What Are Angels?

Yesterday I started sketching some very rough ideas on the subject of angels, using brushes and walnut ink. But I also used a dip pen to write around the edges of the paper – thoughts about what angels are. I was surprised by how many there were and they’re still coming. Sometimes I get visual ideas from words, sometimes I don’t.

I have an exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the are in the area.

Got To Begin Somewhere…

I’ve been asked to submit a piece to an upcoming exhibition on the theme of “Angels”. It’s not a subject I’ve ever given any thought to in the past so I have to develop something from scratch. So I grabbed some paper and started playing around with ink, a dip pen and a couple of brushes. Just seeing what happens with no plans, no design concept. The paper is recycled from leftover prints at Swansea Print Workshop. The background colour is re-used acrylic screen printing ink, and the figures are sketched in my home made walnut ink. I also scribbled down my thought on what angels are…Who knows where this will lead?

I have an exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the are in the area.

It’s All Practice

I don’t often sketch indoors unless there are people involved but I was visiting Anglesey / Ynys Môn last week and visited Melin Llynon which has the last working windmill in Wales. I did a quick sketch of some of the very old wooden apparatus on the first floor – my terror of heights stopped me from going up to the second and third floors! It’s not an interesting sketch and I can’t say I much enjoyed making it, but it’s all practice.

I have an exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the are in the area.

#Caturday: Three Simple Scribbles

Three very quick and simple little sketches of Eric House Tiger on a cushion. I was concentrating on getting the outline rather than details, using a HB pencil into my A6 Indigo sketchbook.

I have an exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the are in the area.

Sketchbook Archives: 70

Here are some drawings en plein air from March 2017 when I visited Big Pit. I used white, black and sanguine conté crayons into a brown paper sketchbook.

It’s the last couple of weeks to see my exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the area.

A Little Sketch Away

Husb and I were away for a few days last week and I did a few sketches. Here’s a little bit of Conwy Castle in pencil.

It’s the last couple of weeks to see my exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the area.

Ink Splash And Mountains

Husb and I spent a lovely few days in Trefriw in North Wales, revisiting our honeymoon hotel. Over the past few weeks I’ve been preparing sketchbooks with splashes and washes of Liquitex acrylic inks, so I took them with me to do a bit of sketching. I chose the lime green splash in my square-format lightweight hand-made Khadi sketchbook and, using just a 6B graphite block, I did a quick sketch. I focused on the mark making to get a fleeting impression of what was in front of me (the view through the bedroom window).

It’s the last couple of weeks to see my exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the area.

Ink Splash And Waterfall

Husb and I spent a lovely few days in one of our favourite places, North Wales, on a relaxing holiday. It’s such a contrast to the hectic city life, I love it there. Over the past few weeks I’ve been preparing sketchbooks with splashes and washes of Liquitex acrylic inks, so I took them with me to do a bit of sketching. We went on a fairly tough walk to Swallow Falls where there was a viewing bench so I sat down and chose one of the prepared pages to do a quick sketch. It’s gestural and intuitive and took about 5 minutes, using graphite (6B), black and white conté crayons. There is an easy way to get to the waterfall, but we decided to walk along the Swallow Falls Trail, about 2.5 hours from Betws Y Coed, because that’s just how we rock!

It’s the last couple of weeks to see my exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the area.

Salty Flowers

Yesterday I posted my three sketchbooks that I’m preparing with a variety of Liquitex acrylic inks. I thought I’d show a close-up of one of the pages; it’s in the handmade sketchbook that a friend created for me. She used all sorts of vintage illustrations and sealed it with clear textured gesso. I painted the deep turquoise ink across the illustrated page and threw large salt crystals across it. It didn’t do much at first but when I went and looked about 10 minutes later it was covered with flowers.

It’s the last couple of weeks to see my exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the area.

Three Sketchbooks: One Ink: Deep Turquoise With Salt

I carried on preparing my three sketchbooks with Liquitex inks and salt but this time I used large crystals of rock salt, I didn’t grind them. I think the effect is much better, more noticeable. I used Deep Turquoise Liquitex acrylic ink, applied with a dropper onto a dry surface and I twisted and turned the books to get the ink running in different directions. Then I spread some of it with a large brush and a palette knife before throwing loads of salt at them.

I have an exhibition, “Carved Heads And Other Creatures”, part of MANIFEST at The Workers Gallery in Ynyshir. The show runs until October 31st. Open Saturdays 10.00 – 17.00, other times by appointment. Come and have a look if you’re in the area.