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.

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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.

Drinking and drawing

Pencil sketch of Natasha Robertson at The Black Buoy's April/May Beer Festival 2016

I have just returned from the Black Buoy in Wivenhoe's May bank holiday real ale festival. My assistant and I sat outside sketching and listening to the music, although my assistant was more interested in the fish and chips.

Earlier this week, I arranged for the Colchester Sketchers to drink/draw at the Bricklayers. My first sketch of my Aspell's cider was the most successful and is shared below.

Direct watercolour sketch.

 Finally, something different, I currently have my experimental piece hung at the Art Exchange where it was selected for the Celebrate Landscape exhibition. If you are in the area, pop in before it closes next Saturday.

 *****
BTW. Last week's post didn't autopost here. You can read it by clicking this link I Draw Do You?

Sketchmeet at the garden centre

Poplar Nurseries. ©Sue Pownall 2016

Yesterday, I arranged a sketchmeet for the Colchester Sketchers at a local garden centre. It was an inspiring afternoon albeit very chilly.

Settling down to sketch.

Trophy shot of scene and sketch.

Sketch 2 a gardeners trolley.

Colchester Sketchers (minus 1) chilly but inspired.

 *****

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Monthly challenges

WIP Bourne Mill in winter

There's a new challenge over on twitter led by Anthony Greentree (@antsgreentree) called #buildapril, which is is all about buildings and structures in any media.

Above is my 1st April sketch of my across-the-road neighbours drawn with a Super5 pen with DeAtramentis ink and painted with Winsor & Newton watercolours in A Daler Ebony A5 sketchbook. Whilst right is a work in progress started yesterday of Bourne Mill.

Last month's challenge was #animalmarch, and I started well with daily sketches of my assistant, but then life got in the way. Here are a selection of them:

1st March. Pencil sketch

4th March Digital sketch

8th March. Ink sketch

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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)

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.

A Perfect Day?!

Spindle Drilling Machine

This weekend is Heritage Weekend in UK with many interesting places open for free. Yesterday, taking advantage of the lack of entrance fee, I went to the Museum of Power, Langford.

In situ in Museum of Power

The sound and sight of The 'Simpson' Belt Driven Workshop attracted my attention, so I decided to sketch there. With so many machines, belts, and interesting things I chose a small section to focus on and the above sketch is the result. Here is the in-situ photo. This sketch was done with a sepia Derwent pencil in A4 Monologue sketchbook. Whilst the afternoon sketch was Winsor & newton watercolours, Staedtlar Pigment liner in Daler A5 sketchbook.

After lunch, Degas and I went to Goldhanger for their Gala Weekend. With a karate demo going on in the churchyard, I took Degas down the road and walked her around the sea wall before heading into the village. As musicians were setting up in the Salty Dogs Tea Room, we headed there. It was the perfect afternoon: What's better than drinking tea (and eating carrot cake), in a beautiful garden, listening to live music, with your dog lying at your feet as you sketch?

Music, tea & cakes in a beautiful garden.

 It was a lovely day. What would make your perfect day?

Titleless

Whilst my sketching mojo has made a small comeback this week, I seem to have lost my words, hence the non-title of this post.

On Monday, I had 20 minutes to have a cuppa before a meeting in Somerset House. I sat on the terrace and had to sketch my view of the London Eye.

On Wednesday, I had to go to Maldon and with a spare half hour started to sketch an amazing garden-covered barge. I didn't have time to add colour, so I did it at home later.

On location photo

Thursday I was stuck in the hairdresser's for ages, so grabbed my A6 Laloran sketchbook. I'm a bit concerned as I don't recognise that old lady in the mirror.

Hair colour 2015

I sketched myself in the same position in 2010. I remember that I didn't wear my glasses and had to squint at the book.

Hair colour 2010

Then yesterday, I joined the Essex & Suffolk Sketchers at Henny fete, where I visited a local garden, which happened to be serving cream teas. Using a Daler A5 sketchbook, I sketched it to justify eating it despite my ever expanding waistline.

Cream tea in watercolours

 

Finally, I did a very quick sketch trying to capture a feeling of the quintessential English fete, whilst my assistant dug herself a hole.

As it was so colourful, I used a rainbow pencil by Lyra in my A5 Daler sketchbook.

 

 

 

My assistant checks my perspective

Henny fete

 So that was my sketching week. Now if I could only think of a title...

Devon doodles

Trying to capture the evening sun.

Having an invitation to a new fringe event in Devon, Tavistock Edge, I decided my assistant and I would have a holiday beforehand and found a cottage for us just on the edge of Dartmoor. I did lots of sketches throughout the week. I was especially fascinated with the cattle in the next field, as was Degas, so I drew them as she barked at them.

Here are some of the landscapes:

8th July Morning rain

A very quick sketch of Cox Tor as my assistant was impatient to explore.

Here is a selection of the animal sketches:

5th July Calves in evening showers.

More cattle.

You can see more here: Great landscapes & animals.

I'll post the Tavistock Edge sketches next Sunday.
What do you think of my sketches? I'd love it if you left me a comment below. 

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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.

Preparations for the summer

Ghala Industrial Estate, Muscat

With only 8 sleeps until I leave Oman for the summer, I'm busy sorting out my art equipment to pack. I wanted another yellow and have to thank Liz Steel (www.lizsteel.com) for her great advice. Until I can get to a decent art suppliers, I've raided the Van Gogh watercolour set, which was a gift from last year's Urban Sketchers symposium. I want to test drive some colour choices... I prefer to spend time sketching than mixing colours... plus I've evicted the Winsor & Newton Payne's Grey tube squeezed into an empty halfpan (left of photo) to try the Van Gogh version.

I've had this watercolour box since art college.

Having added new colours, I wanted to paint, so took my sketchbook and paints to the day job. During lunch I sketched from an upstairs window. I didn't realise until I sketched this view, that the cement factory is on a different level. That's the beauty of urban sketching, you really see details.

 I discovered that the Van Gogh Paynes Grey's pigment is less blue than the W&N's. I need to do some more paintings to decide on my final pan, but do like the blueness of W&N.
Which do you prefer? W&N, Van Gogh, or someone else's Payne's Grey? Please tell me in a comment.

TWO sketchbook malfunctions!!!

Late August I purchased 2 Winsor & Newton Heavy weight Case bound sketchbooks. The A6 one has been in my handbag since I completed my moleskin on the 5th September. I have completed just 5 pages (I have been very lazy) then last Tuesday it broke and that's in just 3 weeks!  Today, whilst sketching in a café I noticed a couple of pages coming out of the A5 that I was using. However, it is not losing pages along the perforation, but the glue has failed. This comes just four days after the A6 one. I have used just 15 pages of the A5 one on 4 separate occasions starting on the 2nd September.

Luckily, I have an A5 Daler sketchbook, like my previous A5, which Paula gave me (thank you) and will switch to that for sketching out and about. With the A6 I wrote to W&N and am waiting a reply and will have to buy some super glue until I find an art supplies and can replace it. I don't think I will buy another Winsor & Newton one though.

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.