Catch up: A month of sketches

Degas' headless bear. Inktense pencils. 17th December.

 Whilst I have managed to do some sketching in the run up to my exhibition, I failed to find the time to scan anything. Consequently, I'm writing this long post to catch up on sharing them. They are all from my A5 sketchbook and I seem to be using my Inktense coloured pencils a lot.

Back on the 13th November, The RAF Red Arrows came to Muscat, and I had an invitation to view their display from the Hotel Intercontinental. I took the afternoon off work, and arrived early to avoid the traffic and by coincidence had time to "draw" a cheesecake in their Majlis café, of course I ate it too. The sketch doesn't do it justice - It was yummy.

Red Arrows. Pen & coloured pencil 13/11/13

In the gardens, I sketched some of the spectators prior to the display, which was awesome. I've seen them several times over the years and this display was possibly the best. I added colour (& the planes) later in order to add context for the groups of people.

Inktense pencils 22 Nov.

22nd saw me drawing socks, which I'd put on due to  the heavy rains and drop in temperature. Degas thinks socks are the funniest things and always tries to either remove them and/or chew them whilst they are on my feet.

An action shot of Degas and my sock :(

I am a huge Dr Who fan, so the following day saw me streaming the BBC's 50th Anniversary edition. I had intended to sketch during the programme and drew my laptop/tv connected through the HDMI, doodled some logos before the start and then... got engrossed in the story. Below is the incomplete sketch, again in Inktense pencil and here is a previous Dr Who sketch from March 2012.

Two days later, I had a whole day of presentations to sit through with the day job. I took my sketchbook and pencils and proceeded to sketch throughout the day. Here are some of the pages I did complete with my notes.

 

 

On the 11th December, being 11.12.13 for us with UK date system, I had to draw soemthing. I looked around and saw this shell, which Degas had left in the lounge.

Degas's shell. Pencil

 Finally, the bear at the top of this post was sketched on the 17th. Degas loves soft toys, especially destuffing them. The bear caught my eye when she left it face down, so I had to draw it. If you want to see beautiful bear paintings, please check out my friend Sandra Busby's amazing paintings here: sketch-mad.com.

So that's it, a month of sketches.

 

Degas and I wish you all a Merry Christmas. 
Sue

Sketch Muscat 10

 Yesterday afternoon, was the Muscat Sketchers first outside event of the winter (it's too hot outside in the summer). We were a very small group out sketching, but we all had fun with some fab results. Unfortunately, the event clashed with several other things like The Barney Show, which meant several mum's couldn't come.

This is me struggling with my 1st sketch.

 This was a return visit to the gardens at Wadi Al Azaiba for the group. I don't appear to have blogged about the first event in March, but then this has been a strange year. The garden has been designed by Parisian landscape architect Jacqueline Osty and this is just the first phase of a much larger garden planned for this area. I saw her speak at the Muscat Art Festival in February, which inspired me to plan an event here.

A few of the remaining sketchers at the end of SketchMuscat 6.

With only 5 weeks until my exhibition, I had spent the morning fighting myself to work on a drawing and really wasn't in the mood for sketching. Consequently, my first sketch was a disaster. However the garden worked its magic and just sketching weaved it's usual spell on me, and my second (last) sketch was much better. 

My last sketch, badly photographed on site.

 All too soon the afternoon was over, we took our group photo and headed our seperate ways... mine was to my new home in a fishing village outside Muscat and a lovely run on the beach with Degas.

30 seconds from my house. Photo by Gavin.

 Where do you like to sketch? Why not leave me a comment saying where?

Handbag portraits

Mahir. A6 sketchbook 23 Sept

I carry a small A6 sketchbook in my handbag; most of the time it doesn't get taken out. Over the last few months it appears I have used it for portraits and thought I would share them today. They are all of young Omani BP trainees.

Hatem, A6 sketchbook, 4th August

Mahmoud, A6 sketchbook, 4th July

Salim, A6 sketchbook, 17th Sept

What do you think? Do you have a sketchbook you carry around all the time? What do you sketch in it? Why not leave a comment and let me know.

