Crop Circle

On Sunday we visited Hackpen Hill, on the Ridgeway long distance path, not 6 or 7 miles from where we live.  It is well-known as the site of one of Wiltshire's white horses (carved out of the chalk hillside) and for the appearance of crop circles during the summer months.  We had heard rumours of a newly formed circle so took the opportunity to try and get photographs.  After clambering down to the vicinity of the chalk horse, we were able to get some distant shots.  However, for a much better view you need to be filming from the air and I found a link to this video on one of the crop circle sites.

I was primarily interested in taking photos, but I did attempt a very quick and crude pen sketch.

One of the legs of the chalk horse can be seen in the foreground
and the camper van at the bottom of the hill is the
"ticket office" for entry to the farmer's field -
£3 per person donated to charity

Sketch outing - 20th June

I joined a Wednesday sketch group outing which was planned for either Avebury or Devizes.  As it was the day before the Summer Solstice and the historic stone circle at Avebury was likely to be clogged with Druids, revellers, police and parking restrictions, we aimed for the Kennet and Avon Canal at Devizes.

We based ourselves next to the impressive Caen Hill Flight (a stairway of 16 closely built locks) which was the last stretch of the canal to be completed in 1810.  This forms part of the Devizes Flight which comprises a total of 29 locks.

With the advent of steam locomotives and motor vehicles, the transport of goods on the canals declined, the locks here fell into disrepair and were closed to boat traffic in 1951.  It was saved from complete closure by interested local groups and restored over four decades with the help of volunteers and considerable donations and grants.

(1) A glimpse of the locks disappearing down the hill - it's
difficult to capture the full flight on camera

(2 ) View towards the top lock before the canal descends the hill

(3) The Tea Room from the other side of the top lock

 My attempt at view (2) above -
Pen, watercolour, oil pastel, Inktense pencils, acrylic marker etc.
Still trying to get used to this dark toned paper!

Pen and watercolour - more my style (from view 3 above)

Art playing cards

A couple of months ago I contributed to a Kickstarter campaign - artist Carne Griffiths was aiming to produce a set of playing cards, with each card showing a different piece of his art.  I admire his work and was pleased to receive my pack of cards earlier this month - a lovely miniature gallery of over 50 works of art!

His website is worth a visit

A few more faces

A few more faces, mostly from static images.

Sketches on tan paper

Having finished my Grey Book, I wanted to try out another toned paper.  I chose an A5 Paperchase tan sketchbook and I am still experimenting with the best materials to use in it.  Ordinary graphite pencil doesn't show up at all well - a much bolder approach is needed.  The paper wouldn't be suitable for very wet applications of paint, it does wrinkle slightly with light washes but that is something I can live with.

Inktense pencils, Neocolour II white and white gel pen

Brown watercolour pencil, white Luminance pencil

Pen, gouache and Neopastels

June sketch meeting

Our Urban Sketchers Swindon met at Lydiard Park on Saturday.  It was an overcast start to the day, but the sun soon came out and, after drinks at The Stables cafe, we were all seeking shady spots in which to sketch.

The Park is mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) but it is not documented exactly how long there has been a house on the estate, but it is known that it was home to the St. John family for a period of 500 years, before it came into the possession of the local council in the 1943.  The estate, which is open to the public, now comprises the Palladian house, a walled garden, an ice house, two lakes,  the12th century church and areas of woodland and open farm land.

I chose to sit in the shade of the lime trees on the main drive to do my drawing of the church.

Pen, Anilinky watercolours and Neopastels

A few of the group sketches