Big Boned Blokes

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Husb and I are having a few days in Vienna. It’s so easy to get to most of Europe and it’s wonderful to be able to see places that I’ve read about. First off though, I had a scribble at Heathrow, a big boned bloke sitting opposite, absorbed in his Tablet so he didn’t notice me scribbling into my little A6 sketchbook with a Faber Castell Pitt drawing pen size S.

Getting from the airport to the hotel was a bit confusing but the public transport is great and we got on a tram and went for a walk around part of the Ringstrasse down to the Secession building and Nachmarkt where I spotted this other big boned bloke with an enormous kitteh.
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You can just see the Secession building in the background. Today it’s Egon Shiele at The Leopold. I’m so lucky.

Fidgety Boxer

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Husb and I visited Holly the boxer and her trained monkeys this evening. She’s rather elderly and full of character and I thought she’d make a good model. She had other ideas. Every time I started sketching her, she turned her back on me as soon as she realised what I was doing. I managed a few speed sketches but she was very uncooperative. I used my Samsung Galaxy Tablet Note 8 using the free Markers app.

Dark Impressions

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I’m carrying on with working dark on dark. I prepared lots of pages in my handmade Khadi sketchbook with an Indian ink wash and I’m working on top with random marks using different drawing materials such as carbon, graphite block, black pastels, black oil bar, compressed and willow charcoal.

I admire artists who work from their imagination; it’s something I find very hard. I have always preferred to work from what’s around me. I’m actively trying to break through the blocks that are stopping me by doing these drawings.

Atmospheres

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I’m having a bit of a practice doing atmospheric drawings straight into my Khadi sketchbook that I’d prepared with an Indian ink wash. I used willow charcoal, carbon and graphite and focused on mark making to make different effects on the surface of the paper.

Drawing Night

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Drawing at night isn’t too bad in the city centre, because of illumination from street and shop lighting. But on the beach, Swansea Bay, unless there’s a clear moon, there’s very little light and no clear landmarks. So drawing a deserted night scene is about interpreting the different elements of the darkness with varied materials and marks.

I used white compressed charcoal, willow charcoal and carbon into a Khadi sketchbook that I’d prepared with an Indian ink wash.

Pre-washed

scan0001A description of 1980s denim fashion and also my way of preparing some of my little Khadi handmade paper sketchbooks (15cms square) with random ink washes using dilute Indian ink applied with a small piece of natural sponge. It’s a good base for night sketches. All you need is a bit of white compressed charcoal (Seawhite’s of Brighton) and carbon (Daler Rowney) and Bob’s your uncle. It also helps to live by the beach.

Bath Building

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I spent a couple of days in Bath earlier this week, invigilating at the Commensalis group show at the Octagon, part of Fringe Arts Bath. It’s a long day so I entertained myself by drawing on my Galaxy Tablet Note 8. The Octagon is a beautiful old chapel. I don’t generally draw buildings, I’m much more familiar with anatomy, but it’s nice to have a change.

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I use a lot of continuous line drawing technique when I am drawing buildings.

More Mini Monos

mini monotypes of hares and badgers
mini monotypes of hares and badgers

After two days in Bath at Fringe Arts Bath with the Commensalis group, I came home and did a day of making monotypes at Creative Bubble with the 15 Hundred Lives art collective. I was there on Monday doing more of the same. Today I used some drawings of a hare and badger from my little spotted sketchbook. I’m using different papers – acid-free tissue, Saunders and cartridge. Each gives a different line quality. I like them all, can’t choose a favourite. This weekend, I’m going to have a lie-in. If the cats let me. Which they won’t.

 

 

Caffeine And Pasties

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I’ve just got back from 2 days in Bath, invigilating the group show I’m in with the Commensalis collective at The Octagon on Milsom Street, which is venue number 8 at Fringe Arts Bath. We’re sharing the gallery with another group and I drew one of the artworks, a felt sculpture by Mazy Bartlett. It’s beautifully made, colourful and witty. The number of visitors has been pretty good, averaging a hundred a day. The shifts were pretty long but I got through with plenty of coffee, Diet Coke and pasties. 4 pasties in 2 days. I’m pastied out!

Drawn with my Samsung Galaxy Tablet Note 8 using the free Markers app.

Mini Monos

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I spent today at the Creative Bubble artspace in the city centre. I’m a member of an art collective called 15 Hundred Lives and we’re at Creative Bubble all week with an exhibition of our work and each of us is doing demonstrations of techniques that we use.

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Today I worked on some new little monotypes, based on drawings I did on my Samsung Galaxy Tablet of foxes.

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I used Intaglio Printmakers oil based relief ink and tried a number of different papers; two by Saunders, a creamy smooth one and a white textured and also a smooth white cartridge paper and finally a lightweight tissue paper. Each gave a very different line, the tissue paper had the crispest but didn’t take textures well.