Coffee shops

Location shot through car window

On Saturday, I started the concertina Moleskin that we got at the symposium before Sketch Muscat 8. I've decided to record Muscat coffee shops in it. The Muscat Gate Coffee Shop is past the airport behind a garage (filling station). All the business I observed was of people driving up, a waiter passing a bag of food through the car window, and them driving off to eat/drink at a different location. Many just tooted their horn and a waiter scuttled over with a bag, so I assume they had phoned in their order prior to collection.

I found the Moleskin a little problematic for a couple of reasons. First, a mental struggle with myself as I do not use the first page of a sketchbook and had to force myself to start there. Next, I found it a little difficult due to the concertina of the pages behind. However, as I already know which coffee shop is going on the next page, I will continue with this mini-project.

Next, it was onto Sketch Muscat 8, a sketching event I had organised. Although I'd arranged the Muscat Sketchers to meet in Costa's, I didn't add any more drawings to the moleskin. Eight people turned up to sketch plus Pari's daughter and we had a good mix of nationalities: Omani, English, Indian, German, Kenyan and Filipino. I took the opportunity of eating some cheesecake as it looked a great subject to draw - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I also did a café scene sketch, but didn't get very far with it.

Almost finished.

Thanks Aziz Al Hahdhami for the cheesecake photos.

Sketch Muscat for charity - the results

In April, my annual sketching event raised funds for the Awladna Campaign for Kids Road Safety. I handed over a total of 205 Omani rials ($531 / £350 / 410€). I recently received an email stating that the money was used to purchase 50 cycle helmets. These photo shows a few of them.

Thanks to everyone who participated and donated to the event.

Photos courtesy of charity founder Amal AlZadjali.

My beautiful distraction.

My beautiful girl - Degas.

Whilst drawing and sketching is on a go-slow, I thought I would share this photo of my beautiful distraction - little Degas.

Sketches of Degas chewing a rawhide bone. A5 sketchbook

I literally picked her up off the street, outside work, on the industrial estate on the 1st April. I am so pleased I did as she is a joy, even when driving me to distraction. She has the sweetist nature and loves everyone, although in return she expects attention 24/7, which she gets as she is very spoilt.

*****
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Preparing for 4th International Urban Sketching Symposium

Forgotten sketch #1: Degas Pencil A5 sketchbook early June

 When I heard that the next Urban Sketching Symposium was going to be in Barcelona this year, I told myself I had to go. I set an alarm for when registration opened on March 25th and wooped with delight as I secured myself a place. I bounced around the room as I also got a place on my first choice workshop, conducted by Argentinian architect Norburto Durantes. (Check out his work here). I chose workshops that would complement my style and yet push me to develop further. I contacted friends in Barcelona, booked flights and accommodation, and started the countdown to the big event.

Forgotten sketch #2: A Quriyat lane pen in A5 from car

The Symposium starts in just under 3 weeks, 11th July, and the sketching world - flickr, blogs, facebook - is full of people's excitement and preparations. Unfortunately, I don't know if I can/should now attend as Mum remains in hospital. I fly to UK on 5th so I hope to decide then. Consequently, my preparation is minimal... I've reordered business cards to give out, and Moo is printing some postcards too. I need to buy a pen for Norburto's workshop, but unfortunately need to locate one in UK as I'm out of time for delivery to Oman.

My smoothie. Pencil & watercolour A5 sketchbook

Despite what I wrote in my last post, you will see I've posted 2 sketches from earlier this month...  I must have been subconsciously sketching... I found them in my new sketchbook when I met a friend on Friday to sketch. Unfortunately, whilst Friday's venue and company was great, the sketching was a struggle as the 2 sketches show.

A two-handed tea drinker. Direct with watercolour in A5 sketchbook.

Degas

From Degas at the Royal Academy 2011

No not That Degas, but this Degas...

