Photo Essay - Catching Up News...

Aaagghhh... busy, busy, and trip to France is imminent, but I want to quickly catch up with the news of recent activities! So, here is an edited photo essay...

Tried some more nature printing. This one shows the ferns laid on acrylic inks,
which should have resulted in a lovely print. You can also see the rock salt particles
sprinkled on, intended to leave interesting textures when dry and brushed off.
However, the ferns just stuck fast in the acrylic and broke as I tried to prize away from the
dried inks - although a failure I learnt something at least!  

At the same time I was repeating the exercise with ferns and rock salt with watercolour.
This approach worked much better. The feather at the top was created with black printing ink
and the work felt very unbalanced as this dominated the image. After the addition of some black
coloured pencil in select areas around the ferns it seemed to come together.  

I also cut up some heavyweight cartridge paper to print on and made them into cards.

Social Sketchbook event in June at Castle Rising. Well attended and finally some
reasonable weather. An area worth visiting again as there is much inspiration. 

This double page spread is pure watercolour, no pencil drawing first, and was
also completed at Castle Rising. It took about 40 minutes, is very sketchy but a memory of
looking across to Babbingley.  

Selected sketchbooks by the group at castle rising. We all completed several
sketches each so going with the intention of drawing is certainly productive.

My five paintings at Welborne Arts Festival with other members of
West Norfolk Artists Association. A well organised and supported festival but weather
was sunshine and showers. Lots of families, interested in our artwork but not looking to
buy art on a fun day out... Difficult to see the work in this photo due to reflections
on the glass, apologies.

I was treated to a marvellous day out at Mundesley on the North Norfolk coast
by two friends and we sketched on the beach. This is watersoluble pencil over a
pre-prepared gesso base tinted with acrylic. Lovely company, great scenery and
fantastic food - once again "thank you" Kay and Sue!

Social Sketchbook event in Old Hunstanton earlier this month.
Hottest day of the year so far! 

Pen and wash sketch looking towards the famous Hunstanton cliffs.

Looking out to sea. Watercolour washes then dip pen and walnut ink to capture some
of the figures.  

An amazing hollyhock that has grown outside my studio this year. It must have
been a amongst the wildflower seeds I sprinkle each year (usually in vain).

Charcoal drawing from the hollyhock.

Loose variegated sweeps of neocolour crayon and
charcoal pencil line drawing on top. Yes, the hollyhock again. 

I'm feeling happier now, we are all up to date. Note to self: try posting shorter entries but more often!

Please feel free to comment on anything in this blog, I would love to know your views or if you have any questions. In the meantime, France awaits so - Au Revoir!

  

Sketchbooks Galore!

Sketchbook pages from Social Sketchbook event in The Walks.

The past week and a half has been full of sketchbook work... First was the Social Sketchbook event in The Walks, a lovely large park in King's Lynn. We arranged to meet at the bandstand which had been undergoing some renovation work and as we assembled the protective metal barriers were being removed - what perfect timing! As I arrived early I had already begun to sketch the bandstand. It is not my usual preferred subject matter and with some tricky perspective issues it was one I began to wish I hadn't started. So, as you can see below, I abandoned the idea of any realism and went for a quick pen and wash rendition.

Correct perspective abandoned so I could just enjoy approximate shapes
and a dash of colour. The allium buds were there too, but the horse was the last
 thing I sketched at the previous Social Sketchbook in Stow Bardolph.

The weather was bright but definitely breezy and had most of us seeking more sheltered spots. There was plenty of variety for subjects including the river, ducks, bridge arches over the water, planted areas, wild areas and many different tree species. One big attraction for me was the old town wall. When I walked through the arch to the other side the wind suddenly hit much colder and stronger and I had to admire one member who had bravely set up her seat and been working there since the start!

This was as far as I got sketching the old town wall before the cold set in
but we were due to reassemble anyway...

It is probably just visible in the photo above that the double spread page in the sketchbook had been prepared at home with gesso tinted with acrylic colour. A technique I like to introduce to add variety and texture when working in pencil.

Congratulations to the hardy Social Sketchbookers at the end of a morning in the park! 

My 25 minute final sketch to capture a little of sprouting leaves
and the lumps and bumps at the base of a fascinating tree trunk.

