Random stuff

 Fredo, Pen & ink © Sue Pownall 2012

Here's a post of random things.

Last night, I was suffering from insomnia so I took the time to get this image (Fredo) out of my head and onto paper. It is inspired by a friend's novel, which is to be published soon.

© Sue Pownall 2012

Not having a tv, I am currently streaming programs through my laptop, here's a sketch I did whilst watching Dr Who. I drew everything then discovered it was a two-parter, so I could add the titles into the screen. It's a brown Staedtler fineline in A5 sketchbook. Oh I think this is the first sketch inside my new flat.

© Sue Pownall 2012

Finally, being involved with a new institute, I have spent some time waiting around ministry offices. Here's a sketch from my A6 sketchbook.

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It's EarthHour here in Muscat in 45 minutes. 

Along with my lights I'm switching off the computer. What will you do?

Festival Faces: The Woodman

The Woodman, Pen & ink 230x330mm ©Sue Pownall 2012

Here is the third in my Festival Faces series of drawings inspired by the Muscat Festival.

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Lá Fhéile Pádraig

Waiting to dance. Pen & watercolour in A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall

I hate going to pubs on my own and very, very rarely do it. In fact, I can honestly not remember the last time it happened. Friday was an exception. The new Irish bar, O'Malley's at the Radisson Blu, was having Irish dancers perform in the bar so I gathered sketchbooks, pens and watercolours, took a deep breath and went in.

Just one more, Pen & watercolour in A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall

I bought a drink (not Guinness as I don't drink beer in any form), found out where the dancers would perform, then sat down at a table.  First up was a sketch of two guys sat at the bar. They ordered "just one more" when I arrived and had 2 or 3 "one mores" before they left, which I think accounts for the slump of the guy on the right.

Irish dancers, Watercolour

Next, I sketched one of the dancers with amazing black, long, wavy hair and long legs sat on a bar stool waiting to dance. She was dressed in black shorts, tights, and under Tshirt with a green top, and I chose to add green to that. (Top sketch)

Dinner for the band. Pen & watercolour in A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall

Using a paintbrush I then tried to capture the dancers, but it was a bit dark and I soon gave up to watch. However, after they finished I then sketched the band whilst they ate their dinner (the green was added at home from memory). That completed my A5 sketchbook, which was started on November 24th.

Boxty Band. Pen & watercolour in A5 sketchbook © Sue Pownall

I moved seats to the bar, feeling very conspicuous, in order to watch the band play. Luckily, my mum posted me out a new A5 Daler Ebony sketchbook that arrived a couple of weeks ago and after a little hesitation, I sketched the band members. They were not stood in this order and there were only 4 of them, but one guy played 2 instruments to I sketched him twice. I should have had 6 figures, but had put my sketchbook away when the accordion player played a short piece on a flute.

Happy St Patrick's Day everyone.

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Dancers in blue.

Dancers in blue. Acrylic 60x40cm © Sue Pownall 2012

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Calligraphy

Susan written by © Anwa of OFAS

I have wanted to learn Arabic calligraphy for a long time now. I think it is beautiful as an art form in both traditional and modern art. One of the best exhibitions I've been to in the last few years was a Sotherby's pre-sale exhibition featuring Early Islamic, Ottoman and Contemporary calligraphic art in Doha December 2010. My first attempt was in February, and was posted on my facebook page, trying to copy a whole phrase Knowledge is Enlightenment.

First attempts by ©Sue Pownall Feb 2012

Whilst my membership application for the Oman Fine Art Society has only just been submitted (fingers & toes crossed for acceptance), twice I've been able to sit with their calligraphic group when they meet to practise and get guidance from more experienced members. The first time I was there, Anwa wrote my name as a gift (above) and it is now on my inspiration board.

Talk at calligraphy group OFAS ©Sue Pownall

Impatient to run before I can walk I am finding repetition of my A, B, Cs (actually alaf, baa', taa') a struggle especially last night, my 2nd evening, when 2 men gave talks to the group in Arabic. Due to the talks there was not the interaction between the group members as they listened and I was left to keep repeating my letters. Consequently I started sketching, including sketching the letters on the chalk board.

Sketching takes over my pratice ©Sue Pownall

Before I left, Anwa took my notebook, I thought to check my letters, and showed my sketches to the other girls and there was a lot of giggling as they recognised the people. She then told me to practise everyday.  hmm that's as likely as my studying 3 times a week.

