New Town Open Gardens

Spreads to date ©Sue Pownall 2016

Back in February, I was invited to sketch the New Town Open Garden event. The event is this afternoon, but I made a head start yesterday by sketching the Community Garden and both of the organisers gardens too.

I shall do all the initial drawing on site using a Seawhite concertina sketchbook, but finish inking and colour in the studio.
Eighteen to go this afternoon! Wish me luck.

To see more many images click here

Morris dancing

On Friday, I arranged a drinkdraw event to coincide with the Colchester Morris Men (colchestermorrismen.org) dancing at the Alma, Copford.

The dancers move very fast and I filled several pages of movement sketches. Top, is a general scene, which was my final sketch of the evening and one of the dancing. More pics can be seen on my site here: Morris dancing

Sketchmeet: Concert in the park.

Impression of the bandstand and The Band of The Parachute Regiment

Last Sunday, I arranged for the Colchester Sketchers to sketch at the bandstand in Colchester Castle Park where The Band of the Parachute Regiment were playing. The concert was great, the sun was out for the majority of the afternoon, and there was a good turn out of sketchers. The only negative has to be my wonky perspective and roof on my watercolour.

People in the audience

The band leader

After doing the watercolour sketch, I did the two quick pencil sketches above.

What do you think of them? The band liked my watercolour.

*****

Next Sunday, if you are in the Colchester area, you will find me at the Farmers Market at Bourne Mill, where I have a table showing sketches, paintings and selling prints and cards. Pop by and say hello :)

Have a lovely week everyone.

Neighbours Rooves & Chimneys

I seem to have developed a minor fascination with sketching my neighbours chimneys and rooves, so far all from the confines of my house. However, now the READ MORE AND SEE THE IMAGES HERE

The Egg Hunt

Children hand-in their egg hunt sheets in exchange for a Cadbury chocolate bunny. ©Sue Pownall 2016

I was invited to sketch the Egg Hunt at Bourne Mill, a National Trust property, over the Easter weekend.

Good Friday was a glorious spring day, clear skies and sunshine, and the Mill proved to be a very popular venue for an egg hunt as there were over 300 entries, so more Cadbury's bunnies were needed for the rest of the weekend. On Saturday, the forecasted rain held off and saw many more families completing the hunt. Unfortunately, due to Storm Katie and the 50pmh plus winds, the mill was closed on Easter Monday.

Sitting at a picnic table alongside the pond, I sketched the children trying to solve the clues. It was funny watching many of the dads work it out, spot the eggs, almost point, then clamp their mouths shut until their son or daughter could do it.

Egg hunters. ©Sue Pownall

Eggs were hidden throughout the property and I had to find places to sketch without giving the location away and refrain from looking at the eggs when children were near. Here are a couple of them:

A clue in the bug hotel. ©Sue Pownall

The pitt room egg. ©Sue Pownall

Finally, the egg hunters returned to the desk and claimed their Cadbury's bunnies. (Top image)
Right is a photo of me sketching in the wheel room. Behind me is the wheel, which was incredibly noisy, but it was an atmospheric place to sketch.

I have to confess, I am disappointed the weekend is now over as it was a great event to attend in a lovely location.

Essex Book Festival Lecture

Lecture notes. ©Sue Pownall

The Essex Book Festival is on throughout March in various locations across the county. Due to other commitments, so far I have only attended a lecture at the University of Essex last Monday. It was called "From Print to Pixels: The Many Futures of Reading Kodachrome Travels: How colour changed the way we see the world."  I went as I am interested in both colour and film, but have to confess I didn't get the connection to books. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture given by Professor Jeffery Geiger and realise I miss learning. Time to return  to study?

Three moments around the lecture. ©Sue Pownall

 Top image: In the sketch, I wanted to capture Prof. Geiger, but ended up getting so engrossed in what he was saying the page got covered in lecture notes. I did get the colour added at the same time. I'd forgotten, but when I studied at Essex my lecture notes often looked like this, as I strove to capture keywords and points.

Below:  I started on the right-hand page where the three people were stood on the stage chatting prior to the lecture. It seems as if they were friends of the professor and sat behind me when it started. Top left is the woman who introduced the lecture. Then the final sketch on the bottom-left was made during the Q&A session and I loved her twisted body image.

Where have you sketched this week?

Backstage at the Mercury Theatre

Mercury Theatre foyer, pencil in A5 Daler sketchbook. ©Sue Pownall 2016

Yesterday, I managed to get a ticket for a backstage tour of the Mercury Theatre in Colchester. Arriving early, I sketched the foyer as I keep avoiding complex subjects. Before I finished it was time to start the tour, so I added colour at home. The foyer has very clever blue lighting highlighting different planes as well as blue carpet.

