Tennis time.

Relaxing on beanbags prior to the 5pm start

On Thursday I was in Abu Dhabi, UAE, for the Mubadala World Tennis Championship. My mum got me the ticket as a birthday present. Nadal was scheduled to play, but pulled out the day before due to illness on top of his on-going knee injury, which was a little disappointing. However the tennis I saw was good.

Queueing for Djokovic's autograph

I arrived at the ground early and armed with my sketchbook drew the people around me. The first sketch was from the bar of people watching the kids activities out on a field. Followed by the massive queue of people waiting for Novak Djokovic's autograph. Finally, I drew people chillin out on beanbags from my own beanbag.

In the bar watching the kids events

My A5 sketchbook

Inside the stadium I watched Andy Murray lose his match against Janko Tipsarevic, then an exciting match between David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych, which Ferrer won. Surprisingly, play got delayed due to rain, although unlike Wimbledon it was all over in a few moments, the lines were dried and play restarted.

The raincloud.

Ferrer V Berdych at Tennis Complex, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi

Please forgive the quality of the scans, I am busy working on my end of year post and do not have time to fiddle with colour correction etc.

Mayan Prophecy

Capturing shadows A4 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 2012

In case the Mayan prophercy was true, I arranged SketchMuscat 4 for yesterday morning. What better way to spend the last day on earth than sketching if you can't be with your family? A small group of us sketched at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat. The weather is perfect now to sketch outside and we all enjoyed wandering around the beautiful complex.

Changing bulbs in the mesjid. A4 sketchbook

I'd planned to draw the gardens and complex buildings to enjoy the weather to its fullest. However, my first potential subject seemed tooooo huge for a first sketch, so I headed into the main mesjid (mosque). Inside men where on a huge crane changing lightbulbs and I knew I had to record this unusual event. Then I went back outside and did my second sketch of the morning, which was the watercolour of the shadows. I hadn't planned a tonal work, but that's what  happened.

I wouldn't like their job!

My latest newletter just went out.
You can read it here - http://eepurl.com/qQnIr and maybe you would like to subscribe for the next edition?

12.12.12

12.12.12 Qantab, A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall 2012

 On 12.12.12 at 12:12 I was sat on a beach sketching. It's not quiet an urban sketch as I was in the small fishing village of Qantab, which is a short drive south-east of Muscat. The finished sketch is above, whilst below is the snap I took at 12.12.12 12:12 

By sketching on 12.12.12 I hope the auspicious date will bring my art luck in the forthcoming year.

12.12.12 12:12 (GMT+4)

I was very inspired by the village and there are lots of things I want to draw. As I have friends living there, I'm sure you'll see lots more sketches and drawings from this lovely village.

True Vines

True Vines with illustrations by Sue Pownall.

Today, I received my copy of True Vines by Diana Strinati Baur and published by Gemelli Press. I love how my illustrations have been used. I originally posted the cover illustration for this novel on my blog here back in October, just before publication.

This novel by Diana is beautifully written and hard to put down. I recommend you get a copy now.

True Vines is available in soft copy, kindle & nook from Amazon (uk, com, de...) and direct from gemellipress.com

Asifa Ramliyya - Festival Face #6

Asifa Ramliyya. Pen & ink. 32x26 cm. © Sue Pownall 2012

This is the sixth portrait of my Festival Face series, which was finished yesterday.
The title is an Arabic transliteration for sandstorm عاصفة رملية

What do you think?
Please leave me a comment. Thank you.

*******
Photograph used with permission of the photographer: Aziz (AbdulAziz) Al Jahdhami.

Sketches - a catchup

I have a commission to draw a house; these were in the garden.

As an artist I’ve never been so busy as this year and specifically over these last few months. This has ranged from producing illustrations for the short story site The Story Shack to the artists’ collaborative wall painting project. I have continued sketching throughout this time, but due to these other projects I haven’t posted any sketches, so today is a long catch up.

A prep sketch prior to a commission. November

A night sketch whilst waiting for a friend. October.

The last sketches shown on my blog were from the pink party. For that I bought Intense pencils and since then I have been experimenting using them with the water brush I bought in Barcelona. I think I prefer my watercolours and last weekend reverted to using them, but the pencils will be useful when wet medium is not easily used or for touches of colour as I did at the pink party.

A beach day with mum. October 2012

On a tour of Oman Flour Mills 10 Nov.

On a tour of Oman Flour Mills 10 Nov.

 I’ve also finished my A6 handbag sketchbook. It’s been lurking in the bottom of my bag for nearly 2 years. I prefer larger sketchbooks, but carry it for those in-between times, waiting for friends, sitting on buses, in waiting rooms etc.

Al Raffah Hospital September

Muscat Private Hospital, Radiology dept. Sept.

Waiting for mum at MCT international airport arrivals. Oct.

I love receiving comments so please feel free to tell me what you think.

Wall painting project - Unveiled

The finished wall painting. Photo courtesy of Ghalya's Museum of Modern Art.

As I mentioned in my post Wall Painting Collaboration, I was part of a large wall painting project initiated by Ghalya's Museum of Modern Art. The unveiling was on Tuesday and was cleverly done through having lights dimmed and smoke pumped in front of the wall, which then cleared to show the painting. 

Museum director Murtadha Al Lawati unveiling the wall.

Nearly a 100 artists, both Omani and internationals, took part to complete the 100 sections. As an artist living in Oman, it was a great honour to be asked to participate. The collaboration and friendship between artists working on the project was fantastic. To be able to add my small part to the project, working alongside great Omani artists, is something I will always remember.

Some of the particpating artists. Photo courtesy of Reehan Hoosein.

#29

The overall theme of the project was to celebrate Oman's 42nd National Day. My section represents the role of Omani women in the successful reign of HM Sultan Qaboos. Women have been a fundamental part in Oman's renaissance and I have tried to symbolically show that with my painting of veils.

 Don't forget you can see a slideshow of the day I painted here. If you are in Oman in the next 3 months, you can see the actual painting on Ghalya's museum wall.

*****
Look out for more news and events on my facebook page: www.facebook.com/suepownallartist

A published illustration

Yesterday, an illustration I drew on The Story Shack appeared online for the short story Pottering About in Thailand.

To see the illustration onsite and read the story please click this link:
The Story Shack.

  If you like my drawing and/or the story, the writer and I would appreciate your vote on the page.

IF: Tree

The President's Tree, pen & ink, 160 x 230mm © Sue Pownall 2011

This week's topic for Illustration Friday is tree and I thought I would share this old drawing from 2011. Limited edition giclée prints are available through my website shop and would make a great Christmas gift. 

My shop is here.

Wall painting collaboration

Participating in Ghalya's wall painting event. 9th November

 Through an Omani contact, I got invited to participate in Ghalya's Museum of Modern Art's wall painting project. Over 80 artists, both Omani and International are involved in painting a mural on the theme: the successful 42 year reign of HM Sultan Qaboos.

Yesterday morning saw me painting my segment, which represents the importance of Omani women's roles throughout the time.  I have a slideshow of photos from the morning here on my site, please check it out. It is just a single morning's snapshot of the project, which is due to be finished in time for its unveiling on 20th November, taken as I added my contribution.