Secrets

My assistant plays in the mud whilst I sketch

I'm finding it hard to write a post, here's why:

1. I have a personal project, which is going well, but it is currently a secret except for those involved;
2. I have an illustration commission, which involves me traveling a little over the next couple of days, but I can't say anything about that at the moment = Another secret;
3. I am trying to set up a small arty business venture, but it's in the planning stages, so that's all I can say about that; and
4. On Wednesday, I was part of a group artist/poets meeting, as I am involved with an Ekphrasis project. Although it's not a secret, there is nothing to share yet;

so what to post is a dilemma.

I guess it's a good time to dip into the sketchbook and share a few recent sketches.

East Mersea, where, despite a cold, blustery wind, I managed a quick sketch.

A perfect excuse for a piece of cake, a new sketchbook to start.

Whilst Degas had her check up at QVSH, I sketched this spaniel in the waiting room.

 Have you any secrets to share? What have you been up to recently? 

Why not leave me a comment below, I love to read them!

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?

Manchester sketchcrawl

Sketching the River Irwell sat on Calatrava's Trinity Bridge

 Yesterday,  I joined the Manchester,  Yorkshire,  and Society of Architectural Illustrators (SAI) for a sketchcrawl in Manchester. It was a surprisingly blue skied sunny day, but with an icy wind, which made outdoor sketching a challenge. As you can see from my sketches below, I alternated between outside and inside locations.

River Irwell from Trinity bridge. Sketch 1

I accidently bought a scone when I went for a warm up cuppa. Sketch 2.

Piano practice in Manchester Central Library's music library. Sketch 3.

Shivering and sketching at the end of the day. Sketch 4.

It was lovely to meet so many sketchers from all over (40+ at the interim lunch meeting) and hope to get up to Manchester and sketch again... albeit in a warmer month.

Show and tell social at the end of the day. Photo by Hakym.

Red, White & Blue

I've just had a short break as a birthday treat. It involved lots of tennis, treats, and catching up with friends. Looking at my sketches I seem to have had a red, white and blue theme running through my head/drawings. They were all done in my A5 Daler Ebony sketchbook. Hope you like them.

Red: Sat waiting for my flight to Abu Dhabi, a lopsided Christmas tree caught my eye. After inking the scene I then added red watercolour before the flight was called.

Pencil and watercolour

Blue: Once in Abu Dhabi, I went to the hotel, checked in, left my bag with the concierge and dashed straight to the Mubadala World Tennis Championship as play had already started. I normally sketch people at the tennis, so I thought I'd have a change whilst waiting for the second match. This is in pencil with watercolour and I'm not really happy with it, luckily the tennis made up for it.

Morgan's Converse. Ink & watercolour.

Red & blue: Having travelled to Doha my next sketch was of my friend's son's abandoned Converses. Followed by a sketch of her cat, Blue.

Come back I haven't finished. Pencil sketch

As the photo shows, despite being fast asleep, she suddenly got up and I was left with an unfinished sketch.

Blue: I bought myself some beads, blue of course, then drew them. Another sketch abandoned as my friend sat post shower and was a fabulous opportunity to do some life drawing.  Why blue? Because she got cold and would have turned blue if she'd sat too long.

Pencil

White: 1st January My friend and I sat in the MIA (Museum of Islamic Art) Café, which has been designed by Philippe Starck, and is a beautiful complement of black and white within the off-white of the building's atrium. Lounging on white sofas with a slab of lemon cake and a huge pot of tea, I found the architecture intimidating so chose my default sketching subject; the people around. I love the Qatari's white gutrahs (scarves) and captured a few of those.

 

Blue: The final sketch of my trip was of a blueberry cheesecake whilst I waited for my delayed flight home from Doha.

Ink and watercolour

Proof of on-location painting

I will be posting my annual review and arty resolutions in a few days time.
Happy New Year everyone. Here's wishing 2014 brings peace and happiness.