Roses complete

This is the finalised rose painting.  I opted to leave the background untouched - I didn't want to risk messing it up in the final stages.

Summer Fragrance - watercolour - approx 8" square

Sketch outing

On Saturday I joined the newly formed Swindon urban sketching group at Coate Water Country Park.  Despite really heavy rain to begin with, nine brave souls turned up and we managed to squeeze ourselves into a sheltered seating area overlooking the lake and it's iconic 1930's diving board.  True to our fickle British weather, we ended our session with sun and blue skies.

I managed a couple of very rough sketches whilst trying to keep my hands warm.

The Diving Board - pen and wash

Canoes in the distance - pen and wash

"In the Pink"

"In the Pink" - watercolour approx. 8" square

This is one of the pictures I have managed to get finished and framed, ready for the exhibition which starts this Sunday.

Image - "Terminus" - artist Lloyd Washington

Rose in progress

I've made a start on the watercolour roses, using a methodical petal by petal approach. The problem with working this way is that the end result might look a bit disjointed. Let's hope I can complete it without any disasters - I would hate to have to start again at this late stage.

Chaos in the studio

Still trying to get work completed for the October exhibition.  I decided to start two paintings of the Japanese anemones - one to be fairly loose, the other more controlled, my reasoning being that I'd have two chances at getting one worth framing.  I wasn't happy with my background attempt on the loose one (pictured below), although I may try and solve that at a later date.

Japanese Anemone - temporarily abandoned!

There is also a collage "simmering" on the sidelines - it is almost there, I just need to bring all the elements together.

Collage bits and pieces

..... and to add to the chaos, I have started another watercolour floral from this rose sketch.

Roses - pencil sketch

At least I will have three titles to add to my entry form - with a few days grace to finish the pictures to fit!

Flower sketches

With an exhibition deadline looming, it's time I got down to some serious work.

At this time of year my garden is a mass of Japanese anemones, despite my repeated attempts to keep them somewhat under control.  They are lovely, but I don't want them to take over at the expense of all my other plants.  Strange that when I pass a well-rooted plant to interested friends, they don't seem to have any success getting them to establish in their gardens.

Anyway, the outcome is that I have plenty of blooms to sketch in preparation for a watercolour painting.

Pencil sketches

Sketching in the park

Last Wednesday was the final outing of the local summer sketching group.

I am sure there will be opportunities over the next couple of months for me to capture a few more plein air drawings.  Meanwhile, I have to get my act together and get some work completed and framed for the Autumn Exhibition of the Guild of Wiltshire Artists next month.

Lydiard House - pen and wash (approx. 4" x 5")

Plant Sales - pen and wash (approx 4" x 5")
The wonky wheels are entirely my own design!