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International Women's Day 2012

Meskina - Quiet Wisdom. Pen & ink 350x230mm ©Sue Pownall 2012

Observed since the early 1900s, International Women's Day is annually held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. You can read more about it here.  

"Every year the United Nations choose a different worldwide theme for Women’s Day and many events take place... marking the economic, political and social achievements of women. Their theme for March 8th 2012 “Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty”." Source LindyLou at News From Italy

Whilst this year I am not involved with an event, I am posting my latest Festival Face portrait, which is of a woman who has had a very hard life and matches the UN theme. The title has been elusive, despite lots of good suggestions in response to my competition - thank you - apart from Meskina (Arabic for poor woman) which has remained in my head.

As in the tradition of all competitions, I picked a winner.

& the winner is...

Esther Hardman with Quiet Wisdom.

Esther please use the contact form above to send me your snail mail (postal) address, 

so I can get your prize in the post.

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Photo reference supplied and used with the permission of Ahmed S. Al-Harthy.

Please check out his fabulous photos at Ahmed S. Al-Harthy Photography

A splash of colour & a competition

First, a splash of colour. At my last night of Muscat Festival, I took a photo of some women clapping and dancing and capturing the movement and as I took it I told a friend I’m going to paint that. Not having brought any acrylics to Oman, they are at my flat in Italy, I did this small study in watercolour and gold leaf. I’ve got some acrylics now thanks to the generousity of artist Yousuf Al Nahwi, who gave me some of his supplies and will be tackling a canvas soon.
My 2nd Festival Face is this half-blind Omani woman. At an earlier stage it looked like Voldemort meets Mother Teresa as I’d only draw the scarf, necessary as it defines the face, and her eyes, my starting point. The title is a problem: as JK Rowlings has copyright on the name Voldemort I can’t use that in the title, and I feel “Blind Omani Woman” is on par with “Untitled”. I received the proposal of calling it “Meskina” which is Arabic for poor woman, but that doesn’t feel right.

Any suggestions? 

Leave your title in the comment box below, then like my facebook page, and you could win a prize. If I like your suggestion the best, you will receive 5 of my Secret Garden greeting cards, but you must like my facebook page as well as comment here. I look forward to receiving the titles. I will post the finished portrait, it's new title and the winner on March 8th, International Women's Day. btw Secret Garden is on the top right of the banner.


This second WIP has been hanging around for a while. It’s part of the Decay Series: Scottish Ruins series, which you can see here. I did the pencil placement in UK back in November. I inked the outline when I moved into this flat mid-Jan and started the initial shading. Then this week, I started on the details of the castle as a counter to the precision of the portrait. Not sure, when I’ll next work on it, so you will have to check back again.

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Sketching Muscat Festival XI

Waiting

Muscat Festival was extended a week, now closing this weekend, but there were not any more performances in the Heritage Village by the various villages. I am sad as I miss seeing my new photographer friends and all the lovely people working at the festival.

Tuesday night (21st) was the area of Wadi Bani Khalid and it was sooo colourful and I think everyone from there was in the Heritage Village as there were so many performers. After a couple of walk rounds, mouth open at the colours, but lacking suitable places to lean or sit, I stopped at a wall to sketch some ladies in beautiful outfits preparing a table of food. Unfortunately, I was distracted, see below, and the women moved to much so I abandonded the sketch.

1st drawing of the day

The distraction: whilst drawing I looked up and found myself surrounded by these lovely cute girls. I grabbed a passer-by to take the photo of us.

Sketching with girls from Wadi Bani Khalid.

I then drew a woman sitting very still, the perfect subject, BUT people came and sat blocking her from view, prior to her wandering off. I took photos as she needs to have colour added... she was wearing bright reds and greens as my top sketch, with gold around her ankles, purple strips, black... maybe I will complete it and post here.

This cries out for colour

Two more Where's Wally shots (Don't know what I'm talking about? then check out Festival X post) from my new friend and great photographer Ahmed Al-Harthy. You can see one of the ladies with an orange cloth on her head on the left. Yes, the man next to me is drawing. He drew a deer from his imagination.

20th February By Ahmed Al-Harthy

This one is by Waleed Mohammed taken on Tuesday. I have a very serious expression in this one, but it could be because I haven't got my glasses on.

