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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Sketching poolside

My assistant's left leg is giving her a lot of problems, so she is currently undergoing hydrotherapy. As she only paddles and doesn't swim, I was a little anxious, but after her second proper session, she is doing well... and the yellow head float has been removed.

Week 1

The first week, I took some photos, but this week, as she was calmer I sketched a little. It was difficult as I couldn't wear my glasses due to the humidity. I think I managed to capture the idea, don't you?

Inktense pencils in Daler sketchbook.

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!

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 August

Degas sunbathing. Inktense Pencil in Daler sketchbook

Still struggling with a missing drawing mojo, amongst other things, I started #DrawAugust which is a twitter hashtag challenge.

Back in January, for Liz Steel's Sketching Foundation course, I sketched the fence which divides the house from the neighbours. Now, in summer I resketched it as part of a changing story and as a record of my parents' garden.

Following that, I did another sketch from the garden. This time the ripening apples on the neighbour's overhanging apple tree.  

A very quick sketch of the birdbath was done on the 3rd.Whilst today I have sketched Degas sunbathing in it. 

Ripening apples. Ink & watercolour in Daler

I aim to do more garden drawings over the month, which I'll share here. What are you doing this week?

Focusing on something different.

Spring greenhouse ©Sue Pownall 2015

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I had a weekend away and my poor assistant has been in Queen's Veterinary School Hospital, Cambridge for surgery on her elbows. She now needs lots of love and cuddles to help her recover.

My assistant is feeling sorry for herself.

I have mainly been creative in a photographic way, apart from a couple of sketches. The above one was drawn at my friend's house in Cheltenham over the course of 2 cups of tea, finishing just in time for breakfast. (sorry the scan has lost some of the watercolour details and turned it pink too). We have had surprisingly clear blue skies, which has made the UK spring look prettier. Here's a few examples... and a fire as the nights are still cold.

Cheltenham ©Sue Pownall 2015

Reflections in yellow, Cambridge. ©Sue Pownall 2015

Bath. ©Sue Pownall 2015

A single stem. ©Sue Pownall 2015

Abingdon. ©Sue Pownall 2015

 What have you done this week?

Digital drawings and a dozy dog.

On Friday, I took Degas to the vets and sketched her as she fought the sedative she was given. She had xrays on her bad leg. There were no obvious fractures or other skeletal problem, but they are being sent for a second opinion. So the question remains, why is she still limping and not getting better?

8th Feb Experimenting with digital drawing.

Last weekend, I finally got a tab and having tried my first digital sketch at the last Urban Sketchers Symposium (click here to see it)  downloaded a couple of apps. Thanks Omar Jaramillo for the app info. Check out his great watercolours here. These are my first digital doodles:

9th Feb. Still playing. Digital sketch of Korean teacup.

9th Feb. More doodles.

11th hmm need to buy a stylus!

10th Feb. 1st ‪digital‬ ‪sketch‬ of Degas. Unfortunately, the background didn't look so dark in the app.

Final things from this week:

Although I'm only three quarters of the way through the Monologue A5 sketchbook, which I started 27th December at the Winter Wonderland sketchcrawl, I have abandoned it. The main reasons are the perferations and the wrinkling of the paper when water is applied. I tried 2 pages of a Canson but the ink smudges, so I will probably go back to my favourite Daler Ebony sketchbooks.

I started tutoring the mixed media course and will report on that at another time. The first course photo can be seen on my facebook page and instagram @suepownallartist15

Uprooted, 28x17cm Watersoluble ink. Available to purchase.

Lastly, I have a finished drawing, the first of the year, seen here. It's a bit of an experiment as I used watersoluble ink.

What have you done this week?

Down but not out

Dave. Pencil in moleskin.

 I have been taken on as an art tutor for the charity WEA (wea.org.uk). My first course started on Thursday and I'm working at the charity Sanctus (sanctus-home.com) in their cafe. All the participants are  homeless, destitute or have fallen on hard times. As Sanctus say, "We are not here to judge, but to help and act as a resource for the community" and my course is both a gentle way into education and also, hopefully, aids the participants' health and wellbeing (confidence building, social engagement etc).

From Class 1: working on contour portraits.

On Thursday, I have to confess, apart from nerves of running a new course for a new employer AND it was the first time the WEA and Sanctus have worked together, I was nervous as I have only interacted with this community in a limited way (buying The Big Issue) and stereotypes were running around my head. After just 2 sessions, I am so pleased the stereotypes are wrong. I feel I am learning more than the guys.

Sweep joins the 2nd class.

There's not much time to draw when you are the class tutor, but above top is a incomplete sketch of Dave, who's very sweet and also a good drawer.

AEDM week 2 & the end

9th November, watercolour in moleskin sketchbook

I was doing quite well with AEDM, but have now stopped. Luckily, I have an art teaching contract to prepare for, which has moved its start date early January to 10 days away eek 

Here are my week 2 results.

9th again (missed 8th)

A second submission for the 9th - Degas eating a bone. Coloured pencil in moleskin sketchbook.

A tired girl for the 10th. Super5 pen in moleskin

Photo taken at sunrise 11th November.

 Martinmas Day (11th November) The Feast of St Martin, Martinmas was a time for celebrations with great feasts and hiring fairs, at which farm labourers would seek new posts. Since 1918 the 11th has been commemorated as Armistice Day, and all remnants of the old Martinmas celebrations have disappeared.

12th. Ink in A6 Laloran sketchbook 

I had to take my mum to the hygienist on the 12th and I sketched this whilst I waited. I have to say it's not somewhere I ever expected to sketch in and was disappointed when they finished as I hadn't got the details in I wanted to.

Super5 pen in A4 Daler sketchbook.

Finally, I drew my sketching kit for Liz Steel's course, SketchingNow Foundations Online Course. That's all my aedm for 2014. I hope you liked these week 2 results.

Inktober 2014

5th #Inktober. Wilting sunflower. Soluble ink in Moleskin sketchbook.

 On the 5th October, I heard about a drawing challenge called Inktober. It was created in 2009 by Jake Parker, the Inktober drawing challenge is to do one ink drawing a day the entire month of October. More info here: inktober.com  As I'm struggling with creativity and motivation, I thought I would participate. Here are a selection of the ink drawings I did.

15 Attempt 2... and again she moved before I'd finished

17th Scone with Tiptree jam

21st sketching in the #SilentPartners exhibition

25th Dad's tea roses.

 You can see the whole set in a FB album here: Sue's Inktober

I love receiving comments, please leave your thoughts below.

Did you participate in #inktober? Why not leave a link with your comment?

Degas & sunflowers

Sunflower 24th September, watercolour

 As a quick interlude in my Brasil posts, here are my sketches and watercolour experiments from this month. The sketches of Degas have been done with a Super5 pen and all have been done in the watercolour Moleskin I got at the recent Urban Sketchers Symposium.

15th September

17th September.

After Paul Heaston. 18th

21st September

27th September

27th September

28th September watercolour

29th Sept. Soluble ink and watercolour experiment I

29th Sept. Soluble ink and watercolour experiment II

 What have you sketched this month? Why don't you leave a comment below? You are welcome to link to a post too.