My second sketchbook event was to lead two morning workshop sessions for Freebridge Community Housing. They have a Wellbeing Week for staff and put on a variety of activities. Last year I ran a charcoal drawing workshop and this time I decided to do a Quink Ink Drawing session. I arrived laden with paper; card; small jars of decanted black Quink ink; dip pens, wooden skewers and feather quills for drawing with; covers to protect the tables; water; pots; brushes and masses of natural objects to use for inspiration.

Drawing with Quink ink in handmade simple accordian sketchbooks at
Freebridge Wellbeing Week.

The sessions started with an introduction to Quink ink and a short demonstration on using the various drawing tools and introducing water to allow the ink to bleed and create washes. When the wet ink floats in the water the components disperse into blues, greys and ochres - like magic! After a practice with mark making and trying out the techniques themselves we constructed small scale simple accordian sketchbooks, glued on coloured card for the outer covers and the remainder of the time was spent filling them with delightful sketches based on the natural objects.

Due to the less sophisticated drawing tools and the unpredictable nature of the ink the results were full of character and the accumulation of these drawings was impressive. The participants seemed happy and relaxed, chatting as they worked so I hope the experience was beneficial and contributed positively to Wellbeing Week.

Accumulation of drawings full of character.

So now I am busy with final preparations for the Focus on Flowers workshop at Dobbies Garden Centre and the morning element involves - you guessed - sketchbooks! The afternoon will be time for a longer study using watercolours and coloured pencils.

Just to finish this post I'd like to return to the drawing session in the park. When I did a 'research' trip, prior to making the arrangements, as I wandered round I remember thinking 'why don't I come here more often?' and at the end of the Social Setchbook event many others voiced this thought as well. Spending time in an area, looking, drawing, experiencing sights and sounds over a more intense period of activity is a great way to really get to know a place. Highy recommended. If you find a small parcel of time in the coming weeks, grab that sketchbook and favourite drawing tool and get out in the open, especially as the weather improves...

Fun with Pen and Wash

Winter Heather and Statue, 32 x 24cms
Edding permanent pen and watercolour
on Fabriano 5 HP watercolour paper. 

I think the most popular media this Autumn Term, in the Mixed Media Class, was using pen and wash.  I planned two sessions - one either side of the half term break.  The first was using a permanent pen, which leaves a fairly uniform line even when using a 0.7mm.  The second session I introduced a dip pen and Indian ink which enables flowing calligraphic lines, and a more hit-and-miss approach.  I find the loss of precise control can lead to bolder, fresher work.  Whichever method, many people like to start with a simple pencil drawing to establish the composition, it gives confidence when starting with the pen as it cannot be erased - so any mistakes have to be incorporated and lived with! I suggest setting off with a bit of urgency when first going over the pencil lines in pen, working too slowly and deliberately can produce a very static line.  People are often surprised at how they unconsciously go on to embroider more details once they get going, and with surprising confidence. At any point the pencil lines can be erased to leave a clean pen image before introducing passages of watercolour.

The subject was quite open in that I suggested 'holiday' as a theme for exploration.  This could range from the broad holiday view of a scene captured on camera as a memory, to a close up detail of something of interest.  The example I worked up for the session (I usually photograph the stages and print off to show the progression) shows a weathered stone statue from a winter walk last year, the heather framed it so beautifully.  The cropped close up view below shows how I had to think about what sort of marks could be used to portray the various textures.

View close up - variety of marks to describe various textures.

For the session using the dip pens and Indian ink I chose to incorporate working from still life.  As an added interest I suggested looking at the illustrations used to advertise Worzals, a local garden centre/farm shop/cafe.

Adverts for Worzals Farm Shop.

Studying these illustrations closely showed not only the beautiful quality of line but also that some printing had been done using actual leaves etc.  A marvellous opportunity to have a go at another approach...

Calligraphic lines using a dip pen and Indian ink,
plus some leaves of the purple sprouting broccoli painted with ink
and used to print on Fabriano 5 HP watercolour paper. 

Ink painted onto head of purple sprouting broccoli
before used to print texture on the paper.

All very hit-and-miss,
loose lines added to enhance leaf prints, ink blots welcomed!

Watercolour washes added - free approach kept going
with paint not restricted by line and more spatter.