We started the tour in the Studio Theatre (continue reading here)

50th WWSketchCrawl: Colchester

Yesterday afternoon, I arranged for the Colchester Sketchers to sketchcrawl at the bottom of the High Street. Tucked down a lane is the Coffee Cube café, which is where we arranged to meet. After a week that saw sleet and rain, we were amazed to have a blue sky and sunshine, so half of us sat outside to sketch the castle.

First sketch underway.

Being the organiser, I spent more time talking than sketching at the meeting point, but did manage to spend half an hour on my sketch of the castle. Luckily, as the sun disappeared behind the clouds, it was time to move on.

My first sketch

 Our second location was Hollytrees Museum, which is a museum of domestic life and childhood. Several of us were attracted by the Alice in Wonderland temporary exhibition.

The Queeen's croquet game.

  Our final location was the new Tiptree Tearoom at the Minories Gallery. I think we were all so interested in each others sketches and having some tea, that nobody sketched there. I plan to return another day as the choice of teas and cakes demand a proper "sketch" visit.

Colchester Sketchers (minus Johnny) show off their sketches.

  Where did you sketch?

Freshers' Week

View from Square 4 ©Sue Pownall 2015

Due to a cash flow issue, I am currently temping at the University of Essex. I only have 30 minutes for lunch but have managed to do a few sketches so far.

Tai chi demo in Square 4 ©Sue Pownall 2015

This one I did the week before...

Ivor Crewe lecture hall. ©Sue Pownall 2015

 

With a couple more weeks there, I wonder what I can do next.

Drinkdraw Chappel

This is as far as my first sketch got. ©SuePownall2015

My assistant.

The railway viaduct at Chappel has been on my "to-sketch" list for many years, so on Friday I arranged for the Essex & Suffolk Sketchers to meet at the Swan pub. With quickly failing light and the temperature dropping, I sat on a bench in the Swan's car park and quickly tried to paint it. It was difficult to tell the colours I was applying as the light changed and dropped. Above is as far as my first sketch got.

Heading into the pub to warm up, I think the guys having bar snacks got drawn by everyone. As usual, I spent more time chatting than drawing, so these two were all I did. Plus, Degas got bored and decided when it was time to go home.

I was sketching in an A4 Monologue sketchbook with Winsor & Newton watercolours & Inktense pencils.

Bar snacks. ©SuePownall2015

Drawing on the street

It's a funny thing, being an urban sketcher I'm used to drawing in public, out on the streets, but yesterday I was due to give a demonstration of my pen & ink work in front of a local art suppliers and beforehand I was very, very nervous. Whilst I have taught pen and ink, I have never worked up a drawing in front of people, and was very worried about the ugly duckling stage that it would go through.

Luckily, everyone who stopped by was lovely. Some had come deliberately to see me, others by happenstance and we talked about my art, art in general, sketching, equipment, and Oman. Two people had been there, one for work and the other on holiday - small world.

There was only one character who stayed for ages and was being purposely provocative including saying "You could be a brilliant artist, but you won't be". He felt my work was too safe and not experiemental enough. Maybe it isn't very experimental, I may think on that, but as he has never shown his work nor would he give his name, I shall not worry. With the exception of him everyone was very complimentary.

Ready to start my demo day at Tindalls, Colchester.

 The worry about the ugly duckling stage was needless. I had put down the outline beforehand and expected to reach it at some point in the day. However, I spent so much time chatting to all the lovely people, that in six hours I only completed less than an hour's drawing. You can see the progress below (sorry about the green tinge, it's from the gazebo).

WIP stages.

Big Draw Colchester

From the morning's sketching of St Botolph's Priory. ©Sue Pownall 2015

Yesterday, CO3 Gallery in Colchester arranged a Big Draw event, which I attended. We were based near a sponsor, Tindalls Art Store in Trinity Street, but spread out through the town. I wanted to draw St Botolph's Priory as I hadn't drawn it since I was at college in the town. Once again, my colours have come out brighter than usual due to the sunlight, and yes this is England.

After heading back to base, I joined Colchester artist Colin David McAllister on a doorstep with a great view of an old Tudor building, which is now Tyndalls' café. The waitress was great and kindly served tea where we were rather than at a table. Afterwards, I went  into the rose garden, initially to paint roses, but instead captured the gable-end.

Photo by Angella Horner.

All too soon it was time for those left to gather for a group photo and to share their sketches. I'm not too sure why there are Spanish flags behind us - perhaps because we'd stolen their sunshine for the day.

Sketches from at Tymperleys ©Sue Pownall 2015

There was not any cider in my sketch kit this week. I used an A4 Monologue sketchbook with Staedtlar pigmentliners and Winsor & Newton watercolours. It was a lovely day sketching with new people and I look forward to sketching with them again.

A Jumbo Start

"Jumbo" Ink in A4 sketchbook. ©Sue Pownall 2015

Recently, Sarah from The Connection Magazine and I started a new urban sketching group the Essex & Suffolk Sketchers, with the aim to become an official chapter of the UrbanSketchers.

