I thought I would post my 15min sketch of the red squirrel. This is from my sketch book. I always like to do a study in preparation for a painting. It helps me to remember what my first impression and feeling was about the subject. Sometimes when it is difficult to get motivated these little sketches can be stepping stones to future paintings!
Last Wednesday after my pastel class in St Andrews I headed down to the West Sands. I decided to do a sketch from the car park. It was so windy my sketch pad was blown out of my hand onto the beach below. I had no choice but to rush to rescue it. Fortunately it had landed on damp sand and not in a wet puddle. It made me realise how attached I am to my sketch pads. Each sketch in the book evokes great memories, sights, sounds, weather etc. I love to refer to them when I need to inject some inspiration into my work. The sketch above is the view from where I found my book.
Last week during our lovely spell of sunny weather I did some outdoor painting. I did the study in ink one day. Inspired by that I got my pastels together to do some field work. It was great to be working outside. I watched a fox cross the field in front of me he was oblivious of me painting away.
I am making a trip to the Isle of May and trying to decide what materials to take for sketching the Puffins and other seabirds we may see. I came across these ones I did a while ago using ink Tombow art pens in 3 tones. For the lights I left the white paper to show through. I think I shall pack them when I go.
I was at a Ploughing match in Dunino Fife and these two beautiful horses stole the show for me. I did a sketch to capture the gesture of the pose and the tonal value of the painting. I then got out my pastels and had fun. The day was quite damp and misty however that made for an interesting setting for the painting.
Our central heating packed in on Saturday. This morning was very cold and frosty. While it was being fixed I took the opportunity of showing my appreciation for our woodburning stove by sketching it. What you don’t see in this drawing is that I have the kettle heating on top of the stove to make a cuppa. Our cat Xena is snoring in the other chair on the right. On my feet I am wearing my new cosy slippers.
I was at the Gallery in Broughty Ferry getting some work framed. Afterwards I took a walk to see if there was anything interesting to sketch. There are often Swans down on the Tay and sure enough I saw at least ten of them enjoying some late morning sun. They were also rather keen to see if I had food for them in my bag. More than one of them wandered straight up to me to the point I had to back away a bit.
I have been away on a short break to Dunkeld. On the Sunday night “The Troot Tour Two” were playing in the lounge. The sketches are taken from my sketch book. It was really enjoyable sketching away to the music. The second sketch was done over an acrylic wash.
This is another painting inspired by my trip last summer to Southampton in Canada. I did the study for this on a windy day with the sand whipping up around me.
I received a delivery of new art materials and just had to use them straight away! The result was this painting. I used my new large brush and some of my new colours of Daler Rowney acrylic inks. I was lost in the activity and swept away by the joy of the moment. Hopefully the energy comes through in the painting.