Trying something new.

Though I haven't been getting any time for art recently, I was away on holiday for a few days the week before last and I decided to have a go at painting a flower by following the instructions in a new book I have by Michael Lakin. He is a wonderful botanical artist and I thought it would be interesting to try his technique.

The subject is a Rose and included with the book was a tracing, so I can't take any credit for the drawing. The painting process was hugely different to anything I've tried before. It involved putting on pale graduated washes, letting them dry, and then adding another, gradually building up the painting in layers. I know some of you already work this way and I was keen to experience it for myself. In total I put on something like 7 or 8 layers. It was interesting putting a wash of French Ultramarine on top of the Cadmium Red petals ... something I would never have dreamed of doing.

I started the painting nearly 2 weeks ago and it has taken me 3 sessions in all to complete it. I was surprised at what a slow process it is. I shall definitely try this method again soon but I'll leave it until I have enough time ... it's not a method to be rushed, that's for sure.

And big apologies for not getting round your blogs as much as I'd like ... I'm missing all your wonderful art.

Snap happy !!!

Well, I warned you that I'd be posting some "Birds on the Lake" photo's soon, and here they are. Like everything else, if we want to be good at anything we have to practice. Nothing could be truer when it comes to using a DSLR properly. I have no desire to be a 'point and shoot' photographer so I switched off 'Auto' on day one of owning my new Nikon D5100. I already had a good understanding of exposures from using my bridge camera for the past several years, but a DSLR provides me with a wealth of new things to get to grips with and it can't be done just by looking at the manual. Hands on experience is the only way.

I have taken hundreds of photo's around my garden of all manner of irrelevant subjects just to give me something to point my camera at but one day last week I treated myself to a walk in the park. It was great fun - I was only there for an hour and during that time I took 266 photo's. Here is just a small selection.

  

  

As nice as it was to watch these birds and take photographs of them, I was even more delighted when a pair of Mute Swans moved in fairly close and one of them started 'displaying'. It looked so majestic, stately and regal.

The Swans were near enough for me to get some really close head-shots. I like this shot because of the water dripping from the beak but I can't profess to skilfully timing my moment. I was just lucky that this is a messy Swan that dribbles a lot. 

Later I found one of them enjoying a spot of preening in the shade of the tree-covered island and thought what a great watercolour painting the scene would make, especially with those reflections. White Swan and white reflections ... could this involve some interesting negative painting?

But not all of my shots were clear and sharp. I tried my hand at shooting (photographically) flying birds. I salute all those photographers who have posted on the net pin-sharp shots of birds in flight. This is something I've tried many times with the small birds in my garden, with little success, but I believe that if I keep trying I will one day get the hang of it. Either that or I'll buy a shotgun and find another way of shooting them. My efforts aren't complete rubbish as I managed to get a few shots where at least the bird was in the frame ... but hopefully I will eventually learn how to get them sharp.

And there was one hilarious moment when a handful of Gulls were about to share out a large slice of bread and a Black-Headed Gull swooped through and stole it from them. It was over in a flash and there wasn't time to worry too much about camera settings, but I did react quickly enough to at least record the event, as this sequence shows. The culprit was last seen disappearing into the distance with a gang of half-a-dozen furious ex-mates on his heels.

During my brief walk I took many photo's. Some carefully planned that turned out bad, and some hastily taken that turned out reasonable. I had some lucky shots, like the drips from the Swans beak and some unlucky ones, like the kissing Swans disturbed by a barking Alsation just as I was framing them, but every single click of the shutter brought pleasure, and that is what I went out to find. Do I have a favourite from that particular day? Yes .... this one.

I look at the work of competent photographers submitting their work to online photo sites and know that I have a very long way to go before I'm even close to being good but I have the same feelings when I look at my paintings and drawings. However, what I have learnt over time is that the pleasure of our hobby doesn't come from how good we are, it comes from the journey we are on. ;-)

Robbie and I

It is a fact that most British gardens can boast their own resident Robin, and mine is no exception. I can't ever step into my garden without Robbie whistling out a greeting and hopping into a prominent position where I can see him, and he can keep his eye on me. I say "keep his eye on me" because that's just how it feels.

