Artist Unknown

A bit of artwork we found on the beach a few days ago - I thought you might all like to see it. 

So clever, putting together pebbles and sticks for this - but sadly I have no idea who made it....so who ever you are out there

WELL DONE - THIS IS GREAT!

Art Workshop in Woodbury...... plus Paint Party Friday

Pleased to be back joining in with Paint Party Friday today - with many thanks to EVA & Kristin for hosting....

and now a catch up on my recent watercolour workshop (last Saturday)  run
by Matthew Palmer professional art instructor.  Again this was held in the village hall at Woodbury and well worth the trip down there for it.

The scene we painted was a Night Time Snow Scene.  Matthew took us through the process step by step, nobody felt rushed and we worked at our own pace.

It helped that Matthew's painting was projected onto a large screen as we worked on our own ...

I think it does us good, at least it helps me, to go back to basics sometimes with painting.  I took the class from the attitude that I wanted to be open minded, learn and try out the techniques suggested.  Let's face it we all get into habits with painting.  The painting included wet-into-wet, dry brush, blending plus when completely dry we used a craft knife for highlights plus sandpaper for texture...great fun getting to do all of these.

Here's a quick pan round the hall whilst we were having a coffee break....

It was a really good day....here's my finished painting...

....and at the end of the day

A quick update on 'Snake in the Grass' post

Hi everyone....some of you might of seen Dartford Warbler's comment about my post Snake in the Grass........

"Dartford Warbler21 March 2014 12:03

She is beautiful. We have them in the garden and on the New Forest heathland here, but they are secretive creatures and we rarely see them."

I couldn't respond at the time but now I would like to add and share my response here in this post. 
Please note that I was brought up in the New Forest.
Hope you get to see this Dartford Warbler.   It's a little bit of a story I recall from my childhood days.


"My Grandad had been an AA (Automobile Association) man years ago.  Not in a sleek modern van like nowadays, he rode back in the day on a motor bike with sidecar.

He was also a First Aider - this was through the St. John's Ambulance Association...so he knew what he was doing.  

One particular day his two rolls of AA and First Aid met.  You see, he was on patrol with the AA around the New Forest when he was riding through Burley.   He came across a group of people who stopped him near the Cricket Pitch.  Apparently a man had sat down to watch the cricket and had inadvertently sat on an Adder's nest and got bitten!!!   (and NO, before some of you jump the gun and think 'did he suck the poison out' ....Not likely.)   He calmed everyone down and got an Ambulance out to take the poor man to hospital.   By keeping the man calm, he stopped the poison going through the chaps system too quickly, and fortunately the man was okay."

And to this day....I cannot drive past the Cricket Pitch at Burley without thinking of this chap sitting on an Adder's nest.



Location tab below : Burley New Forest

 

Snake in the grass

Two days ago we saw our first Adder of the season.  When the sun is out and the banks, along the dunes at the beach, are basked in warmth we have to take care and make sure William doesn't go sniffing where it's wise not to!!!

and a slightly closer picture of the same one (the zoom was used on the camera)...

if you click on the Location tab below it will take you to the place we found her.

On the beach the other day....

a Starfish

~ what incredible patterns on it ~

CALENDAR 2014

As some may have noticed I have been sketching a Calendar for 2014.  I started out a month at a time to see how it went and, since it has been well received, I have now completed the remainder of 2014 for you.

So please download via each month's individual pdf's provided.  I have them all listed in the Tab at the top of the Home page under the title 'Free Calendar download 2014'.

Recent stormy weather....

....I didn't get around to adding these pictures, so on this quiet Saturday I thought it was about time to play blogging! lol

 

During the storms a few weeks ago, Ilfracombe suffered from huge waves battering the sea walls, needless to say the sea wall in one part collapsed...this is just behind the Landmark Theatre

On another subject in Ilfracombe - the pub group Wetherspoon's are building a new place....some of you may remember I added pictures of the old Collingwood Hotel being torn down in readiness for this ..

recap: Collingwood is Down

The site remained vacant for a long time, and eventually work commenced.

It is hoped this will be ready for opening early Summer - I'll keep you up to date on progress.

The last resort....

Is it actually the last resort when I use the back cover of my sketchbook!! well, it feels like that....Does anyone else do this?

It does make quite a good, neutral background, for the sketch rather than stark white paper.

Here, I've used my live in subject - William, he is always ready to pose!!!!

I used:

Back cover of  The Pink Pig sketchbook
Pencil
Sailor Pen for detail

Quick sketch

Although I do paintings large and small on canvas using acrylics, you may have guessed by now that I enjoy Watercolours too.  At the moment I'm working my way slowly through a collection of watercolour paintings, which I intend to frame and sell.  These I will share here eventually....but be patient I don't intend to hurry them.

In the meantime another part of watercolours for me is Sketching.  Sometimes they are roughly done quick notes (for reference later) or they turn into a more detailed watercolour - but still a sketch nonetheless.  It's strange how a rough sketch, that barely looks like the subject, can actually remind me of what the place/object was like at that time.

Here's one that probably fits in between rough sketch and detailed...okay lets call it a loose sketch ....I actually love painting these.   I do a quick pencil outline and then get to enjoy the feeling of the brush and painterlyness (I know, that isn't a word...but it is Sunday and that's the mood I'm in...so painterlyness it is)  :-)

.....sketched from this photo of our daughter's little dog Hamish...(with permission - thanks Lil)

I used:
Pencil
Watercolour: 
Burnt Sienna
Ultramarine Blue
Aureolin 
Perm Rose

Bird box

Just visited our daughter and whilst there I noticed that there was some activity around the bird box just outside her sitting room window...

and a video....

Porthleven sketch

Following on from my previous post - here's a sketch I did of the view in Porthleven looking across the harbour

There is something so nice about being on holiday and sketching - even when I'm not on holiday I enjoy taking my sketchbook with me and jotting down the things that catch my eye...

remember the Location tab

shows where in Cornwall this is

↓

(PS:  zoom in on the RED A on screen and
take a wander around the harbour)

Model fisherman...

On our recent trip to Cornwall we visited Porthleven.  A harbour port, fishing boats, tourists (even at this time of year...including us) and the inevitable fish shops...that's Fish and Chip Shops plus wet fish shops with its direct supplies from the boats themselves...

We parked up and happened to be outside such a shop.  I had to sketch this little model of a fisherman in his sou'wester (oilskin) stood in the corner of their window...