Photo by Waleed Mohammed

The next day was my last sketching the festival, and I was more motivated to take photos than sketch. I did this watercolour early on, but they wandered off. 

Then, stood in the dark in the Qurum Park site I sketched these dancers without actually being able to see either pen nor paper. 

Totals for my Muscat Festival 2012

48      A5 sketchbook pages with drawings on (not often completed)

1        A4 sketchbook page with a pen & watercolour sketch

708   photographs, after deletingthe really bad ones.

Whilst on numbers this is my 300th post. I wonder what the next 100 will bring?

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Festival faces

His brother's musar,  230 x 330mm, Pen & ink. ©Sue Pownall 2012

Inspired by Muscat Festival I have started a series of drawings I am calling Festival Faces.
The first one is of a man from Jalaan, called His brother's musar.

I started posting the WIP stages on my Facebook page after tweeting "Over-confidence meets reality?! New drawing stuck on wall while I get past the omg #canIreallydrawthis panic" on February 10th. The next day I posted the first stage to show I'd moved on and explained the panic had been because the man has partial cataracts and wasn't working in the drawing. As you can see I drew fairly normal old eyes, but as I am an artist, and this is my interpretation of the subject that's my choice.

Sorry about the picture quality, it was snapped on my phone at night, not a good combination. 

WIP #1 10th February

I have been inspired by this picture and so have put in lots of hours in order to complete it so fast. As the drawing is on A3 and my new scanner is only A4 these WIP are all photos taken with my phone.

WIP #2

WIP #3 13th February

WIP Thursday am 16th Feb

WIP Thursday later 16th Feb

WIP 17th Feb

Later 17th

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Photo reference supplied and used with the permission of Ahmed Al-Shukaili.

ahmedshukaili.com

Where's Wally? Sketching Muscat Festival X

The guys from Al Musna clapping etc

I feel a bit like the American Where's Wally as my new photographer friends keep taking my photo as I sketch at the Festival. It's nice as some of them are being shared with me on my facebook page. I posted the Where's Wally (Sue)? pic by Nasser on the last post and I thought I'd add more to this post.

Photo by Waleed Mohammed

I love the one above taken by Waleed, which was taken on Sunday. I don't normally paint standing up, but had sketched the guys from Al Musna and was enjoyng their clapping, singing and drumming, so much that I wanted to add colour to capture the feeling. They seemed to enjoy my attention too as between every song they gathered around to see what I had done and tried to guess who was who in the drawings.

New friends from Al Musna: Amjad, Yosef, Ahmed, & Mohammed

 I'm particullary pleased with the sketch below. Do you remember that awful 80s song where you sat in a line on the floor and did a strange rowing action??? This was like that without the dreadful music, but with drums and chants.

My 3rd sketch of the Al Musna troup was of Yosef the drummer, but he moved so much as he drummed vigourously it's not a good likeness, and I was sketching directly in watercolour.

Yosef

 Below is the first Where's Wally photo taken, that I know of, whilst I was sketching the picture in festival post VIII on the 15th.

By Abdulaziz Al Jahdhami

The rhythms and people as well as the perfect light really spoke to my soul as I drew on Sunday and so my other 2 pictures were in colour too. There were groups of beautiful ladies sat so I went over to capture them. I sarted the details of the lady in red, then they left. oh well.

In the last sketch I was trying to capture the ladies as they stood chatting, waiting to perform. The one in the middle has an orange cloth folded on her head, I don't know why, custom?

Where's Wally? Painting Beduin

I had a less successful sketching session yesterday, I think because I was preoccupied having unsuccessfully scanned my latest drawing and now have the search for somewhere else to scan finished pieces. I painted the ladies above soon after I arrived. I had previously tried to sketch them, but had been thwarted by the crowds. Luckily last night was quieter. I'm not keen on the angle of the Where's Wally shot, but it shows the the ladies in the background well. I love the old men, seen below, in their dark dishdashas and musars. The old guns seemed very heavy, and I tried to sketch them casually slung over the men's shoulders. Unfortunately, the men were moving a lot, and I wasn't as loose as on Sunday.

Where's Wally? Sketching on 20th by Aziz

Sorry about the length of this post. Only 2 more nights until the festival is over for another year.