Category Archives: sketching

Mari Lwyd – A Short Film.

Here’s a 1 minute film of some of my drawings of Mari Lwyds. I drew them en plein air at various Mari Lwyd “Meets” across South Wales, mostly before the Covid19 lockdown. The “Meets” are slowly returning and I’m looking forward to being out and about with them again in the coming Midwinter and NewContinue reading “Mari Lwyd – A Short Film.”

Save Kilvey Hill.

Husb and I went to a demonstration this evening, to protest against the plans to erect a “Skyline” zipwire complex on Swansea’s iconic Kilvey Hill. When I was a kid, the hill was completely black, not a thing grew there, it was dead, killed by the Industrial Revolution. Then in the early 1960s, Swansea UniversityContinue reading “Save Kilvey Hill.”

A Palace Of Organs Up The Rhondda.

Husb and I had a great visit to the little village of Ynyshir in the Rhondda Valley last Saturday. First we visited the Workers Gallery, to catch the end of the drawing workshop by internationally renowned documentary photographer David Hurn. Then we adjourned to the next street, to an old converted chapel, to listen toContinue reading “A Palace Of Organs Up The Rhondda.”

Two Legends In A Valley Village.

Husb and I went to a fantastic event in the Rhondda Valley village of Ynyshir this afternoon, organised by the wonderful Workers Gallery which is currently showing an exhibition of rarely seen work by the renowned photographer David Hurn. And today they organised a conversation and Q&A session between David and the renowned actor MichaelContinue reading “Two Legends In A Valley Village.”

Weirdness Up A Mountain.

Husb and I took a walk up the mountain Llyn y Fan on the Bank Holiday to visit the smaller of the mountain lakes, Llyn y Fan Fach. I took some sheets of Somerset paper that I’d prepared in advance. This sheet was primed with white acrylic gesso, than brushed roughly with my home madeContinue reading “Weirdness Up A Mountain.”

To The Legendary Lake: 1.

It’s August Bank Holiday and of course, the weather was pretty miserable, overcast and drizzly, but reasonably warm. Husb and I were at a loose end and I’ve always wanted to walk up to the mythological lake Llyn y Fan Fach in the Bannau Brycheiniog. The lake is the site of one of Wales’ mostContinue reading “To The Legendary Lake: 1.”

Gigs And Scribbles: 5.

Here’s another small sketch from last week’s rock gig at Elysium in Swansea. I was listening to King Goon and scribbling as well, using a Faber Castell Pitt pen and Nitram charcoal. I spotted the hat and hood, great verticals and horizontals. It’s a very quick scribble, just getting down the essentials.

Gig And Scribbles: 4.

Another little sketch from the rock gig at Elysium in Swansea last Friday. I was listening to King Goon and scribbling as well, using a Faber Castell Pitt pen and Nitram charcoal. These sketches take one minute, two tops, sometimes just seconds. Speed sketching focuses you on the essentials of what’s before you, no time to be distractedContinue reading “Gig And Scribbles: 4.”

Gig And Scribbles: 3.

And another little scribble from last Friday’s gig at Elysium in Swansea. I was listening to King Goon and having a scribble at the same time, using a Faber Castell Pitt pen and Nitram charcoal. Although it’s been grey and rainy, it’s still very warm so lots of guys still in shorts, which I findContinue reading “Gig And Scribbles: 3.”