Rembrant Landscape and Animal Drawings (Sketchbook Ideas #16)

Rembrant Landscape and Animal Drawings (Sketchbook Ideas #16)

Rembrant is undoubtably a genius, particularly with portraiture, so I was fascinated to study his landscape and animal sketches. They are remarkable for their gestural simplicity. He pulls out the basic forms and values, makes the closer shapes with bigger strokes and the further away ones with thin little hen scratches, and contours his lines in the direction of the shapes, which enhances their sense of volume.

I’m studying these before I head off to paint and sketch the landscape, and these make me feel like doing likewise is within the range of anyone, which made me want to share them with you.

So let’s go out and just aim to get the gist of what we are looking at, without pressuring ourselves for exactitude.  That’s what this master did in the 1600’s, and we can too.  If you can include how it makes you feel, even better.

Isn’t it fun to see what he was looking at all these years later? That’s how others can feel about our work someday. Give yourself permission to get out there and give it a go. Plus, there’s the additional benefit that you get to be outside while you are doing it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I work to amplify good wherever I find it. I love color, texture, beauty, great ideas, nature, metaphor, deliciousness, genuine spirituality, and exploring new territory. I encourage authenticity, nurture creativity, champion sustainability, promote peace, and hope to foster a new renaissance where we all are free to be our most fulfilled, multifaceted, and terrific selves. Read more here.

1 Comment

  1. Dilys 4 weeks ago

    Lovely, Polly! Thanks for sharing. I’m a great admirer of Rembrandt and a friend and I visited his house in Amsterdam a few years ago. His studio was on the top floor. We also visited the Rijksmuseum and saw The Nightwatch, one of his largest and most famous works.
    However, these simple drawings show us more about his world I think. And my friend, who is also an artist would certainly appreciate them more!

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