an artists journal

...valentines day poem...

2012-02-15T15:12:00.001+01:00

Do they crochet in heaven?

Do they do crochet in heaven mum?
With what do you fill your day?
I know you’d be bored with nothing to do
To while your time away.

Do they have days in heaven mum?
And nights of velvet blue?
Are there hours and minutes and seconds there?
And clocks that chime to you?

Do they ring bells in heaven mum?
Sing songs in musical rhyme?
Do you twirl and spin and dance and laugh
And have parties all the time?

Do you have birthdays in heaven mum?
Play eye spy and charades?
Do you get cakes with candles on?
Does the post-angel bring you cards?

I wish that I could hug you mum,
And send you letters up above.
To say I miss you every day,
And send you all my love.

Kat van Hookens 14 02 12

...moorhens in snow...

2012-02-12T17:30:00.003+01:00

Today I sat ant painted, or tried to paint from life, the two moorhens that have taken to sitting under the box hedge outside the lounge window since we've had snow, which is at last starting to melt away, but slowly. So I set up my table and patiently waited, but every time I moved they scooted. I have lots of blurry photos of them, so used them in conjunction with the observations I could snatch from their peep show. Their colours of their plummage in the sun are phenomenal, one minute their backs look choclate brown, then they take a step and change the angle and it turns coppery red. Their chest swing from dark charcoal thru powder blue to dove grey. A lovely way to spend a Sunday morning...
A5 size, watercolours on fabriano 280 g water colour paper...

here's my hopeful setup...

...dance for dinner...

2012-02-12T17:27:00.001+01:00

...this is Fayed, the stallion Arab that lives next door. I usually feed him cabbage leaves when I wander around the garden, but today the veggie plot is locked down in ice, as it has been for a while now, so all he got was a pat on his soft nose for his beautiful dance. I fear I have made him look more like a cart horse than an Arab stallion - ah well, must try harder...

...snowy village...

2012-02-11T23:26:00.002+01:00

...the village is very pretty under it's blanket of white, but treacherous underfoot. This little bridge leads to the boules court, but it's still so cold, at least we didn't get any more snow today...

...mighty oaks...

2012-02-10T13:56:00.002+01:00

...still very very cold here, so sat inside and sketched the oak tree through the window. There were many starlings coming and going, they'd found the food we put out on the ground, so I tried to capture a few of the little flitters as best I could...

Pencil on A4 cart paper...

...trees, shadows...

2012-02-10T13:53:00.003+01:00

...the arching hazel trees along the meadow river at the bottom of the garden look stunning with the sun behind them, I love the colours in shadows, something so often missing in a painting. 20 min watercolour sketch onto A5 fabriano 280 g watercolour paper...

...lovely ladies...

2012-02-07T19:08:00.002+01:00

one for today, it's still very cold here, lots of snow still causing problems for man and beasties. This sweet statue is in our secret garden, and is in the summer a bird bath, but this time of year it is more likely to pose as a birdie skating rink....

...dangerous position...

2012-02-05T21:16:00.004+01:00

...this is the view I had of hubby whilst he was trying to tackle the split pipe in the garage attic. All's well now thank goodness, but the temperature is set to plummet again tonight...

...freezing conditions...

2012-02-05T10:40:00.002+01:00

...we have burst pipes, and sweet hubby is trying to repair them. Here he is in his den trying to find a suitable bit of pipe, and me? I just make the tea :-) ...I'm so grateful for a clever partner...

...garden ornament...

2012-02-05T10:36:00.002+01:00

...this old cart was here when we moved in, already in a bad state of decay. We thought it'd have crumbled by now, but it's still hangin' in there, the wheels are pretty solid, but all the super structure is like wafer biscuits, when we try and move it, it falls to pieces. So we just leave it there and enjoy looking at it as is, and it does make a wonderful subject for the artist...

...clutter cupboards...

