Twist box

I have long admired the beautiful Chinese thread books made by some book artists, but the structure looked rather daunting to me.  However, on this rather miserable, damp day I decided to tackle the smallest component, the twist box, to see how I got on.

I used an offcut of painted computer paper - this was only coloured on one side, so once the folding and gluing was complete I collaged matching green papers over the white facings, with the pink paper flower petals adding a bit more interest.  

3" x 3"

Eastleach sketching trip

After a couple of dismal days, our small group were fortunate to choose excellent weather for our planned sketching trip to Eastleach village in the Cotswolds earlier this week.

We met up for coffee on arrival and then later for lunch on the terrace of the Victoria Inn.  My first sketch was of the Clock Tower Cottages, just across from the Inn.  Lots of awkward angles to contend with here. These five cottages (built in the early 1870s) were designed by a renowned Victorian architect, Henry Astley Darbishire, at the request of the squire, Sir Thoms Bazley.  It is understood they were originally used as almshouses.

Pencil and pen sketch (8" x 5.5")

After lunch we made our way over the old "clapper" footbridge and alongside the River Leach, where I found a shady spot near one of the two churches in the village.

Pen and watercolour (8" x 5.5")

Postcard collage

 Another collaged postcard - 

Lino printed tissue, paste paper, texture paste, sketch
and machine stitch (6" x 4" on Hahnemuehle postcard

I am enjoying making use some of my facial sketches in these small collages.

Postcard collage

 Another small collage using one of my Hahnemuehle postcards.

 

Printed and painted tissue, book page, scanned sketch,
gold gel pen, machine stitch (6" x 4")

Revisiting eco dyeing

This is my second exploration of eco dyeing. This time I tried continus (smoke bush) leaves as they seem to be popular for this method.  There are several of these bushes in the park near me so I didn't have to trek far for my raw materials.  These leaves are very fresh and green at the moment, but turn to a bright scarlet in the autumn - will definitely have to try them again later in the year.

I used Hahnemeuhle 265 gsm mixed media bamboo paper this time, soaking it with water before laying on the leaves and a few bits of onion skin, so it would be easier to tightly roll round my piece of plastic pipe and securely tie with string.  I also added a few rusty screws to the vinegar water and set it gently boil for just over an hour.

The cooked bundle was an alarming charcoal black when it came out of the water, but once dry there are some very subtle hints of pink, purple and blue/green, plus patches of orange from the onion skin.

The paler sample is from my first dyeing effort last month -
this was on thinner drawing paper

Another sketch outing

Another sketching trip with a couple of friends to a farm cafe in the Cotswolds, complete with adjacent alpaca herd.  We had booked a table for lunch in the delightful courtyard garden and spent a pleasant few hours chatting and sketching.  

The original drawing and initial watercolour washes were done in situ, but I planned to add a bit more detail when I got home. I made a complete hash when I tried to add a background sky, then added more gouache which made it even worse!  The solution - use a strip of the same colour paper from a blank page, cut round the shapes of the umbrella and background foliage and stick it over the offending area.  Total disaster averted.

Pen, watercolour, gouache, wax pastel in
Hahnemuehle cappuccino sketchbook

Plein air sketching

At last, a chance to do some outdoor sketching with a couple of friends, fortified halfway by a pub lunch outside The Wheatsheaf Inn at Oaksey.  We had met up on a couple of occasions recently, but with so much news to catch up on my sketching had taken a back seat.

Pen and wash in an A5 Hahnemeuhle cappuccino sketchbook

Urban Sketchers "Drawing Attention" - June issue

The link for this month's zine

 

Postcard collage No. 3

 Another postcard from my paper scraps.

Lino prints, ink drawing, map fragment
and machine stitching  (6" x 4")