A Walk In The Woods

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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 me to focus on the essence of the subject, no time for detail. I think it’s a good exercise to do rapid drawings, it hones my observational skills.

 

 

I am putting my series of drawings of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

Strolling

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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 of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

Beacons

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Driving back over the Brecon Beacons to Swansea, I did a quick sketch in the car, drawing an approximate image because we travelled too fast to do a detailed drawing.

From The Sugarloaf

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There are two mountains called Sugarloaf in South Wales and Husb and I travelled up and down the nearest, on the A483 between Llanwrtyd Wells and Llandovery on our way to Builth Wells. We stopped at the picnic area to munch our cheese and pickle rolls (home-made green tomato chutney) and I spent a couple of minutes sketching the view back down the valley towards Llandovery.

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I drew with white, sanguine and black conté crayons into my A4 brown paper sketchbook (from Seawhites of Brighton). I used the crayons mostly on their side, varying the pressure when I wanted a linear effect. I find that this is the quickest way to draw with them.

 

I am putting my series of drawings of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

Swallows And Amazons

swallows-and-amazons

Husb and I spent a few days visiting family in The Lake District last week. We travelled around quite a bit; I was hoping to do a lot of drawing but it was freezing! (I’ve been called a Southern Softie for wimping out). Here’s one of the gorgeous views I would have scribbled if I hadn’t been so cold. We stopped for a ‘comfort’ break at Coniston Water and the little island just right of centre is supposed to be one of the settings for Arthur Ransome’s book for children, Swallows and Amazons. I must check out the film.

 

 

I am putting my series of drawings of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

BBBRRRRR 2!!!!!

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Husb and I spent a few days in The Lake District earlier this week and visited the stupendous Castlerigg stone circle near Keswick.

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I did a quick scribble, just a few seconds as it was so cold, freezing! I used conté crayons in white, sanguine and black into my A4 spiral bound brown paper sketchbook.

castlerigg

 

 

I am putting my series of drawings of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

BBBBRRRRRRR!!!!!!

bbbrrrrr-1

Husb and I spent a few days in the Lake District this week. It was freezing cold! Temperature dropped to about -4° Celsius at night. We went walking on Birkrigg Common and I did a quick sketch. Very quick as my hands rapidly became too cold to draw. It forces you to focus on the bare essentials of what is before you, there’s no time for detail. I used white, sanguine and black conté crayon into my A4 spiral bound brown paper sketchbook from Seawhites of Brighton.

 

I am putting my series of drawings of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

The Sinister Skull

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I thought I had blogged all the monotypes I made from my Mari Lwyd drawings but I overlooked this one. It was the last that I did that day and maybe because I was tired and hungry, it’s probably the most sinister of the series. Mari Lwyd is actually quite a fun tradition, with lots of banter, drinking and skittishness although people unfamiliar with it are often spooked by the horse’s skull!

 

 

I am putting my series of drawings of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

Doodlenotes

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Husb and I recently went to a talk at Swansea’s excellent Galerie Simpson by Owen Hatherley, journalist, author, social commentator and an inspiration behind the recent Austerity Nostalgia exhibition. It was fascinating and I wanted to make notes to remind me. I had my red-embroidered-covered-lined-notebook with me and a nice Faber Castell drawing pen.

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I think visually and hate making notes entirely in writing, I prefer to doodle them, even if it’s just playing with the fonts. I find them far more memorable than pages of cramped handwriting and I’m more motivated to re-read them.

owen-hatherly-galerie-simpson

 

 

I am putting my series of drawings of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis

Random Heads

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I’ll scribble anytime, anywhere, me. I only had a lined notebook with me but what the heck! It’s good practice to draw quickly, you can’t expect random people to stay still and pose. It forces you to identify the basic features of your subject and reject anything above and beyond that.

 

I am putting my series of drawings of ancient Welsh monuments on Artfinder.  If you want to buy one, you can see them by clicking on the image below or the Artfinder link at the top right of this page.

St Elvis