2012-02-03T11:42:00.002+01:00

... I just love doing these weird and wonderful 'collection of mini treasures' paintings. There are 24 items crowded together here, including the mini shelf unit. Painted using aquapastels and inktenses on A3 kraft paper, inspired by the scavenger hunt topics on wetcanvas this week...

...sweet meadow...

2012-02-01T23:12:00.001+01:00

Sweet Meadow...

Racing along the riverbanks of youth I stumble across the sweet meadow, still sweeping her verdant skirts down to the old mill steam. I lean on the lichen-clad gate feasting my senses on the scene. The afternoon sun slanting across the gentle slope is hazed with fine dusty motes and pollen, turning the vista into a soft pastel masterpiece.
Reaching carefully between the arching brambles and nettles, I feel for the latch, my fingers recognise it’s rounded form instantly; how easily it comes undone after so many years. I push on the grey green wood of the tired oak gate and it opens just enough to let me in.
Once inside I stand for a moment and savour the many pictures that fill my mind. The river, and all those wonderful adventures we had along its grassy banks. The picnics with loved ones, the dogs keeping us company, picking wild posies, catching trout in our hands, building damns from mud and sticks, climbing the trees, chasing the butterflies, listening to the gorse pop, rolling down the grassy slopes, swimming in the pool.
I wander to where a small spring ceaselessly bubbled the fine sand as it rose through the earth. It’s still there. With cupped hands I take and sip the crystal water. God it tastes good.
Then I run to the hidden pool, strip bare and plunge into it glassy freshness. I gasp as its chill hits my nakedness, and then laugh as my soul rejoices. I splash a million diamonds at the overhanging trees; they smile and send back twice as many rainbows mixed with dappled sun.
Exhausted I climb onto the bank, sink down onto nature’s carpet, and sigh. Her soft greenness gives way beneath me and folds to makes a sweet-scented cushion to caress my back while the sun kisses my belly. Wonderful.
As the warm air dries my body I doze to nature’s melody. The nearby stream chuckles it way over stones from an ancient leat, a gentle breeze fiddles the feathery seed heads of the grasses, and the buzzing insects flit and hover above my head. I open my eyes to pure blue, there’s such peace here I murmur, and from amidst the swaying grass a plethora of sun haloed flowers nod in agreement. I close my eyes once more and breathe in their fragrance. Intoxicating.
A ladybird finds my forearm and I lift her up to greet her. She dithers her hello, then begins her trek to higher ground. Once at my fingertips she dances her ritual circles before opening her scarlet valise and shaking the creases from her smoky gossamer wings. Then she’s gone, back to the jostling meadow. A skylark sings her ascent, higher and higher, never stopping for breath as she trickles out a lullaby of pure joy. Breathtaking.
From behind the leggy meadowsweet the sun plays hide and seek, flashing, sparkling through the foamy blooms. A small iridescent green beetle climbs the stem of an elegant ox eye daisy. I watch from my grassy bed as it circumnavigates the underside of the shining flower, and then pushes up between its white petals to find the sun. Swallows swoop and glide across the skies with squeals of glee as they chase after tiny flying things. A butterfly pauses in her dancing flight, dropping gently to alight on my skin and share with me the dazzling jewels hidden in her wings. Amazing.
The sun slowly lowers herself towards the purple hills, telling me it’s time to leave. Rolling from my place I kiss the flowers goodbye before I rise. I smile towards the stream and her leafy entourage as I dress myself, and then wave my thanks to the sweet meadow before I head back; back through the lichen covered gate of memories. As I pull it too and drop the rusty latch back to its place, I promise to return again. I do believe I’ve known paradise.
Kat van Hookens 29 01 12

...elevenses...

2012-02-01T23:08:00.003+01:00

...what could be nicer, fresh baked chocolate and crystallized ginger biscuits on an old pretty French plate, and coffee in my favourite pink flowery mug...:-}

...old gates...

2012-02-01T23:04:00.004+01:00

...typical old French gate. There are several of them in the lanes around here, some ageing grey and covered in lichen like this one, and last year the farmer up the road made some new ones in this old style, what a treat.
watercolour in A5 fabriano 280g journal...