...a four-month old lab retriever/wadi dog puppy.

On 1st April, I picked her up off the street where she'd been hanging around work. She has a sweet nature and I had fussed her and her brother (who had a broken leg) over the previous week. However, on the morning of the 1st, I arrived at work and the security guard told me the brother had been shot but Degas escaped. (There is a big stray problem on the industrial estate and without a dog home system in Oman the police shoot them.) After making some enquiries, I put her in a box and took her home (via the vets) the same day.

A 3-month old scared puppy. 1st April

I have grown up with dogs, and one of things I did not like about my lifestyle was the fact I couldn't have a dog. I think, that having made the decision that I am moving to Barcelona by next Easter, it was easy to adopt her.

One of my 1st degas sketches. 14 April.

Naturally, having a puppy in the house has meant some big changes. 

She is the reason I am struggling to do artwork. It's hard working when you have a puppy. Either she needs 100% of my attention, or when she's asleep I'm too tired to draw. Of course I have managed a few sketches, but not many.

In the month I've had her, she's had all her vaccines, been spade, and got a chip. 

Most importantly, she has put on 4kgs and is growing fast.

19th April

This is her PLEASE play NOW face!
How can I resist?

I apologise for the infrequent blogging, for not visiting your blogs, and for generally disappearing. Normalish service will resume in a few months, when Degas is a little older, I hope.

Sketch Muscat for charity

My annual sketching event for charity is coming up on the 11th April. I'm trying to beat the totals from the last two years and encouraging people to attend and/or donate as much as possible.

This year, I am again raising money for an Omani charity. Awladna promotes children's safety whether on the roads or in the home. 

More details are on the facebook event page: Sketch Muscat for charity

Seminar sketches

Speakers and audience members, ink, 26 Feb. ©Sue Pownall 2013

This year as part of the Muscat Festival (you can see my 2012 festival sketches here, here, here, here, all posts in between until...  here), there was a Art Festival consisting of exhibitions and seminars/talks. I was able to attend four of the seminars, and took my A5 sketchbook to them all.

17 Feb Muscat projects & architects I ©Sue Pownall 2013

They were all very inspiring, I especially liked the talks given by architects with projects in the Sultanate. On another evening, artist Dominique Malarde was very interesting and I am a little annoyed that I missed her workshop due to water issues in my flat.

18 Feb Muscat projects & architects II ©Sue Pownall 2013

21 Feb ©Sue Pownall 2013

The talks were held in the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque meeting hall, which is why all women, including myself, wore scarves.

My photo (in orange) in Al Watan listening to Dominique Malarde

A bonus for going to the talks in the mosque was I got to see the mosque up close at night, something a non-Muslim normally gets to do.

©Sue Pownall 2013

©Sue Pownall 2013

Mad Hatter's Arty Tea Party

Eat me cakes, Chedi macaroons, & tarts.

 Spring 2012, I read about a Mad Hatter's Tea Party arranged by illustrator Lynn Chapman (Lynn's blog is here). I was so inspired by the drawings the group produced I decided to arrange my own tea party, which I held last weekend.

Planning started this January, whilst I was home in UK, and saw me making a dormouse, which inspired us all at the tea, as our drawings below show.

3 dormouses or is that dormice?

In a UK charity shop, I bought a silver tiered cake stand, which conveniently screwed apart so I could pack it easily. At the tea, I added tarts (custard not jam) and cakes I iced with "eat me". Some macaroons from the Chedi hotel were added later. I attempted to captured them all in the sketch at the top of this post. The other thing I did in the UK was to get material for my Hatter's hat and planned how to make it, with a great suggestion from mum.

Homemade hat and roses

In Muscat, I made my hat, paper roses - painting some white ones red, but the scones were bought at a local deli.
 
My flat is small so it was a small but select group of us who participated. Unfortunately one lady got lost and never arrived.

I for one had great fun and think the others did too.

The group shot thanks to the magic of a self-timer - just