Window ledge snooze

This is a reduction linocut print I did a few months back, for some reason I've only just got round to getting a pic of it! Based on a sketch of the studio assistant snoozing in the sunshine on the windowsill...

  Printed area 4 by 6", on Simili paper.

The silent owl

Working on another card design, quite like this one :-) An earlier attempt along these lines came out as 'evil scary owl', but this one is much more benign!

Linocut on 5 by 5" card stock.

The dynamic duo gets some shuteye

Hello again! Here's what I've been up to over the last couple of weeks - a reduction linocut based on the ink & wc sketch from a while ago of my pal's two dogs snuggled up together.

'The dynamic duo gets some shuteye', reduction linocut, printed area 6" by 8".

Penguins on parade

This is an ink drawing that I've entered in a competition...

'Penguins on parade'
A4 CP watercolour paper, Faber-Castell Pitt Artist pen, Indian ink, dip pen, waterbrush.

It's based on some photos I took at Twycross Zoo of the Humboldt penguins. The main drawing was done with the marker pen, and I went in with the Indian ink with a dip pen, plus waterbrush, to give it a bit more pop.

If you'd like to have a look at the competition entries and maybe vote for your favourite, go here

View from Pencroft Farm

Hello again!

Thought I'd share a recent painting here to see what you peeps think... I am SO not a landscape painter, it really is a bugbear for me. I went out for what was a wet and windy walk a few weeks back, sketchbook in pocket. I sketched the view on site, and painted the painting when I got back. I'd love to get into some plein air painting, but I am such a wimp if it's cold and rainy! It's 8 by 10", acrylic on canvas .

A Brush with Nature - workshop

Thought I'd share a bit about a great workshop I attended at the weekend, at the education centre at my local nature reserve, Paxton Pits. The workshop 'A Brush with Nature' was hosted by the local wildlife trust and led by Sarah Morrish, and the focus was drawing and watercolour painting of natural objects from life.

The day started with a quick introduction and discussion of materials etc. Sarah had brought along a load of yummy natural history art/illustration books too, lovely to browse! We had a tableful of things to choose from, some of which had been gathered on the reserve that morning, and others which Sarah had brought with her. We could choose from items such as autumn leaves, seed pods, feathers, seashells, stones etc.

The first couple of hours before lunch were dedicated to tonal drawing using graphite pencils. I chose a dried pitcher, from a pitcher plant.

I did this using a range of pencils from H through to 2B. It took probably an hour and a half, and an awful lot of concentration! Was pleased with how it turned out. I don't do pencil drawings like this very often (I think I lack the patience) but I really enjoyed this.

















After lunch Sarah demonstrated her watercolour technique, using a limited palette of winsor lemon and quin gold, permanent rose and perylene maroon, and indanthrene blue and French ultramarine (a cool and warm of each primary colour). Again, patience required. I chose to try some feathers - two barn owl feathers, and one from a jay (couldn't resist it, it was like a gleaming
gem!)

A highly enjoyable day. Sarah shared a lot of insight and tips (she also teaches botanical art at her local college). She's based in Hampshire so most of her workshops are run down there, but has connections in with the Wildlife Trust in Cambridgeshire, hence the workshop here, the first of many I hope!

A few photos of the day here

We finished at 4pm, but for me the day wasn't over. It was a lovely warm late afternoon, so I decided to dump the art stuff in my car and head out to one of the bird hides on the lake - and I SAW AN OTTER!! Every time I visit the reserve I sit in that hide and hope to glimpse one, and that was the very first wild otter I've ever seen!

So a fab day all round for me!

Doggie duo

Here's a quick ink and watercolour sketch of a pal's dogs, trying to sleep on the same chair...