...more mini doors...

2012-01-30T22:14:00.004+01:00

...couple more little business card done for the art exchange project. This one was actually a very fancy door to a garden that I found in Paris, near Sacre Couer...

These grilled doors are from a small chapel in the grounds of a basilica at Pitie. We spent a day plein air painting in the surrounding park that also has about 10 statues, a great place to sketch. While we were there, the caretaker came and opened up the tiny chapel, so we took the opportunity to have a good nose, so very pretty...

...snow today...

2012-01-30T22:11:00.002+01:00

As I wasn't able to get out and build snow people, I did a quick watercolour from my studio window, which is upstairs. It looks out across the garden, and to the apple tree that is where I hang the bird feeders. There's also a couple of big plastic buckets under the tree which I fill with apples in autumn, and come this time of year the blackbirds love them. The amazing thing is that I've found this to be the best way to store them. Even now I can go and clear of a layer of gunky apples, and underneath find enuf firm ones to make an apple pie.

...mild days...

2012-01-29T23:26:00.002+01:00

...this was one of several small lizards we saw sunbathing on the wall earlier this month. They really should be asleep, but I guess they haven't learnt the hibernating ropes just yet...

pen n ink n watercolour on fabriano 280g...

...still life...

2012-01-27T14:55:00.004+01:00

...this is a selection of small objects I collected from around the house, painted in watercolours on A5 clairefontaine watercolour 300g paper. I tried to concentrate on 'round' forms. There's a coin, a button, a ball of string, a rounded rose bud in a round mini flower pot, a wooden curtain ring, a rounded glass pebble, a watch with a circular face, a brass lady bell with a circular skirt, a small cat ornament that is made up of a round head and a round body, a little bottle with round bands around the neck, a cylindrical thimble, a snail with a whorl, and .....a mini shirt, um? well I found it around the place somewhere.....
...inspired by scavenger hunt 254 on wetcanvas...

...mini pic...

2012-01-27T14:52:00.004+01:00

...another french door, this one I saw in Aix en Provence a few years back. Love the two huge flanking statues....

...mini pics...

2012-01-26T23:50:00.004+01:00

These little pictures are ATC size, the size of business cards. They are for an art exchange project on Wetcanvas, There are 20 participants, and each of us paint 19 mini originals and then send them out to the other artists, and visa versa. By the end of the project you should have 19 original artworks from artists around the globe. I love these projects, and already have a collection of about 100 mini pics. One day I'm going to get them all mounted and framed, like those multi cigarette card pics, I know it will make a stunning display. Thes are my first two that have now been recieved, one in Canada and the other in UK...

First one is the doors from a church we saw in the town of Arles when we spent a week touring with some lovely friends a few years ago...

The second one is a door I saw in the town of Parthenay whilst out exploring with my sisters when they came over for a holiday...

They are pen n ink and watercolours on Fabriano 280g watercolour paper...

...daily stroll...

2012-01-25T15:14:00.004+01:00

Went for a walk to the local village to collect a parcel and buy our French stick. The roundabout in the middle of the village has a garden on it, with lots of little rounded mounds of different coloured greens. The lovely silver birches have been well knobbled, pollarded is the term I believe, but I so dislike it. Often the trees are to severely cut back and they don't recover. The plus side here is that the church can now be seen clearly from this side...

...lovely veggies...

2012-01-25T15:09:00.003+01:00

...a basket of veggies waiting to give us a lovely stew...

...sunset over water...

2012-01-23T23:38:00.002+01:00

... we were a little late taking our walk this day, and when we came back the sun was going down. The silhouetted trees against the red sky reflected in the lake to make a beautiful picture.
Inktense and water sol pencils......

...trash n treasure...

2012-01-23T23:34:00.003+01:00

...another collection of oddments for me daily sketch today, a silk flower hair-slide, 3 plastic lids and a piece of broken pottery. water sol pencils and aquapastels on A4 cart paper...

...toffee coloured cows...

