A small change

 

3" x 3" in watercolour Moleskine

I tried out Golden high flow and fluid acrylics on this one.  After the subtlety of watercolour, I was a bit overwhelmed by the strength of just a small amount of acrylic.  I went overboard and added a background glaze of gold ink, then decided to try and tone that down with some hatching in watercolour pencil and white Neo-pastel.

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

Flower studies

No virtual venue set for this month's local Urban Sketch group, but I promised myself I would set aside some time to draw.  A sunny day and lots of colour in the garden, so flowers it was.

Hahnemeuhle cappucino sketch book -
pen, watercolour, gouache and a touch of wax pastel

Urban Sketching - April 2020

Despite finally seeing some nice Spring weather, we cannot wander far from home for our Urban Sketch meeting this month.  Some of us are finding views from our windows, others finding inspiration on the internet.  At least I can get out and enjoy the garden.

Pen, watercolour, gouache and oil pastel in the Cappuccino Hahnemeuhle sketchbook

Sketchbook Revival - All Messed Up

Another gem from the Sketchbook Revival 2020 videos - Karen Stamper's "Wild Garden" in black and white.  I was particularly looking forward to this as I had found Karen's contribution last year inspiring and freeing.

Materials and techniques suggested were graphite, charcoal, candle wax, wax crayons, glue stick, torn paper stencils, leaf prints, ink (for drawing, spraying and wash), biro, markers, collage, etc.  The idea was to start with random graphite and charcoal, loose scribbles, areas of denser black with rubbed in crushed charcoal, resist marks with wax and glue stick, more charcoal, leaf shapes erased or sprayed through stencils, real leaf prints (directly on the page or collaged), finer lines with biro, inked lines with stick pen, etc.  All really wildly messy, but great fun.

I should probably have left more white areas - I did use white acrylic and then some gesso, but neither covered the charcoal as much as I would have liked.

The Tangled Hedge - mixed media in watercolour Moleskine 

Detail

Needing new glasses!

After finishing this imaginary portrait I realised I had placed the eyes too high.  Solution - a collaged pair of spectacles and new eyes!  And why not add a snazzy collar while I'm about it?

Mixed media and collage in tan sketchbook

Urban Sketchers 5th October

An excellent turnout today for our meeting at the Hall & Woodhouse public house in Wichelstowe, a satellite development to the south of Swindon.  Building started in 2008 and it is estimated that 4,500 new homes will have been completed over a period of 20 years.  Parts of the Berks and Wilts Canal running through the area have been restored, with plans to provide a vibrant canal side area.

The recently built pub was certainly interesting, with a narrow boat built into one wall, the interior lavishly decorated with canal and river paraphernalia and waterside views.

A section of the pub interior -
definitely a "boat house" ambiance

A few of the 20 plus sketchers

My view of the narrow boat which offers trips along the canal

September's Urban Sketch

I managed to grab a couple of hours on Saturday to join our local Urban Sketchers group at St. Augustine's Church, Even Swindon.

The church was built in the early 1900's and is closely surrounded by housing, so a good view of the outside of the building was difficult to find.

Inside, my photo does not do justice to the magnificent, semi-circular apse.  The images of Christ, Mary Magdalene and St. Augustine were painted in the late 1980s, with a stunning background of gold leaf.  I was very rusty after a couple of months without keeping up my drawing practice and my attempt to get this aspect down on paper failed miserably, so I found a viewpoint in the narrow strip of garden bounding one side of the building.

Pen, watercolour with touches of oil pastel
5" x 8"

Urban Sketchers Swindon

The local John Lewis department store invited our sketch group to spend a couple of hours in and around the store, in part helping to promote Swindon Open Studios which takes place near the end of this month.

Initially, the suggestion did not seem to attract much enthusiasm, but on the day there was quite a good turnout and the challenge was enjoyed.

I wasn't particularly pleased with my effort, having chosen a complicated view of the escalator and stairs, but I struggled on.  I should have followed the example of others in the group who isolated still life subjects from the various display stands.

Pen, watercolour, gouache, wax crayon, gel pen on tan paper

Below are some of the photos taken by Daniel Thuysbaert who organised the event.

Urban Sketchers Swindon

Sketch outing to TWIGS Community Garden.  I have been to this location a couple of times before, but this was a first for Swindon Urban Sketchers.  A glorious day, a good turn out with several new members and a luxuriant venue (we just had to be wary of the beekeepers working in one corner of the site).

Pen, watercolour, gouache, wax crayon on tan paper

A canal, a tunnel and a bit of history

Wednesday, 25th July - A grand day out with a local sketch group at a hidden-away gem in the Gloucestershire countryside.

Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, at the end of a long, narrow gravel track is The Tunnel House Inn, surrounded by fields and shady, woodland areas.  Steps down a steep slope lead to a long disused canal and a grand Georgian style tunnel entrance, known as the Coates Portal.

The Sapperton Tunnel was constructed in 1784-9 and, at over 2 miles, was the longest ever built at the time.  The tunnel was too narrow to accommodate a tow path for the horses which pulled the barges, therefore a couple of men would lay on their backs on the front of the barge and "walk" their way along the walls, hence earning the name "leggers".  Meanwhile, the horses had to be led overground to meet up at the other end of the tunnel at Daneway.

The Tunnel House originally served as a hostel for the construction workers, but once the canal was in use it became a place for refreshment.  Traffic through the tunnel ceased in 1911 and subsequent roof falls made it impassable.  The portals at both ends were restored in the 1970s, but efforts to restore the weak areas of the interior seem to have been abandoned.

My sketches were done with sepia fine liner, watercolour, gouache, wax crayon and white gel pen.

USk Swindon - 7 July

This is the group's second visit to this old cemetery in the town.  Last time was in November - a bit of a change in the weather since then as we have been experiencing several days of very high temperatures.  Luckily the area is well shaded with mature trees.

Radnor Street Chapel -
Pen, watercolour, gouache, wax pastel, white gel pen

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)

April sketch group

Yesterday's meeting took place in Town Gardens - a Victorian style park in the old town area of Swindon.  Threatened showers cleared to give us a reasonably mild morning with some welcome glimpses of sun.  I had previously sketched the ornate bandstand here, so decided to try the Aviary which houses quite a variety of exotic small birds.

Town Gardens Aviary - fine liner pen, Pentel brush pen and watercolour crayons
on Hahnemuhle Grey Paper

I was trying out some newly acquired watercolour wax crayons and am not really happy with my efforts.  The background trees were far too bright, so I scribbled over some black crayon and was able to try out a scraffito effect to add a bit of texture.

I definitely need to practice with these a bit more to achieve better results.

I was impressed with the sketches by this artist pat.southernpearce and wanted to attempt something similar.

Test colours on tan paper (Paperchase sketchbook) -
water added on the righthand side

Colours tested on Arches wc paper - white crayon has been
added over the six colours at the bottom which has muted
 them slightly