Affy Dreich (process & sticking to the brief)

Affy dreich is such a wonderfully descriptive term, perfectly fitting for the recent weather in February! Winter in Scotland can be quite unpredictable, with colors that can range from spectacular, full of contrast, depth, and crispness one week, to dull, flat, murky, and uninspiring the next - truly showcasing 50 shades of grey. I wanted to share with you the conceptual process behind my dreich print as part of illustrating words for the scottish weather series.

Stage 1. Getting something down.

For this project, I started all my images by freely exploring with various tools like pens, pencils, and paints, letting ideas expand without a set direction. For this image, I initially used watercolors in browns and purples. I later found inspiration in a black and white version by chance after taking a photo with my phone. The contrast and range of grays intrigued me.

Stage 2. Expanding the concept

Having already created several weather images, I was contemplating how to incorporate the word 'dreich' (possibly 'Haar') into the picture while considering the impact of the scenery on the overall image. I also pondered athe concept of seeking shelter from the harsh elements. My thoughts drifted to the far north of Scotland (Sutherland or Caithness area) and its isolation compared to the central belt. I decided to let the sky play a more significant role in the composition, making the bothy appear smaller in the vast landscape. At this point, my focus was creating a thumbnail sketch rather than delving into intricate details.

Stage 3. Which approach to go for?

While creating this series, I envisioned it as art cards for display in shops and possibly on items like mugs and coasters. This influenced my choice of medium and style, transitioning from watercolors to a more detailed approach to incorporate text into the landscape. I maintained consistency with previous images in this series by coloring this one in Adobe Illustrator, following a sketch I had scanned in. Acrylics were also considered for coloring.

Stage 4. Finished (Or so I thought.)

This was the final illustration created in Illustrator. I was pleased with how everything came together from concept to completion. The landscape worked well with the greys, olive green, browns and warm orange lighting. However, most of my cards, prints, and coasters are square, so I had to make adjustments so the image.

Stage 5. Finish

So here it is my take on 'Dreich' as part of the wider weather series. Sticking to the brief and in its final application. If your interested in the rest in the series have a browse in my gallery or shop https://www.tcotteeart.com/browse-by-image?page=2

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