I also had fun with a second offering,  I couldn't resist these beetroot when I went shopping.  I think my enjoyment of the subject matter and treatment shows in the work itself!

No pencil drawing this time - straight in with the dip pen.
Beetroot cut in half to make print bottom left.  Brush also used to add ink as shadows. 

Watercolour washes added.

The feedback from the sessions was very encouraging and in the final session of term, when members can work on something of their own choice (or finish off work from previous weeks), many opted to have another go using one of these methods.

I also had another stint using the dip pen recently, this time with Quink Ink.  When diluted with water this ink tends to separate out into blues, greys and ochre - all by itself!  It is perfect for using in sketchbooks, but be aware that it is not very lightfast.

Studies of natural objects with dip pen and Quink Ink. 

Postcards for Eastern Open 2013

Mountain Gorilla, pen & wash, 10x15cms

Thought you might like a peek at the two postcards I have submitted to the Eastern Open 2013 exhibition.  Any day now I will receive an envelope to say whether the bigger paintings I entered have been selected or not.  To be honest I am expecting rejection - artists from across 7 counties send in work - and I'm not even sure I have seen animals in the final line up in previous years!  However, the postcards get shown in the Old Warehouse Gallery regardless of whether other work gets chosen.

The one above was from a photo taken at Bristol Zoo.  I did spend quite a bit of time trying to decide how to approach this task.  Should I prime the card first?  Which media could I use?  Should I create actual texture?  How could I create a unique, more contemporary piece on this 10x15cm postcard?  I have seen some very inventive creations over the years...  As time passed this task started to become more and more 'precious' and to grow in importance, but time was running out.  My inability to make a decision and get it done was making me feel increasingly irritated.  Eventually a little voice of reason surfaced - "keep it simple".  So that is what I did.  I grabbed an Edding pen and jumped straight into drawing (no pencil, no safety net) and with the photo before me I pretended I was sketching the live animal.  Using a medium that cannot be altered forces a certain amount of bravura.  I even used my travelling watercolour brush for the loose watercolour washes.  Hooray! One down, one to go...

Ring-tailed Lemur, pen & wash, 15x10cms

This is the second offering.  Again, my reference was a photo taken at Bristol Zoo.  I kept the same brazen approach of swiftly drawing with pen before applying the simple washes.  This little sketch makes me chuckle - the innocence of the foreground character on the left, totally oblivious to the wicked looking creature behind who is about to launch an attack by all accounts! 

I shall keep you posted about my other painted entries and chat about the work once I know what is happening.  Will they be hung in the Eastern Open 2013?  Or (most likely) come back to the studio without an audience?    


 

Ouick Sketches

Last weekend we were in Kendal (Lake District) for a christening - the weather was glorious!  I am now in the habit of carrying a small Moleskine sketchbook with me and a slim pencil case in my day-to-day handbag.  This has definitely helped me increase my 'sketches from life' tally.  Paul and I had a bit of time to ourselves exploring Kendal and, so long as he has something to read, I can manage to settle for brief periods to capture a quick impression.

Bridge over the River Kent, water soluble pencil in small Moleskine

St. Thomas Church, Kendal, Lamy fountain pen in Moleskine

Ruin on the distant hill, pen & wash in A5 sketchbook 

Before setting off home we made a detour to a bookshop in Grange-over-Sands and also took a short stroll along the promenade.  It was bright and sunny and we perched on the wall amongst the flower border so I could snatch half an hour to record the bare bones of the scene before me.

Looking into sun across the saltmarsh, pencil in small Moleskine

View looking in other direction, pencil in small Moleskine

There were sheep grazing on the saltmarsh and it seemed rather a coincidence because just a few weeks ago, in class, we were painting a view across Devil's Dyke and I had focused on how to simplify the grazing sheep by the general shape and letting the shadow indicate the form.  Used the same principle here.  What's that I hear?  You would like to see this painting...

Close up detail of sheep - simple shape & shadow indicate form

Devil's Dyke, Sussex, watercolour

So, if you are out and about this summer take a simple sketchbook and pencil, or maybe even a basic set of watercolour pans and grab those opportunities to record an impression of what you see.  Those insignificant scribbles may just spark an idea for a more considered painting - and the lessons learnt from more considered work will help you with the quick sketch!