Three Sketchbooks: One Ink: Deep Violet

I have these three very different sketchbooks. The top one, made by a friend with all sorts of paper treasures, has been prepared with clear, textured gesso. The middle one, a thick hand-made Khadi paper, has been prepared with a smooth white gesso. And the one at the bottom, a smooth paper made by Indigo, hasn’t had any preparation.

I’m playing around with Liquitex acrylic inks, pouring and spreading onto the sketchbooks to see what happens; what sort of ground each will provide for further work. For this first one I used Deep Violet applied with a dropper and spread with a palette knife (top) or a wet square brush (bottom).

I have a new exhibition coming up, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. There’s a celebration event with me and other artists on Saturday September 5th and the show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment.

Stages In A Drawing

I took some photos while I was drawing this; having a camera on my phone is brilliant, so easy to record and upload work. I kept having to adjust his chin, I made it way too long in the early stages. The drawing took a little under an hour, using Caran d’Ache NeoPastels onto prepared repurposed paper.

I have a new exhibition coming up, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. There’s a celebration event with me and other artists on Saturday September 5th and the show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment.

Working With Life Models

I’ve been working with professional life models for years…decades. I love drawing people from all walks of life, but if I’m wanting to do something more than a sketch, I work with professional models because they are able to stay still, which is really important, and they’re not self-conscious. At the centre of my new exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery, are new linocut portraits developed from my work with these professional models. Running from September 5th to October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment.

One For The Diary…

Getting Ready To Exhibit

Here I am dusting my work at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. I’ve got an exhibition coming up…put September 5th in your diary. I’ve hung almost 2 dozen linocuts, mostly new work, and all for sale. I’ll be doing a demonstration of making lino prints with chine collé at a celebration event on Saturday 5th between 2pm and 4pm. Come and take a day trip to the lovely Rhondda Valley; it’s breath-taking, it really is.

Inspired By Eryri: 1

Husb and I went on a crazy coach trip to North Wales last week. It was fantastic, it’s such a gorgeous area. I didn’t want to do a lot of artwork, I wanted to enjoy the holiday, but I took a new sketchbook, made from very rough handmade Khadi paper that I prepared with gesso as it’s very absorbent. I also took my new Liquitex inks – I’ve never tried them before. So I sat on The Great Orme looking at Eryri (formerly Snowdonia), relaxed and let the inks drip.

A Busman’s Holiday

I haven’t posted on my blog for a week because I’ve been on holiday, a Grand (De)Tour of North Wales with a coachload of like-minded people. It was fantastic. I did some sketching, not too much because I wanted to relax as well. I didn’t want it to be too much like a Busman’s Holiday. This is a quick sketch overlooking the beach at Portmeirion, a truly beautiful place.

The Choir In The Church

I went to a concert featuring the choir that Husb is in, Cor Aderyn Du, at the beautiful Llangiwg Church on Barley Hill above Rhydyfro. I sat in the pews and sketched a bit. It was a lovely sunny evening and the sun streamed through the magnificent modern stained glass window.

Sketchbook Archives: 67

Back to Autumn 2016 and some random sketches that I did out and about. I really should do more. I’m still out and about but I find I’m participating more and more in what’s going on around me and don’t want to interrupt it with scribbling. Maybe I was more curmudgeonly back in the day 😀

Scribbling A Little Group

Husb and I went to a barbecue a few evenings ago, at a neighbours house, where many musicians played and the company was lovely and cheerful. A good opportunity to sit and sketch, I drew this group in pencil.