Category Archives: out and about

Murky Mountain

Up a mountain once again, Mynydd Y Gwair this week, with filmmaker Melvyn Williams and pre-historian Dewi Bowen, visiting Penlle’s Castell. Although it looks reasonably fine, it was shockingly windy and the rain clouds loomed murkily in the distance and I struggled to draw. It was very hard work, staying upright and drawing but one ofContinue reading “Murky Mountain”

Drawing The Dark

Husb and I went for a stroll in the dark down to the beach. We’re lucky enough to live just a few minutes walk from Swansea Bay which would be idyllic if it didn’t rain for most of the year! But it’s a great place to nip out for some exercise. I took my A4Continue reading “Drawing The Dark”

Preparation And Plein Air

Here’s another view of Maen Bradwen, or Carreg Bica on Mynydd Drummau Mountain in Neath Port Talbot. It’s a massive stone and local legend has it that it bathes in the River Neath on Easter morning. I drew this fairly quickly with Daler Rowney soft pastels onto Fabriano paper that had been prepared with twoContinue reading “Preparation And Plein Air”

Best Quality

I did three drawings of Maen Bredwan this week, drawing directly onto prepared Fabriano paper that had been coated with gesso and then covered randomly with my own home-made walnut ink. I quickly sketched the basic details with a white conté crayon and then worked into it with Daler Rowney soft pastels (artist quality). It’sContinue reading “Best Quality”

Manure Mountain

Today I was back tramping around the South Wales countryside, continuing with Yr Helfa, The Hunt, a series of drawings done en plein air from ancient stone monuments. It’s been going on for a year now, with filmmaker Melvyn Williams and prehistorian Dewi Bowen and in between I had a solo show of around 40Continue reading “Manure Mountain”

Stones, Scribbles, Settee.

I almost always draw from life but I sat on the settee last night and got down to scribbling . I didn’t think too much about it, just let it come and it’s obvious that I’m influenced at the moment by the drawings I’ve been doing of Neolithic stones over the past year. I usedContinue reading “Stones, Scribbles, Settee.”

More Than A Walk

I did another very quick sketch while walking in Penllegare Woods yesterday and worked into it some more when I came back. I think that took the emphasis off doing something detailed and instead allowed me to explore something more expressive through the mark making. I started with something rooted in reality but then tookContinue reading “More Than A Walk”

A Walk In The Woods

I went for a walk in the beautiful Penllegare Woods this morning. I was brilliant sunshine but also only just above freezing point, the low Winter sun threw deep shadows across the leaf-strewn paths. The sketch was quick, just a couple of minutes with conté crayons in black, sanguine and white. The speediness forced meContinue reading “A Walk In The Woods”

Strolling

Sometimes I have a quick scribble when I’m out strolling. Just a minute or so, hardly breaking my walk, using my white, sanguine and black conté crayons into an A4 brown paper sketchbook. This is a footpath under an old railway bridge near the seafront.     I am putting my series of drawings ofContinue reading “Strolling”