Category Archives: collections

Testing, testing…

All my sketchbooks have back pages like this, messing around with inks, pens, pencil and paints, seeing how new resources mix with each other on paper; great fun! In amongst the chaos there are occasional serendipitous combinations and miniature abstract … Continue reading

Posted in collections, coloured ink, inks, kit, pencil, technique | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Funchal museum

Back to Madeira with some sketches from the Frederico de Freitas museum in Funchal. A small ivory carving (with a lamb on the shoulder and one on the knee, St Agnes?), figures on tiles, and a C19th engraving of Madeira printed in … Continue reading

Posted in brush pen, collections, figures, Inktense, Madeira, museum, objects, Uncategorized, white pen | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cloudy

The same cloud sketched four times, continually changing as sunset approached (‘cloud’ is sometimes more verb than noun). The light pencil lines were mostly drawn blind, with watercolour wash added straight after the final drawing, the colours still fading from the sky. The … Continue reading

Posted in Bath, blind drawing, clouds, collections, line drawing, sky, sunset, twilight, watercolour sketch | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Yet more…

Another seven selfies, in pen, pencil and brush-pen, with the usual self-portrait expressions (aloof, bored, angry, vacant, odd). All done fairly fast as it was late, and sleep beckoned… Both friends and family say there’s little resemblance to me in any of … Continue reading

Posted in brush pen, collections, eye, faces, ink brush, Lexington grey, line drawing, monochrome, pencil, self-portrait | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Fourty-eight fast faces

First twenty-nine drivers, sketched from the passenger seat while overtaking on the motorway. Their faces were only glimpsed in passing, so I had to quickly memorise the key lines, but they were always in full profile which helped simplify things! … Continue reading

Posted in Bath, brush pen, cars, collections, faces, ink brush, journeys, Lexington grey, people, street scene, urban, urban sketching, vehicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Barry’s book #1

My friend Barry is writing a book about his recent experience of learning to use a wheelchair and the wider impact this has had on his life. He’s kindly asked me to illustrate it, so once a month I go round to … Continue reading

Posted in Barry's book, collections, domestic, hands, illustration, Lexington grey, objects | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

More selfies

Another batch of late night selfies, including some deliberate attempts to avoid the usual self-portrait surly stare; I’m not sure that they’re any less alarming! All but one were done with my new favourite sketching tool, Kuretake brush-pens, either number 8 (plastic … Continue reading

Posted in brush pen, collections, faces, Lexington grey, monochrome, self-portrait | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Oxford Museums #1

During a Summer trip to Oxford we spent an afternoon at the best museum in the world. First there’s a Haida ‘Raven Transformation’ mask from British Columbia; the mask is designed for storytelling dances, and opens when the wearer pulls a … Continue reading

Posted in collections, museum, objects, sculpture, urban, urban sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Harbour life #2

More sketches from Tenby harbour. First the view from the quayside looking down and across beached boats at low tide, then a similar view from last year for comparison (stronger lines, lower angle, more pigeons…). Then a mix; a guided tour, two teenagers … Continue reading

Posted in beach, boats, collections, drawing buildings, holiday, Lexington grey, line drawing, nautical, sea, Tenby, urban, urban sketching | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Grounded

Stuffed and numbered birds on display at the small but wonderful Stewartry Museum, Kircudbright; I didn’t have time to paint all their glorious colours, so had to settle for ink-brush monochrome, concentrating on feathers and form. Then the head of a dead Gannet found while … Continue reading

Posted in animals, beach, beachcombing, Birds, collections, death, exhibitions, fauna, museum, sea, skulls | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment