Home and Hinterland

Wobbly Bits And The Drangway

Here’s a quick scribbly sketch from one of my wanderings around Waun Wen and this little bit of street has a dark, narrow drangway going off to the left and a very wobbly set of railings, bashed by a car, facing me in the middle of the sketch. A drangway is dialect from the SouthContinue reading “Wobbly Bits And The Drangway”

Strangeness On A Window

I’ve been doing a lot of sketching en plein air in the streets in the Waun Wen part of the city recently, and it’s surprising what you see when you stop and look. Really look, like you have to when you’re drawing. Here are two gnomes on top of a bay window in a littleContinue reading “Strangeness On A Window”

From One Hill To Another

I’m going to be working in the Waun Wen area of the city for the next few months and I’ve booked the lovely community centre twice a week, as a base in the locality and as an occasional artist studio. Today was rainy but I managed to get in a drawing between showers. Here’s theContinue reading “From One Hill To Another”

Like Klimt’s Kiss

Walking and drawing in the streets of the Waun Wen area of the city, I find all sorts of things to record in my little sketchbook. I was wandering behind this young couple walking their dog and they stopped and leaned together and kissed so I scribbled, of course. Then I noticed how similar theContinue reading “Like Klimt’s Kiss”

Odd Angles

“Draw what you see, not what you think you see”. It sounds like stating the bleedin’ obvious but it’s so easy to look at something and think, “that looks weird, look at the odd angles” and try and make it better. I force myself to concentrate on being fairly accurate; even though my style isContinue reading “Odd Angles”

The Fat Seagull

I’ve been going out sketching silently for the past 4 Sundays, around the Waun Wen area of Swansea. Just little quiet scribbles, carrying my sketchbook through the streets, working en plein air. I like looking up, as many people don’t and they miss so much. I’m noticing so many details I hadn’t before. On theContinue reading “The Fat Seagull”

The White Meadow. Waun Wen

Here are a couple more sketches I did on one of my recent quiet contemplative walks around the Waun Wen area of Swansea. It’s a traditional working class area near the centre of Swansea. Local place names reflect its pre-industrial bucolic heritage – Ysgubor Fach (Little Barn), Cwmfelin and Brynmelin (valley with a mill, hillContinue reading “The White Meadow. Waun Wen”

Walking The Streets

Here’s another little sketch I did, walking the streets last week. I’m doing a sort of drawing contemplation I guess. Sketching what’s in front of me fixes it in my mind much more thoroughly than taking a photo ever would. I’m building up a bigger picture of the area now from these little pictures. PlentyContinue reading “Walking The Streets”

Almost Meditative

Another little sketch from Sunday. I spent an hour walking and sketching very quietly, almost meditatively. I’ve often scribbled in public but very quick and opportunistic, so it’s very different to walk slowly and draw with such focus over a period of time. I’m enjoying it and I’m also getting a greater depth of observation.Continue reading “Almost Meditative”

More Tiny Scribbling

Here’s another little scribble I did en plein air yesterday, walking around the Waun Wen area of Swansea. I’m doing it for a reason but I can’t say just yet, soon though …. My lovely nephew (in the middle) along with these other wonderful young people have benefitted from the Children In Need charity andContinue reading “More Tiny Scribbling”