2012-01-22T17:27:00.001+01:00

...here's some sweet beasts we met on one of our country walks, all eager for their tea that the farmer had bought them on his noisy green tractor and loader...

...hot coals...

2012-01-21T20:59:00.002+01:00

...I found this bucket at a vide grenier, I was told by the stall holder that it was Dutch, and that is was what people used to carry hot coals in, from one room to another to make up a fire in another room. Painted from life using aquapastels on A4 cart paper...

...cloud formations...

2012-01-20T15:29:00.003+01:00

...we saw these strange cloud formations from the garden late in the afternoon. They were so weird, like a lot of fluffy mushrooms gliding along the horizon. By the time I'd gone and got my camera, they were already losing their shape, so this is done in line and watercolour into my A5 fabriano sketchbook journal from a memory enhanced photo....

...string of waddlers...

2012-01-19T11:33:00.001+01:00

mornin' all, here's one for today. This was taken from a foto I took whilst out walking in the lanes near here. We often pass this farm, where there's a small flock of ducks and geese - not sure of the collective noun! t'is a gaggle fer geese, but don't know what t'is fer ducks. Always loved the idea of a waddlin' gaggle, anyways I digress. This population fluctuates with the seasons, and as Christmas has just come and gone, they'm fewer than they was, and understandably rather nervous....

...new year sweeties...

2012-01-19T11:31:00.002+01:00

Last year was pretty awful one way and another, and I sorta lost my happy place a bit. My last journal, which was focused on my garden bought me so much joy and inner peace, I was determined to start another, and actually got started at the begining of the year, but only finished the first entry yesterday. There are several other just started pics that I am going to finish, and keep this up throughout this year.
There, I said it, I'm making a pledge to stick at it and post at least 4 journal entries a week. ....better get on then....

Here's the first entry, one of many dear little friends who visit my kitchen window each day, they are an absolute delight, and whatever my mood they always bring a smile with them....

...daily sketch from life...

2012-01-18T11:57:00.001+01:00

...another still life from household bits n bobs, inktenses n aquapastels on A4 cart paper...

...daily sketchin'...

2012-01-17T17:59:00.004+01:00

...another daily sketch, I try and sketch something from life most days, but of course that's not always possible sometimes, like yesterday, getting up in the morning and coming down to a flood kind rearranges yer schedule :-/ Luckily it was just a hose that had popped off. A bit of moppin' and cleanin' up and all's well. This little still life was inspired from the 'art from life' forum on wetcanvas. Garlic pot, bird feeder and door stop, luverly lil mix. Inktense pencils and aquapastels on A4 cart paper...

...The Journey Home...

2012-01-17T11:26:00.002+01:00

The Journey Home

Are you there?
Blindly I call,
Crawling, cringing in the cold,
Darkness pressing.
Every move’s an effort.
Fighting a rising fear,
Getting nowhere fast.
HELP!
I’m here.
Just my heart replies, pounding in my ear.
Knock – knock – knock.
Limply I lie back and let go.
My mind meandering to mystery,
Numbing the pain,
Ousting the panic.
Quietness.
Rolling in like some wave of calm.
Such ecstasy rests in sweet surrender,
Teasing me, tempting me onward,
Upward until – Utopia.
Vivid and clear, unbelievably bright.
X’pecting nothing now, and then....
You;
Zen.

Kat Farmer/van Hookens 11 01 12

...5 green bottles...

2012-01-16T12:59:00.003+01:00

...glass and light, a subject that gives me the quivers. Couldn't resist having a go tho' at this one. These lovely old bottles were one of the photo refs on wde at wetcanvas this week. I changed the composition a bit, and chose me trusty oil pastels to render 'em in. T'is on senneliar pastelmat, A5 size...

...the risk assessor...