Lunchtime show & tell

We decided to start big, drawing at Colchester's old water tower, locally called Jumbo, and the first meeting was last Sunday. It was a lovely sunny day, albeit cold in the shade, and we had a great turn out.

We spent the first part of the day sketching around Jumbo and the Mercury Theatre, then after a lunch break moved onto the grounds of the Colchester Art Centre. It was a lovely day and everyone seemed enthusiastic about sketching again soon.


Below are my sketches (photos from the day are here). I'd love to hear what you think in a comment below. Thanks.

My 1st sketch, Balkerne Gate.

A sketch from the 2nd location.

I stopped for a cuppa, which came in a glass cup & had to be sketched.

 Essex & Suffolk sketchers. Find and like us on facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/EssexAndSuffolkSketchers/

Next meeting is June 20th, 12noon St Mary's Church, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19 8LL

Print workshop induction

I'm now a member of the print workshop at Cuckoo Farm Studios, Colchester.  Consequently, on Thursday I had my induction to use the workshop unsupervised in the future. Whilst there I took the opportunity to have a 2nd attempt at etching. I used one of my new etching needles, which is quite heavy and a dream to draw with into the hard ground. I redid the oak leaves I'd attempted to etch on my workshop, you can see those results here.

Learning points:

1. I need to clean the ink off the plates more, as you can see from the print above there is a lot of ink on the background.
2. I need to pay more attention to the composition. Despite it being an interesting subject (well I think so), as this print doesn't work due to the shape the leaves create... I could use a clean hard ground to work more into this plate, but I'm not sure that will improve a badly thought out compostion.

What printmaking lessons have you learnt?

Juried in!

Secret Garden. Pen & ink. 380 x 260mm. © Sue Pownall 2011

I have just received an email from my mother telling me that both The Secret Garden and Al Saiq Window have been juried in to the Colchester Art Society's Winter Exhibition. 

Al Saiq window. Pen & ink 260x 260 mm. ©Sue Pownall 2011

Both are available for sale at the exhibition or as limited edition giclée prints on my website: suepownallartist

If you are in the area, why not pop along.

CAS Winter Exhibition.

St Martin's Church, West Stockwell Street, Colchester.

Finally, my newsletter is due out next week: have you signed up yet?

1st sketch in new A6 non-moleskin

Holy Trinity church, Colchester

To replace the hated moly, I bought a W&N A6 sketchbook, same as the new A5. In the lunch break, during Ken Kempley's workshop, I went in the artcafé, a local venture with amazing food, decor and service, and drew the view out of the window whilst I munched my sandwich and ate the delicious brocoli with cheddar soup.

Despite being tired, I was so inspired by Ken's workshop that I added the colour whilst getting ready to go to bed.

Holy Trinity church tower was built around the turn of the last millennium, around the year 1000 AD. Its arrow head doorway and window apertures are typical of the Saxon period. The remainder of the church is of different periods up to Victorian and, until recently, was the town's social history museum. Holy Trinity church tower would once have stood as the focal feature in the town, for a few decades before the Normans came and built the castle. A stark contrast between Saxon and Norman architecture - unique in this country! Source: Virtual Tour Colchester.

Sketchday in Colchester.

I had a fabulous day today! Sandra of Sandraws came up to Colchester for the day and we spent the time drinking tea, chatting, and doing a lot of sketching. Sandra did fabulously working way out of her comfort zone as she rarely draws in public or uses pen & ink, but did both with great results.

As it was sunny we started in Colchester Castle Park, where our first stop was at the ornamental pond. Above and photo at end of the post.  Then it was on to the park's café. There were too many things to draw: the bandstand, an old red telephone box, the café...etc., so I drew some of the beautiful flowers, in black & white.

Then, I attempted to draw the wall with it's ornamental roses, and steps with topiary bushes. I am very unhappy with this one, but as I try to be honest and post 99% of what I do, here it is.

After a lunch break, and feeling a little chilled we went into Hollytrees Museum, which is a social history museum. We were not over inspired, but we still drew: I drew a box camera in a case, whilst Sandra drew an old iron in one of the interactive displays. 

Back outside we stopped at the George Hotel and sat outside to sketch the huge lamp.

Then finally, I think both of us were a bit sketched out by this point, we headed back into the park and I drew a section of castle from the rear.

As I said at the beginning of this post, I had a fabulous day and I hope to go out sketching with Sandra again. Thank you Sandra for driving up and for lunch.

Drawing Sandra

btw Throughout the day I used a Winsor & Newton A5 heavyweight sketchbook. The paper is a dream taking both pen & watercolour well, and it is a very white white. It also opens up lovely and flat. My one criticism is that the pages are perforated making single spreads across the pages difficult to do. I have just sent feedback to W&N saying exactly this.

btw2 I think my scanner is not working properly as it does not scan the true colours any more.