SELECTION OF GOURDS

Jayne gave me some gourds to fill my long thin table dish that my sister in law gave me for the lounge coffee table. I purchased some Diamine saddlers brown soluble ink last week, filled my LAMY pen and sketched them in that, spreading a little colour with a waterbrush, keeping Clive company in the lounge as he is not too well at the moment.













Then during the ladies group yesterday afternoon, we decided to paint some of the gourds. With brush only I did a watercolour of two in my garden sketchbook, as there is not much peeping through the snow in the garden at present! Helen did all four on the tray in oil and Philippa in watercolour. A good afternoon was had by all, with Maggie painting some yellow roses she had brought with her.

FRONT GARDEN AND GATE

Seem to have had nothing but rain this August, so sat in the front sun room doorway and sketched our garden gate leading out to the lane. Afraid the lamp on the higher parking area is a bit out of proportion - but oh so useful as you park up in the dark when it comes on automatically.

Also sketched the hanging basket on the garage wall, alongside the gate.

Both in my columbine second garden sketchbook of course, making a double spread.

PEN AND WATERCOLOURS

Two more pen and watercolour pieces for The Garden House Gallery in Cromer.

Number one is of the Hunstanton lighthouse at dusk after they had put on the uplights to give this glow to the structure. I have caught it from the cliff top garden after sketching with Anita on the beach during a long weekend last year when we hired a caravan.






This is from a visit to Cromer with my daughter and girls whilst we were strolling on the pier.




Both done with waterproof ink pen and washes of watercolour, selecting a few of the many figures on the pier either sipping tea, strolling or catching the small crabs bottom left.

NORFOLK LAVENDER

I have been working on small pen and watercolour paintings for forthcoming Norfolk shows and I had planned to create four square format pieces for the Garden House Gallery in Cromer, but unfortunately my local framer David has injured his achilles heel and is unable to complete all four frames for me. So numbers three and four paintings I was planning to use for Cromer I have put aside for the Grimston Easter event in the hope David will have improved and been able to complete them. The painting measures only 10" x 8" and looks really fresh against a white mount and box frame. So that meant I had to think of two other ideas to fit two white rectangle frames I have purchased to match the two completed square white. I decided to use watercolour and pen on my beloved Lana Vanguard for these and thought to use Arabic Gum solution to help with the control. It worked - or so I think! This is a popular scene at the front of the Norfolk Lavender Company shop and tea rooms at Heacham along the north Norfolk coast road. The final piece using the same technique is going to be of Cromer pier.

FIGURE PRACTICE YET AGAIN

Every so often I get out my Venezia sketchbook to practice figure drawing. Sometimes I use DVDs, others magazines or books and even 'real' people! Here are a couple of recent attempts.

This first one caught my eye in the SkyMagazine as I loved the movement. A few errors stare out at me from the too large left foot and the too little left foreshortened hand, but at least I had a go. I'm glad I added the tennis ball as it adds a narrative to just a sketch.


Number two is a double spread of our youngest grand daughter when she was staying. Here she is in the sunroom after washing her hair. I like the way the second sketch reveals her lovely dark hair after removing the towel. Decided the features were so bad I would leave the second face blank.



Used Lamy pen with Lexington Grey Noodlers ink and a little Daniel Smith watercolours.

Now you know why I need to keep practicing!

FIGURES FROM THE SISTENE CHAPEL CEILING

Still working on practice sketches for my Italian visit, I went to my wonderful full colour plate book MICHELANGELO - THE FRESCOES OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL which I purchased a few years back at a local library sale. I was hooked when I came to the chapter on SEERS - ie prophets and sibyls. So began a series of watercolour and pen sketches using my Daniel Smith paints and Lamy pen with noodlers Lexington grey ink. Here are three efforts:

Jeremiah - lost in thought

I think the hands are a bit big but pleased with all the colours I managed to put into the flesh.


The Libyan Sibyl

Afraid she has turned out rather masculine and squashed at the top of the sketchbook page.


Zechariah - the Hebrew Prophet

This, in fact, was my first one and as you can see the head is too small. Well! its only practice and I have not done figures for ages.

To be continued at some stage.

ANOTHER GARDEN SKETCHBOOK SPREAD

Here is the last garden sketch I did when relaxing after my op. I added the catkins from the front garden to balance the spread. Afraid I took photos rather than scan (don't know why!!) and you can see my shadow on the left.

.. and some close up photos for more detail.

Had a very busy time since Easter and now off in the morning to take an acrylic workshop in Lincolnshire. Happily it is not far from where I lived in the Fens so will be spending evening and staying with friends. Some of the Thursday evening art group I used to run will be coming over to spend the evening together. Really looking forward to it.

On the way back I am delivering work for Sandra and me to the Grimston St Botolph's church for their Spring time annual show. .. so the car will be loaded!!!

On return hopefully will find more time to comment on all your lovely blog postings.