2012-01-15T20:58:00.002+01:00

The Risk Assessor

Ya’ll ‘ave t’ move that, ya can’t put it there,
Might topple over n’ upset yer chair.
It could fall out when y’answer the phone
Crack yer ‘ead open or worse break a bone.
Don’t touch that knob, could be ‘ot from the steam,
‘An we won’t ‘ave blasphemin’, t’ll curdle the cream.
They’ll ‘ave to go, ‘cos bugs’ll ‘ide in them cracks,
An’ get rid off ‘em now in certified sacs.
Nope those be too shiny an’ them be too tall,
This ones obselete an’ t’other’s too small.
Don’t put this on there t’is a ‘azard t’ ‘ealth,
N’ shut that one tight or ya might burn yerself.
Now bend yer knees lad, liftin’s n’ art,
Secure all the covers n’ then we can start.
Look out fer leakage, we don’t wanna mis’ap,
Now let it out steady, there’s a good chap.
Gotta stay focused n’ just let it run,
So easy does it, wee’m almost done.
Now pass me that brew, t’is a quarter t’ three,
I’m the risk assessor, and that there’s me tea...

Kat Farmer 04 01 12

...up in the dales...

2012-01-15T20:30:00.003+01:00

Much of the countryside in the north of UK is stunning, I love Cumbria, and this reminds me of a view I saw from a track that leads up onto Croglin Fell. This was painted from a photo that was actually taken on the Yorkshire dales, another beautiful area.
Painted in aquapastels and inktense pencils on A4 cartridge paper from a photo ref on this weeks wde on wetcanvas...

...old plasticine...

2012-01-14T13:49:00.002+01:00

...well now this was fun, and very very mucky...I found some old dried out plasticine in my studio, even after warming it up, it was far to hard to do anything with. Soooooo, I got a big old knife, chopped it up into teenie weenie pieces, like chopping herbs, yep, really that fine. Then spread it on foil and put it in a low/med oven for about 5 mins, till it was hot to touch. Then I got some vaseline and dropped in a few dolops, got me fingies in there and worked it well in, boy was it mucky. But after a lot of squeezing and kneading it started to regain it's plasticity, so I moulded it into this rather useful little model, so helpful for light falls when your trying to compose from imagination. It's not very big, about the size of an egg, I wouldn't attempt to revive any larger quantity without heavy plant, the old wrists and thumbies, they did protest. And for cleaning up all that goo and sticky gunk I created in the kitchen? Baby bottie wipes, they worked brilliantly - just wish I'd used them before rendering the dishcloth and scourer completely useless!

...abc poems...

2012-01-11T13:33:00.002+01:00

about a horse...

are you real
beautiful thing
creature of dreams
divine to behold
eagerly I drink you
flowing, flying
grace epitomized
harmony in motion
I envy your pliancy
joyously pounding
kicking through wavelets
loving your freedom
moving with ease
noble and sleek
oozing perfection
prancing, parading
quintessential elegance
rich in curves
spirit of fire
totally bewitching
utterly seductive
vivacious delight
wild and wonderful
x x x's and kudos
you are an inspiration
zealous to the end

...eclectic clutch...

2012-01-09T14:22:00.002+01:00

i just love grabbing a handful of basically unrelated bits n bobs, piling them together and diving in with me paints. There's lots of cool textures and colours to tackle in still lives like this, and when I'm using aquapastels or water sol pencils like I have done here, I can do them in the lounge, sat by the fire on chilly evenings...
This collection was inspired by Joan's list on 'sketching from life' on wetcanvas this week.

...glass angel...

2012-01-03T22:47:00.003+01:00

each year I get or make two similar christmas tree decorations and give one to my daughter and she does the same, so when we decorate our trees each bauble means something special. This is this years I found in Lidls store, one a little larger than the other. I thought it was just right, a mumma and baby bauble...
oil pastels on A5 senny paper painted from life...

...warming bouquet...

2012-01-03T15:36:00.003+01:00

what a scorchin' bouquet, warming to the eyes and the belly. Painted in Oil pastels and aqua colours on A4 cartridge paper frem ref on this weeks wde on wetcanvas...

...lucky elephants...

