Last week was full with 3 days away, another great workshop with my group at Easton Walled Gardens and not very much drawing board time. The miserable weather and dark mornings made walks a bit more sporadic but I still managed a few, with related sketches. For the first few days of the week everything was grey and misty; land, water and sky merging into one. Trees, people and birds reduced to featureless darker shapes. Its quite beautiful really.
Monday: I walked up to the Visitor Centre to draw these trees. I will be teaching a “How to develop a sketch” workshop soon and this is a scene I have drawn and painted before. It also means I can have a cup of tea while sketching!
I wanted to look at outlines as well as tone. The trees are losing their leaves fast now. A double spread with a thick pen.
Tuesday: cold fishermen on a cold grey day
Wednesday: I had to go St Neots way and have always liked the power Little Barford power station towers. A quick sketch on another grey day with low clouds
Thursday: A very hardy early fisherman on a very still grey misty morning. Even the ducks were motionless and looked glued to the water.
Later …..Joe’s pumpkins
Friday: Easton Workshop Day We had another great workshop all about recording material from the garden and colour. In preparation I had played around with some gelatine printing with leaves from the garden here. Many, many possibilities are revealed through playing and experimenting and allowing accidents to happen. Thanks to all for another inspirational day.
Sunday: Little Paxton walk. A chilly walk mid morning and a sketch of part of the nicely woven fence..with a living willow post. It reminded me of my time in Costa Rica where branches of the accommodating gumbo limbo tree can just be stuck in the ground to form wonderful living fences.
There was a gumbo limbo tree at Leu.
See my post Gumbo Limbo and Peeling Tourists.
My drawing of the gumbo limbo twiglet with leaves. Earlier this year I used a weigela pruning as a pea stick. It grew happily.. rather better than the peas in fact..
The living willow post Paxton Pits. All sketches pen and ink in an A5 cartridge sketchbook. ( I have run out of spiral bound ones so used a gummed block. The pages are already falling out…v annoying!) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If you are wondering why I am numbering the weeks it’s because I am on countdown to a small operation which will have me on crutches for quite a while.
I am dreading the confinement but will hopefully be skipping, rather than hobbling, round the countryside again. Week 16 will be my last walking week.
Meanwhile I am out as much as possible!
You have inspired me to sketch more! I'm a watercolorist, and usually only make very basic sketches for my work, but realize the value of sketching. STarting a notebook today!
Hope the next six weeks will be long ones.
Continue to be amazed how you manage to produce so many quality drawings.
rather taken with the – it's too cold to move – ducks.