New Royal Bird Prints

Royal Blackbird & Royal Kingfisher

I've received lots of complimentary feedback about my little bird watercolour paintings I did some time ago, so ..... Drum-roll please ......

I now have A4 Prints of my Royal Blackbird and the Royal Kingfisher on 380mic Pulp paper. These will be available to buy from my online shop and through Facebook for £15 per print (inclusive of postage). I'll keep you posted once I've got them all packaged up and ready to go.

Sketch a Day Challenge

Day 67 - Spotty - 12.03.15 - Version One

1 - I was going to add more spots to this but rather liked it as it was. 30min Watercolour with Salt resist.

Day 67 - Spotty - 12.03.15 - Version Two.

2 - Attempted a larger A4 version. 40mins on this one, Watercolour with Salt resist.

Day 54 - Chickens - Watercolour

Day 58 - Lizard - March 2, 2015

Really enjoyed this one as very free as only had half hour before my class this evening. Not quite sure how I didn't fit him on the page though

Day 60 - Mushrooms. About 45mins, watercolour

Day 59 - Spoons - 50min Watercolour
This was rather tricky, didn't even attempt to make them realistic

Day 63 - Something Green - 40min Watercolour
Quite enjoyed this one, wasn't that regimented, tried to be loose and am pleased with the outcome.

Day 61 - Green - Watercolour and white pen - 1/2hr

 

Day 65 - Scissors - 20min Watercolour
Decided to restrict myself to less than half an hour today, I was surprised that I can actually produce something quite quickly. Might aim for 15mins tomorrow.

Sketch A Day 2015 - Day 56 - Mandala

I had no idea what a Mandala was when this topic was set apart from it being a round decorative image.....

http://timeavarga.com/

The word "mandala" is from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit. Loosely translated to mean "circle," a mandala is far more than a simple shape. It represents wholeness, and can be seen as a model for the organizational structure of life itself--a cosmic diagram that reminds us of our relation to the infinite, the world that extends both beyond and within our bodies and minds.

Describing both material and non-material realities, the mandala appears in all aspects of life: the celestial circles we call earth, sun, and moon, as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and community.

A mandala is...

An integrated structure 

organized around a 

unifying center

Longchenpa

I came across this website that gives a really good explanation of how to attempt drawing a Mandala ... follow this link to see how.  How To Draw Mandalas  

I didn't follow these guides and ended up with the following attempt....

Not quite sure I properly embraced the meaning and belief behind them.  I think I'll try again and use my favorite medium watercolour as that would be a lot more relaxing.  Or perhaps it would just end up the same = Uncentered, I do feel like my life is a little off center and disorganised :)

Bristol Pound Competition

'Calling all Bristolians'  Fancy seeing your art work on our Bristol pound?  Here's your chance to enter a competition to be in with the chance for your designs to be featured on £1, £5 or £10 notes!! How awesome would that be?

Current Bristol £5 Note

Current Bristol £1 Note

Now, what topic shall I enter?...

1. European Green Capital 2015 (£B1 note)

2. Art & culture (£B5 note)

3. Community & diversity (£B10 note)

4. Innovation & Technology (£B20 note)

A different type of Magazine

I thought I'd share this lovely offer with you all.  

I took part in a fair last December Christmas at the Orangery​, and had the lovely opportunity to meet the Pretty Nostalgic Magazine​ crew.  

They are now offering a fab offer to have a nosy at the wonderful magazine they produce (only pay postage).  

The Pretty Nostalgic Society –Creative and sustainable living inspired by the past

Pretty Nostalgic is about hands-on living, heartfelt giving and mindful consumption.

Do you revel in nostalgia? Yearn for gentler, more civilised times? Would you rather live  a more hands-on, less commercialised existence?

Yes? – Then join us – the Pretty Nostalgic Society – the perfect antidote to the greedy, corporate, lacklustre and often unfriendly modern world.