2012-01-02T09:34:00.003+01:00

hi all and happy new year.
Just loved the photo ref for these two delightful elephants that was on crispur's wde on wetcanvas this week. I tried to do them justice in me oil pastels, t'is done on A4 cartridge paper, thought it came out ok, and now just wish I'd used some pukka op paper, doh! - never mind, might even tackle this one BIG format in acrylics, yip yip yip....

...happy new year...

2011-12-31T15:07:00.002+01:00

...painted from a still life set up on the coffee table. Such colourful goodies come our way at Christmas, so I decided to assemble a few and make use of my 'christmassy couch potato' time. These were done using water soluble derwent and w h smith colour pencils on A4 cartridge paper. Loved doing it soo much I might just try another before the midnight hour chimes us into the new year. Happy new year sweet peeps...

...sweet face...

2011-12-29T23:27:00.001+01:00

Painted this evening from a photo ref on wetcanvas wde.
Oil pastels on A5 senneliar op paper.

...colour treats...

2011-12-29T17:05:00.002+01:00

...say jelly beeeeeeeeeeeans and ya can't help but smile. :-)

Oil pastels and aquapastels on cart paper, such a fun mix....
photo ref from this weeks wde on wetcanvas.com....

...merry christmas...

2011-12-26T12:03:00.005+01:00

oil pastels on A5 senneliar op paper...

MERRY CHRISTMAS sweet peeps. This dear little robin keeps visiting our window sill, not surprising really as we put wild bird seed and fat balls out there. This one is very brave, looking me right in the eye as I stand the other side of the glass. We don't have snow, but that's the way I see Christmas robins. Monsieur robin is brave, but the blue-tits are by far the cheekiest, if I'm late replacing the fat balls when run out, they come and hang on the other side of the frame and sometimes even tap tap as if t' say 'oi, where's me brekkie?'. Love 'em, they're my most precious Christmas baubles :-)

here's a snap of one of the cheeky lil birds...

...christmas day daubs...

2011-12-26T11:49:00.004+01:00

...quiet Christmas in front of the fire with me dh and me oil pastels, not that the heat does 'em any good me dears. I haven't played with me oil pastels in a while, and decided I liked the texture these produce for this type of subject. My only dislike of this medium is that you can't fix it, as far as I know. But I love the buttery consistency of them, especially the senneliars, but boy do I go through 'em quick, especially just a couple of feet away from the log burner :-)
All done on A5 senneliar op paper, which I love for these, and a mixture of all sorts of oil pastels...

This one I called 'butterfly bella', sweet girl who loves pretty critters...

and this is 'wishin' wilma' puffin' away at some dandelion fairies...

and this one 'bejewelled betty' with an affinity fer big beads...

...portrait of a painter...

2011-12-18T23:56:00.001+01:00

Lucian paints - a portrait of Lucian Freud done from a couple of ref photos seen on internet. Not a good scan, seems to miss much of the colour.
Pastel pencils on A3 pastelmat....

...playtime...

2011-12-17T10:19:00.002+01:00

coloured pencils on A4 cart paper, just fer fun. refs from wde's on wetcanvas...

... Fagin or Don Quixote...

2011-12-14T21:29:00.002+01:00

oh yeah, ET is pretty grotesque, but great challenge t 'draw. Ref Was a picture I found in a very old magazine That Was left in attic of our house When We Moved here. I'm sure Someone must Recognise this, would love to know it's origin, I have only cut out the picture and to keep Threw the mag, doh! - Pastel pencils on black pastelmat, A4 size.

...street living...

2011-12-12T17:31:00.001+01:00

...just finished sketching this young man, he has a sort of street wise, out of work resigned look about him, but his eyes struck me as almost emotionless, made me quite sad.
Sketched in pastels onto tinted pastel paper, A3 size, from a ref from wetcanvas.

...beautiful old ladies...

2011-12-10T19:20:00.005+01:00

...I used to paint a lot of engines way back, and someone asked me if I still had any. Well I have, the 1st one is called 'Rusting Place', this was a limited edition litho print, and this is the only one I have left, which is now my dh's.

