I recently did a short online workshop with Pat Southern-Pearce (booked via Ardington School of Crafts). Pat is well-known in the Urban Sketching community and has a very distinctive style, using mixed media materials (here she used mainly watercolour pencils and crayons, ink and gel pens).
The following two images were completed following along with Pat's demonstrations. I used a Paperchase Kraft sketchbook (7" x 9").
The last two of this challenge. I'm glad I managed to complete it, although occasionally hurrying to get my day's contribution down just before midnight!
I have started to over-think these postcard collages instead of quickly just grabbing what comes to hand - not necessarily a good idea.
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| Handprinted tissue, mulberry and cartridge paper, acrylic, gel pens and machine stitch (Hahnemeuhle watercolour postcard 6" x 4") |
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.
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| 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.
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| Pen and watercolour (8" x 5.5") |
Another collaged postcard -
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| 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.
Another small collage using one of my Hahnemuehle postcards.
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| Printed and painted tissue, book page, scanned sketch, gold gel pen, machine stitch (6" x 4") |
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.
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| Pen, watercolour, gouache, wax pastel in Hahnemuehle cappuccino sketchbook |
To recap, this journal was started in response to a 5 day challenge by collage artist Lydia Rink. A set of 5 instruction videos plus a materials list were provided, starting with how to make a simple A5 journal, and making your own collage papers, plus sourcing images and letter forms from magazines, posters, etc.
I have used some pre-printed images and text, but mainly utilised my own painted and hand-printed papers together with snippets from my sketchbooks. It took me a couple of pages to get into a way of working that suited me, but I enjoyed the process.
I've finally got round to adding a little more detail to the sketchbook pages I shared at the end of December.
On the left I have used some wine cork stamps and on the righthand page I stencilled paint through a fine paper-cut image from an old birthday card. The latter didn't work particularly well, but there was enough information to bring out some detail with coloured pencil.
Going through some loose sketches seeking inspiration for my continuing sketchbook challenge, I came across this very ancient pen and coloured pencil drawing which I felt deserved to be filed in a more substantial way. My reference was a small plein air pen sketch done on the evening of the concert. The blue collaged panel hints at the firework display which fizzled out due to the rain and wind.
Not a lot happening with my sketchbook these last couple of weeks, but I have been raiding my files of old sketches and doodles to see if there's anything I can usefully include.
The two drawings I've glued onto this spread are quite some years old, both based on fashion magazine images - with a little bit of collage added to tie in with the background colours. This is not finished, but I am not sure yet what is needed.
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| Collage, acrylic paint, printed papers, coloured pencil sketches |
Another spread almost complete. Again, repurposed earlier work, with figures vaguely based on the type of traditional design used for playing cards.
For the background I used a purchased stencil, the Queen and the four symbols are lino prints, the King and the Knave are mono printed using oil-based ink (with some added pencil details). As my attempts at mono printing the Jester did not come out well, I used my Sharpie drawing instead, with colour pencil.
Adding more to pages already started.
This spread utilises past sketches, scanned and enlarged to fit within the paint-scraped border. On the right I have used a fine liner pen to reinforce the inkjet print. Underneath the tracing paper insert on the left, I have collaged a piece of cover paper from my original handmade book to mimic the colour of the snakeshead fritillaries.
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| Zentangle in black ink Evening primrose sketch (black ink with gold ink background) |
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| Clematis (black ink, felt tip and gel pens) Orchid (black ink and acrylic inks) |
My enthusiasm and inspiration is beginning to wane a bit, particularly as I am not liking working on this background, but only three more days to go.
I used Indian ink again on the lefthand image, using white gesso as a base for the flower and leaves to enable me to use a dip pen and acrylic ink to add detail and colour.
For the other image I printed small lino cuts and foam stamps with ink-tinted gesso, adding line work with acrylic ink and gel pens.
Thank goodness it's nearly the end of the month - I'm beginning to run out of ideas for making my sketches stand out on this background.
Some experiments in an effort to make my sketches stand out more on this painted background.
On the left, I painted Indian ink for the inset background, sketching on top with metallic gel pens. This certainly made the image stand out.
On the right I used an underpainting of white gesso, drawing with a fine liner pen and adding colour with Inktense washes.
For the rose sketch I used acrylic inks both with a dip pen for the drawing and for the colour washes. The barn was sketched with waterproof fine liners in grey and black, with added washes of walnut ink.
I am halfway there! I have completed one side of my fold sketchbook.
Last week my daughter and I visited a sculpture park in the Cotswolds. It was a reasonably fine day and I took plenty of photos (there were well over 100 sculptures both large and small) so a couple provided me with subjects for my 15th and 16th sketches.
This is the full, unfolded side. I have now reversed the folds and started on the other side for the remainder of the month.
So far, the pens used for my sketches in this booklet have been the Faber Castell Pitt pen (Fine) and the Edding 1800 Profipen (0.3), both in sepia. Other materials used on some of the pages - walnut ink, gel pens, Inktense pencils, and white acrylic ink.