We are a group of history and vintage-loving souls, who delight in our brilliantly British lifestyle. We try to live in a creative and sustainable way, enjoy crafting, making, baking, growing, sewing, brewing, preserving, foraging, upcycling and what’s more we love sharing our skills with others.  We are not about giving up technology and permanently time warping back to the 1940s (Not unless you want to of course!)

We feel that modern ways aren’t always good and that old-fashioned ways weren’t always bad; we strive to find a balance and to live in a way that makes us proud and fills us with a sense of achievement and pleasure rather than purely existing in an out-of-control world, dictated to by others, feeling unsatisfied and surrounded by mass consumer tat!

We are committed to supporting independent British makers, small independent shops and businesses and those who supply handmade, vintage, antique or upcycled goods and services. We want to put our hard-earned cash into the hands of those who deserve it!

WHAT AN INSPIRATIONAL TEAM AND MAGAZINE!

Week 7 2015 - Sketch a Day Images

Day 39 - Round
Tea Cup  - Pen and Watercolour

Day 40 - Love
Valentines Inspired tpoic for the day - Watercolour and Gold Pen

Day 41 - Bouquet
Heather and Lavendar - Watercolour

Day 42 - Penguin
Really pleased with this quick 30 minute Watercolour.  I've decided to try and be looser and quicker.....

Day 43 - Bread
Banana Bread Ingredients - Pen and Watercolour - 30 Minutes

February 2015 - Sketch a Day's

Just a quick update with my 'Sketch a Day' progression.  I'm still sticking to it even though some days I'm just not feeling it.  Here are the latest attempts.  I do feel a certain style is emerging, or perhaps I'm just more relaxed now and have found a way to quickly do my sketching :)

Day 29 - Moon - Watercolour

Day 30 - Ears - Black Watercolour

Day 32 - 'F' - Watercolour

Day 35 - Greenman - Pen and Watercolour (Found this rather a tricky subject to tackle)

Day 33 - Shells - Pen

Day 33 - Shells - Pen and Watercolour.
I just couldn't resist adding some colour to this simple pen image.

Day 36 - Bicycle - Pen and Tea :)

Day 37 - Pumpkin - Pen and Watercolour (and Tea again!)

Day 38 - Jewellery - Pen, Watercolour and gold pen for the detail.

Sticking to Resolutions - January Success

Well I did it!  I completed my resolution to do more drawing and general creativity!  I stuck to my 'Sketch a day' challenge and completed January!!  I am rather pleased with myself.

Day 22 - Book - 40 Minute Watercolour.

I'm not particularly pleased with this image, I feel it's too contrived and not as effective as my quicker more relaxed images.

Day 25 - Your Star Sign - Capricorn - 30 Minute Watercolour.

Again this wasn't what I'd pictured in my head but I quite like the outcome.  It's rather dark and mysterious.  My partner described it as a pixie goat, which I rather liked.

Day 24 - Something Sweet - 30 Minute Watercolour.

I rather like this one, the messy, carefree effect and of course the scrummy biscuits.  We don't normally have biscuits in the house so this was a treat to go and buy so many packs! :)

Day 26 - Weather - Our Changing Climate.  40 Minute Watercolour.

 The day before this topic was set I had literally been through all these types of weather.  I'd set off on a little outing with little Freya and wrapped up in so may layers then had to unwrap ourselves as the sun was out and shining.  On our return journey I encountered the most amazing hail and snow, I could see it ahead of us swirling down the road.  It was a shame Freya was asleep as I'm sure she would have loved it!

Day 27 - Snowdrops - 30 Minute Watercolour.

This topic was set as the following day was the commencement of the 'Scottish Snowdrop Festival – 31 January to 15 March 2015.  I rather liked doing this painting as I really like the form of snow drops.  I think I will revisit this as I can envisage a lovely repeat for a textile design.

Day 15 - Time - 40 Minute Watercolour.