...this one is a small painting in gouache on mounting board.

This one I did from a photo I took at the Bath and West show in Shepton Mallet when I was a lot younger, and may in fact have been the one I was lucky enough to steer in a traction engine race, wonderful fun. But I seem to remember that ya had t' wind the steering wheel 'alf an hour before ya got t' the turnin'....
This one is also on mounting board and is done in gouache, it's about A3 size.

...close up of the gubbins.
It was after painting this beauty that I hardly painted for over 2 years. I was doing the 'Enterprise' scheme, something set up by the then government to get you back to work. Well I'd just had my lovely baby daughter, and thought I'd try and go it alone as a freelance artist. Once I'd been going a while I had to be scrutinized by one of the inspectors who checked up on what you did. Well he was so rude and basicly told me my work was rubbish. At that time I had very little confidence, and his comments simply floored me. I put my painting stuff away and fell into a depression. Luckily my little girl was so wonderful she bounced me out of it pretty quick, and I went and got some mindlessly boring evening work to help out with the finances. But I have never forgotten the impact his words had on me. Ever since I have always been mindful of what I say to creative people, and have learnt that generally however ooer you think the work is at first sight, you can nearly always find something positive to say. Also one persons derogatory remark should not let you cancel out all the folk who give you encouragement.
Yoiks, I've babbled on a bit, never mind hey :-)

... auburn hair, pale skin...

2011-12-05T12:29:00.004+01:00

yes I know, another auburn haired beauty, but I do love painting that particular colouring. I called her 'The Sun Soaker'. This was done from a photo ref whilst I was minding my Christmas craft stall. Business was a bit slow, guess everyone's feeling the squeeze. Anyways, I made good use of the 'down' time so t' speak. This was done with Derwent pastel pencils on tinted pastel mat, my fave pastel support, so all in all a good day, well I enjoyed it anyways me dears...

...with leonardo's help...

2011-11-14T14:25:00.003+01:00

...another sketch made referring to Leonardo da Vinci's drawings. Sketched in graphite on cartridge paper. Sketching this took me back to the day I first held my baby in my arms, it made me think about the way a new born baby's skin is creased, and the shape of the head after it's battled it's way to the outside world. Just makes me want to draw more and more, but gotta stop t' eat and sleep sometimes...doh! :-)

...monsieur mercury...

2011-11-13T12:35:00.003+01:00

...this is a sketch of Freddie Mercury, from Queen, a wonderfully inventive musician, and sadly missed by many. I used a photo ref from a 'free photo' search on the web. I loved the unusual angle of this shot, and those leather trousers too. Freddie ya still rock...

...garden visitor...

2011-11-08T22:01:00.003+01:00

...what a treat, this handsome beast wandered into our garden yesterday and entertained me for a while with its crazy antics. I was pruning back brambles, but took a break and sat on our seat down by the water. At first the sweet creature was startled, but I kept very still and quiet, and eventually it calmed down and came within a couple of meters of me. I drank in as much information as I could with my eyes, they really are big animals, and strong too. I was enthralled by the size of its hind feet, and also noted how its head seemed small in comparison to its body. When it stretched up the mesh fence it was the best part of a meter high. Then it lolloped off around the lake and up the garden, finally making a dash towards the meadow. There are a lot of hunters around at the moment, we hear the guns most days, and I think this hare found refuge in our little bit of paradise. I hope it knows it's always welcome here, just as long as it leaves me brussel sprout plants alone :-)

...daily sketches...

2011-11-07T12:59:00.003+01:00

...a couple of daily sketches from me trusty model, me. T'is a challenge drawing yer own hands n feet, especially the bottom of yer own foot while yer legs doubled up n going t'sleep...

...asleep in the snow...

2011-10-30T07:41:00.002+01:00

'Asleep in the snow', from another old magazine ref. Thought she looked a little Halloweeny...
Derwent pastels and tinted charcoal pencils on Clairefontaine tinted pastel paper, A3 size...