venice warmup – San Simeon Piccolo – but there is a Palladian reference tying it in with a common thread these days in my reading… correction, it is more of a Pantheon reference.


And earlier in the day I did a similar exercise with my latte.

On both occasions these simple sketches helped get my creative juices pumping. This type of warmup sketch has become a vital ‘ritual’ in my work day!

Hope your creative juices are pumping too today!

PS. I’m not sure that I’ll have time for a post tomorrow, but as today has proved… anything is possible!

7 Comments

  • Youanna N. says:

    Had a busy week so far = no sketching, and all that keeps my soul alive is reading what you post every day. It became a morning ritual! Was using Sennelier pans on my sketches, but last weekend I made an “effort” and got myself a few Daniel Smith tubes (more exactly the ones you have on your palette!). I am absolutely hooped now! I finally know what “juicy vibrant washes” means! And your latte sketches where you use that cobalt teal blue are magnificent! Double drooling: latte and cobalt teal blue… cheers! 🙂

  • Sometimes the simplest of posts like this one is what I need: a reminder that little sketches can happen on an day.

    • Liz Steel says:

      yes Suhita… it only needs to be a simple sketch but the impact can be huge. I need the reminder myself!

  • Fiona Hayes says:

    Hi Liz. I always love your blog entries and sketches, and really love this one, above, of your latte. I think I have ALL the Daniel Smith paints that you have, but can you please tell me what colours you are mixing to get this awesome grey colour for the latte cup and saucer! It truly is a great colour.

    • Liz Steel says:

      Hi Fiona. It’s steels grey iii- which is wn cobalt blue deep with a little DS Quin burnt orange plus a touch of DS Quin rose

    • Fiona Hayes says:

      Aaaaaah righto, thanks Liz. I do remember you mentioning this colour you invented, whilst I’ve been doing your Foundations course! I must mix up a bit and experiment. I love it!

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