I have to admit, this was inspired by various images I found online searching for Flying Time, I particularly wanted to include feathers and flying etc into this topic.  Especially appropriate for me, where has January gone to?

Day 16 - Birds - 40 Minute Watercolour - Humming Bird.

I spent longer on this than I had intended.  That seems top be a problem when I'm painting, I let the time fly and get sucked in to adding more detail. 

I'd like to really thank all the participants of the 'Sketch a Day' challenge as receiving the feedback and viewing others daily sketches is so encouraging.  I attempted a similar challenge last year to draw more, however I didn't have the daily support of such a group.  Thank you sketchers :)

Sticking to 2015 Resolutions

As previously mentioned in earlier posts, I haven't specifically written a list of 2015 resolutions as I have so many ideas in my head that my list would be endless.  Instead I want to be more creative and make time to do something enjoyable each day.  The facebook group that I've joined 'Sketch a Day', is really helping me to do this.  Simply taking away the need to think of a topic takes such pressure off and has really pushed me to cover topics that I would normally steer well clear of.   

Portraits, Hats, Bugs, A Quote, A View, Shoes; are all subjects covered in the last week, I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them and have even got some fabric designs that I would like to develop from these topics.  Sticking to this I feel will really assist me in feeling productive.  It's not always about creating picture perfect images.  

 

Day 7 - Bugs

Day 13 - Self Portrait 

(I set this this days task!! Really don't know why I picked such a difficult one?!)

Day 14 - Hats (This is our Cat Pebbles)

Day 8 - Shoes

 

Day 9 - Breakfast

Above two images are from Day 10 - Window View - This is the view from our living room.

 

Day 12 - Quotes

 

Day 11 - Fish

I've often spent so much time in the past contemplating before putting pen or paintbrush to paper. However I've come to realise that your first idea is rarely your best, but it doesn't matter.  Capturing any idea is beneficial.  This is the beginning. Draw it!  It only takes a few minutes, and it gets the idea out of your head onto paper.  Now draw some more!  You won’t know whether your first idea is the best until you explore others.  It's surprising how quickly you will develop and improve your ability to quickly sketch, paint and express your ideas.

Sketching is fast, rough, and dirty.  Learn to embrace your pen and paper, and you’ll be thrilled at your speed of ideas and progression.  You’ll wonder why you ever fought it. By giving yourself the freedom to put down on paper your quick ideas, you’ll get to creative places you could never have imagined.

Happy sketching

2015 Motivation - Sketch a Day

Last year I started the New Year with the intention to do a drawing a day, well this didn't go down that well.  I think at the start of each month I had the omphhhh to re-attempt the resolution but never really stuck it out to the months end.  However, this year I have joined a group on Facebook titled 'Sketch a Day', what a good idea I thought!  Well, it seems to be going well so far, I've joined in everyday and posted my 'Good the Bad and the damn right Ugly!!'

 

Although not very impressed with my daily attempts that is the whole point of the group, to just go for it, to not rip that page out of the sketch book and have confidence in what you do.  You will learn from your mistakes and it takes this effort and realisation to keep going and continue doodling, sketching, collaging, whatever medium you work in you can interpret into the days brief.  I'm finding it quite liberating just letting go and actually being given the days brief.

 

I thought I'd share my first few days sketches, now, I am not saying these are perfect!  These are drawings that I have done whilst Freya has been napping or whilst Freya has also been sat next to me doodling, I could have worked on some a lot more to actually achieve something that I liked but that's no the aim of the group or my resolution!

 

Top to Bottom:

Day One - Tea Cups and Mugs.  Mixture of colouring pencils

Day Two - Fruit - Aqua pencil and colouring pencils

Day Three - Blue - Freya's finger paints!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope this may inspire some of you to let go and just draw, it really doesn't matter what or what with.  Have fun and enjoy!  I will keep posting my daily sketches, hopefully I'll see some improvement or even a style immerging as I really don't know what my drawing style is!  Perhaps I had better dig out my nice art materials!