Here’s another drawing I did while I was walking around the industrial ruins of the Lower Swansea Valley. I spent a lot of time drawing in and around this building that was covered in graffitti. I drew this into my A4 black paper sktchbook with conte crayons and oil pastels.
Swansea Print Workshop has a major exhibition coming up for its members, based on the theme of the industrial valley. Swansea and South Wales were in the forefront of the Industrial Revolution and the area is full of historical ruins. I went out sketching to the Lower Swansea Valley a couple of days ago; the weather was fantastic and Husb came with me, supposedly to sketch, but he spent a couple of hours foraging for blackberries and hazelnuts. He’s made a load of blackberry cordial for the winter months. It’s comforting to have a glass of hot blackberry cordial when it’s cold and pouring with rain on a dark wintry night, to be reminded of the summer.
Anyway, I don’t particularly like drawing landscapes and buildings but one of the ruins had been taken over by graffitti artists which I found really interesting, so that’s what I focussed on. I used Faber Castell Pitt drawing pens with a medium ink wash into my clothbound A5 sketchbook that I’d prepared with some random torn parcel paper, stuck in with Pritt. I also used a smidgeon of white conte crayon.
I often sit and have a quick scribble in the street, but quietly so people don’t notice and start to pose. I sat opposite this young mother and her little boy the other day. They were lost in their own world, so sweet and touching. I used a Faber Castell Pitt drawing pen, size F into an A5 cloth-bound sketchbook.
Sometimes I only have a minute or two to scribble someone in the street. Here’s an elderly man sitting outside Starvin’ Jacks the other day. I grabbed my sketchbook and did my thing. About a minute and a half before he moved on. You never know how long you have so all the relevant lines have to be done very quickly and that helps train you in spotting what’s necessary and what can be ditched. There’s no substitute for speed drawing IMHO. Faber Castell Pitt pen size F into my A5 cloth bound Laura Ashley sketchbook.
Does what it says on the tin. A man. On the floor. Just got back from life drawing group this evening, at Swansea Print Workshop, and had a terrific pose to draw, with difficult angles, perspective and foreshortening. Lovely. I’m a bit of a masochistic scribbler. The workshop has strong spotlights that give good chiaroscuro effects. I used a dip pen, Indian ink, a variety of sable brushes with ink wash into an A3 cartridge pad.
Another bout of insomnia so I grabbed my little black sketchbook and scribbled away at Husb while he slept. It didn’t get me off to sleep but I had a chance to sketch him from an unflattering angle. Drawn with white conte crayon into a Daler Rowney spiral bound black sketchbook.
I’ve spent a couple of days cataloguing my work, a task I’ve been putting off for ages. I’ve rediscovered pieces I’d completely forgotten about, like this block print I made some years ago. I went through a phase of cutting nudes in lino and then went off it. I don’t know why. Now I’ve found this again I really like it. Printed onto Zercoll 145 gsm paper with Intaglio Printmaker relief ink.
Gorgeous evening after days of torrential rain so Husb and I headed to the beach for a paddle. It’s great living so close to the sea; I spent a few years living inland and I really missed it. When I came back at the weekends I could taste the tang of salt in the air when I got off the train. I love drawing kids on the beach. It’s like they’re made of rubber bands, they’re so full of energy and they bounce all over the place. I really liked the Dad who was leading his toddler by the hand for a paddle, so protective.
Drawn into my A5 clothbound sketchbook with faber Castell Pitt drawing pen, size F.
Such excitement this evening as the BBC announced the new Doctor Who. It’s the 50th anniversary of the programme this year and I remember watching the first episode. My sister and I hid behind the settee peeping at the TV through our fingers. Our Mam had never seen us so scared before and threatened to turn it off. We pleaded with her not too. Although we were scared, we just had to carry on watching. Like generations since. And now we are getting the rather lovely Peter Capbaldi as the new Doctor; an older Doctor for women of a certain age 😉
Oh yes. Some art lol.
Some quick scribbles from the beach last week. When we had a summer. Unlike this week of torrential rain.
Had a bit of a paddle down the beach the other day and spotted a group of 6 or 7 young women practicing rugby on the sand. They were athletic and attractive and soon got the attention of a group of lads about the same age who sounded like they were on holiday from England. A small gaggle of blokes broke away from the main herd and circled the rugby-girls like lions stalking wildebeest – David Attenborough’s commentary wouldn’t have gone amiss!
The lads bantered a bit, the girlies giggled a bit and then the lads asked to join in the game. After a bit of a conflab, the girlies agreed and a game started. Well, the women were obviously playing for a team because they TRASHED the lads. It was hilarious.
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