Flower Arrangement

A touch of colour added.

Stool using ball point pen.

I did this quick sketch after a great night out with my friend and fellow artist Tony and his father. I used a ball point on lined paper. I like the layer of lines, as I search for form of the stool.

Glass mug and mobile phone.

Shadows and Corners

A study an open drawer, to practice my observational skills and drawing of perspective and angles.

A quick sketch gone wrong!

Version 2, better but still lots of errors!

Version 1

This is another sketch done on the night shift. The  accuracy gradually disintegrated as I searched for the relationship between the table and the chair. I like the way I have overlaid sketchy lines as I search for the form and structure.

Cupboards and Drawers

Even the simplest of feature can provide a fascinating challenge. It is interesting that I feel a slight disquiet looking at this image, as my mind picks up on the slight errors of perspective. By seeing the errors I know that improvement is possible.

One from the archives

I came upon this sketch whist sorting through some old files. It was done over 20 years ago when I was into picking a few samples from the wild and creating my own arrangement. I have given the sketch an old world look in Adobe Lightroom.

Traditional Irish Currach

This beautiful traditional rowing boat was moored at Dog's Bay near Roundstone on the west coast of Ireland, in the Connemara region of county Galway. Dog's bay is a very beautiful and unspoiled bay with white sand and clear turquoise sea. The land around the bay is traditionally grazed, resulting in a wide variety of wild flowers, insects, butterflies and birds. The village of Roundstone has a small harbour, good shops, pubs and restaurants The sketch was done from a photograph in June 2009..

Lap top computer by Night Hawk

I was up at 3 am. having a cup of tea and biscuits, having awoken with backache. I noticed Maureen's computer open on the settee, so decided to sketch it.

Study - Perceptual grid, perceptual perspective and negative space.

After studying the relevant chapters in Drawing from Obsevation - Brian Curtis, I chose this room corner for sketch. It is amazing how one can become totally absorbed and fascinated with such an ordinary scene. In general I am pleased with the result, although I did have to fake it in one or two areas. It was interesting to note my slight angst when my sketch began to go wrong. It is also interesting that my rational mind finds it hard to accept that the shape of the carpet receding into the corner fits into a perfect square, as shown by the view on the right.

Gesture Drawing 3

As I continue my study of the excellent drawing instruction book by Brian Curtis - "Drawing from Observation", I am beginning to adopt the drawing techniques as he introduces them. In the quick sketch above, I have employed Intuitive Gesture, Perceptual Grid and Intuitive Perspective. Brian Curtis explains very clearly the theory behind these techniques, and how to use them in practice. I am finding that the speed, quality and enjoyment of my drawings is steadily improving as I progress through the book.

Gesture Drawing 2

I made this drawing after reading Ch.4 - Inuitive Gesture. from Drawing from Observation. Brian Curtis explains that in order to safeguard the accuracy of our perceptions, we need to temporarily suspend the rationalizing influence of our analytical information processing until our intuitive and spatially sensitive intelligence has had an opportunity to react directly to the visual information in the scene. By moving our eyes quickly throughout the scene and transferring spontaneous light gestures to the paper, the left logical side of the brain is quietened, allowing the right creative side to blossom.

I can see that perspective is wrong on the left side of the drawing. I can also see some evidence of the freedom of gesture that comes from right brain drawing.

Gesture Drawing

I have just received Drawing from observation by Brian Curtis, which is already having a massive influence on my approach to drawing. From the way I hold the pencil to the way I look and draw are all changed. This drawing is a very quick gesture drawing in the lounge at home. By constantly scanning all over the scene and moving the pencil all over the paper, a much freer and vibrant drawing results.

Contour Drawing

I have been experimenting with Pure and Modified contour drawing, as described in Betty Edwards - Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Although there are obvious errors, I am pleased at my first attempt, and look forward to posting improving examples.

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Plant Sketch

This morning I had a few minutes spare, so decided to do a little sketching practice. I used a thick leaded, blunt pencil, held with a loose underhand grip, I made a sketch in 15 minutes in a lined notebook. The original image is approx. 3.5" (76mm) wide. Later I took a photo of the image and gave it the full treatment in Adobe Lightroom and NIK-Colorfx-Pro. I like the result and wish I had used plain paper for the sketch.

Original sketch

Watercolours inspired by Marjorie Blamey

These paintings are copied from Marjorie Blamey's wonderful book, "The Illustrated Flora of Britain and Northern Europe" which covers over 2400 plants. A former dairy farmer without any formal training in either painting or botany, she has become the most successful botanical illustrator alive. Over the years she has built up an archive of more than 10,000 paintings of flowers from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean, which are used in publications worldwide. She has illustrated and written more than 36 books about flowers. Marjorie is 95 and lives with her husband in Cornwall.

 Cherry Plum - Prunus cerasifera

Wild Cherry - Prunus avium

My friend the Harvest Mouse

I painted this watercolour of a Harvest Mouse on Honysuckle, many years ago, when my eyes and patience were better than they are today!

Sketches of Halton Gill in Littondale

Littondale 16 Feb 2014

Littondale 16 Feb 2014, a set on Flickr.

After all the recent rain it was wonderful to spend a few hours in wonderful light and sunshine of the Yorkshire Dales.

A quick 10 min. sketch of Maureen's slippers under the bathroom stool, from the most comfortable seat in the house

Leather chair with cushion.
It easy to see now how I have incorrectly drawn the nearest arm of the chair. This is great as I now know where I can make improvements on my next attempt.

Ribble Valley Views

A view of Clitheroe Castle from Salford, before the advent of Sainsburys 

Edisford Bridge 

Brungerly Bridge

Pubs in Blackburn, Lancashire

 The Rakes Hall Hotel, Mill Hill

The Navigation Inn, Mill Hill

A Trip to Devon

Recently I travelled to Devon on train and bus to visit family. I decided to use the time to do some sketching, which I continued whilst I was in Devon.

On the train Clitheroe station.

On the bus between Taunton and Exeter

On the train to Totnes with the Exe estuary on the right.

Holly's desk, concept sketch.

Holly's desk as built.

Looking towards the kitchen area in the caravan.

A quick sketch of a chair before it was moved.

Waiting for the toast.

Digital sketch, Jo's wood.