From Paper To Block

Yesterday I showed the a page of text designs I did for small lino blocks (here) so today I selected the first two that I’m going to carve. I started the process by painting the text onto paper with an Isabey watercolour brush and walnut ink, then I traced the text using 90gsm tracing paperContinue reading “From Paper To Block”

Writing The Changes

Now that I have a fresh supply of new grey lino – smells gorgeous – I can carry on with cutting little blocks of text. I have been writing down a list of words and phrases since the pandemic started, well since lockdown I suppose, and it’s been interesting how the spirit and feeling ofContinue reading “Writing The Changes”

‘Only’ The Cat

I try to do a drawing every day, even if it’s only the cat (she doesn’t like me describing her as ‘only’ the cat). It’s important to practice every day, sketching is like a singer practising their scales. And to be honest, after the very difficult weekend half the world has had, it’s nice toContinue reading “‘Only’ The Cat”

A Tough Decision

I did something yesterday that’s made a lot of people angry. I knew it would and I knew the risks but I decided to go ahead and do it and also do my best to minimise the risks to others. I went to the #BlackLivesMatter protest in Swansea. It wasn’t a hasty decision and IContinue reading “A Tough Decision”

A Cityscape, A Lush Loaf And A Spider Man

Earlier, before the rain started, we went to visit an elderly friend who lives high on the hill, observing social distance of course. I did a scribble into my Khadi sketchbook with some willow charcoal. It’s hard drawing a cityscape – it’s so packed with detail and charcoal is quite a blunt instrument, so IContinue reading “A Cityscape, A Lush Loaf And A Spider Man”

Out The Back

This is the sort of subject that I really don’t like to draw, it’s way outside my comfort zone. Give me people and animals any day, or even a bit of open landscape. But. I need to challenge myself, so I had a scribble looking out of the back door into my garden. It’s aContinue reading “Out The Back”

Charcoal And Baps

I took my Khadi sketchbook and willow charcoal to the allotment this evening and drew from inside the allotment site, which is tucked away in a corner of the Castle park. It’s on a fairly steep hill dropping away to the coast and we’re near the top. It’s surrounded by woodland, which can be aContinue reading “Charcoal And Baps”

Nothing Much To See Here….

Today I restarted something that has been brewing for a while now, what I call my “serious” art work, my response to the Covid19 Pandemic. It’s been on hold while I’ve been waiting for materials to arrive; they’re not all here, a lot of stuff is out of stock, but I have enough to kick-startContinue reading “Nothing Much To See Here….”

Mucky, Messy and Mumbles

Yesterday evening after Husb and I watered the allotment, I did a charcoal sketch facing Oystermouth Castle. Today, we walked around the castle park and I sat on a bench with my back to the Castle, looking towards the beach. My view was mostly trees and the park in the foreground, with a glimpse ofContinue reading “Mucky, Messy and Mumbles”

Willow And Khadi

Husb and I went to our allotment to water the plants this evening, it’s been boiling hot and we don’t want to lose any. As we left and walked past the castle (Oystermouth) I had a quick scribble with willow charcoal into a Khadi sketchbook.