I went to the annual Wassail and Mari Lwyd parade at the Gower Heritage Centre today. Last night was Hen Galan, the “old” (Julian) New Year, celebrated in Wales with the Mari Lwyd, but as well as the riotous Wassail yesterday evening (with much local Shed Head Cider by all accounts), there was also aContinue reading “Wassail!”
Tag Archives: conte crayon
A Month Of Maris #17
Aaaaaaannnnddddd ….. another one. Here’s a quickie Mari Lwyd sketch in conté crayon into my brown paper sketchbook, from 2016. I think these very hasty sketches show the jollier side of the Mari Lwyd.
A Month Of Maris #16
Sometimes when I’m out and about sketching I have only a few seconds, maybe a minute or two, with a particular subject or pose, so I have to scribble away quickly, and the drawing often becomes very stylised. Here’s a Mari Lwyd from a few years ago, sketched at a Hen Galan pub crawl onContinue reading “A Month Of Maris #16”
A Month Of Maris #14
Here’s another Mari Lwyd sketch from my archives, one from Gellionen Chapel in 2017, back in those heady days before Covid19. we’re creeping closer to Hen Galan, Mari Lwyd’s very own night, which also happens to be the “old” New Year. It’s drawn in black, sanguine and white conté crayons into a spiral bound A4Continue reading “A Month Of Maris #14”
A Month Of Maris #11
We’re at that time of year when the old Welsh tradition of The Mari Lwyd / Y Fari Lwyd, is awakening from her slumbers ready for her night, Hen Galan, on January 13th – the New Year in the old Gregorian Calendar. This was drawn at the Gower Heritage Centre’s annual Wassail and Mari Lwyd Parade atContinue reading “A Month Of Maris #11”
A Month Of Maris #9
I can’t work out if I think this Mari is sinister or funny, there’s an edge to this drawing. I drew her at Gellionen Chapel in January 2018 when it was visited by Mari Ystrad from Ystradgynlais. The chapel is over 330 years old and set in isolation on Mynydd Gellionen Mountain, with spectacular viewsContinue reading “A Month Of Maris #9”
A Month Of Maris #8.
This is another Mari Lwyd from my archives that I’m posting through December and early January up until her night, Hen Galan on January 13th. This “live” sketch was made late in 2016 at an appearance by the Mari in Gellionen Chapel. All the Maris I’ve seen have different looks and personalities, I think this one looks quite goofy andContinue reading “A Month Of Maris #8.”
A Month Of Maris #5
Here’s another of my archive Mari Lwyds that I’m posting through December and early January up to her night, Hen Galan on January 13th. It’s the old New Year, which doesn’t make much sense until you find out it’s the Julian, or pre-Gregorian, calendar. This sketch dates from 2016 at Gellionen Chapel and is drawn in white, sanguineContinue reading “A Month Of Maris #5”
Rhys Four Ways.
I was teaching this afternoon, demonstrating different types of black drawing materials. I killed two birds with one stone as I also wanted to enter the Rhys Ifans Portrait exhibition coming up at GS Artists in Swansea. I did this fairly quick sketch, about 30 minutes, with four media – pencil (4B), willow charcoal (thin),Continue reading “Rhys Four Ways.”
Stretched Out
Here’s the second 30-minute pose from this week’s life drawing. I prefer to draw reclining poses from the head or feet, to practice foreshortening, but this is the place I was standing so I had to make do with this stretched out pose. I wasn’t too keen to begin with but once I started puttingContinue reading “Stretched Out”
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