I have two Apple trees in my garden that are the last remaining evidence of a small orchard that used to exist here in what used to be a Victorian Kitchen Garden. Regrettably, both trees have become hollow inside and are unsafe. We have therefore made the decision to take them down and plant 3/4 new fruit trees in their place. It doesn't need me to tell you that this wasn't going to happen without some very enthusiastic involvement of Robbie .... Site Supervisor, Health & Safety Coordinator, Project Manager and Buildings Inspector.

A week ago, I headed outside armed with my Chain Saw and Pruning Saws and set to work. And as I was sawing away at the first of the trees I was sadly reflecting on the fact that these weren't just trees. Okay, so they haven't produced very good fruit for several years now, but the Bees love the Apple Blossom in the spring, and so do I. They provide structure and height in the garden and there is nothing finer than sitting in their dappled shade on a hot sunny day, especially with a beer close to hand.

As I was felling the first tree today, Robbie sat in the other watching my every move and he was more vocal than usual, if that's possible. It took me two days to cut the trees down to just a few feet from the ground and get everything stacked tidily, but Robbie was with me throughout. I actually found myself talking to him and sometimes he would tilt his head as if he was actually listening.



But it was in his management roles that he excelled.


He inspected my wheelbarrow (look closely) ....

Warned me of poorly stacked (strewn) piles of cut branches ...

Monitored how long I took for tea breaks ...

And closely inspected the finished works.

I don't know if this little chappie is just being naturally terretorial and worrying about what I may or may not do to HIS back yard, or whether he's genuinely curious and interested in what we humans get up to, but whatever his motives, he's great company in the garden and a lot of fun.





Circumstances, coupled with an inability to set my mind to anything, are preventing me from getting on with any art right now, though I do try to get round the blogs I like to follow as and when I can. I took my camera for a brief walk in the park the other day so I may come back and bore you with a few 'Birds on the lake' photo's one day soon. Don't say you haven't been warned. ;-)

Horse and Carriage

First of all, an apology to my fellow bloggers. I just haven't been able to get round all of your blogs of late due to family commitments. Following a recent illness and a few days in hospital, my elderly parents (87 and 94) have reached the stage where they can no longer manage to live in their rather large (for them) 2-storey house. So I am heavily involved in driving across town every day to deal with the things they can't manage and I'm also house-hunting to try and get them a smaller bungalow close to where I live. I'm as enthusiastic as ever to look at your creations and I'll get to your sites as and when I'm able.

Wanting to continue with my art but seriously lacking time, a couple of weeks ago I decided to start a new pencil drawing because I knew this would be something I could work on a few minutes at a time as and when opportunities presented. And this is what I've been working on ......

If any of you have ever visited Cockington, in Torbay I know you will have seen this local horse and carriage. It actually provides a valuable service as it is a fully licensed Horsedrawn Hackney Carriage and offers a taxi service from the seafront in the nearby town of Torquay, along the country lanes to the Blacksmith's Forge in Cockington village. 

I underestimated the amount of detail in the carriage and chose A4 paper (Daler Rowney Heavyweight paper 130lb 11" x 8"). I'm thinking it might be nice to do the drawing again but much larger and I'm contemplating doing a series involving different carriages. In readiness I intend to research carriages and try and identify this one but if any of you know what type of carriage it is please let me know.

Double Portrait

Some time ago, around the middle of November, my very dear friend Ingrid (Ingrid Ormestad Art) asked me how I would feel about drawing a pencil portrait of her husbands sister and brother-in-law, Caroline and Ian. Caroline had sadly passed away some weeks earlier and this was to be a gift for Ian. I was honoured to be asked, and accepted with much delight, but I do confess to being somewhat apprehensive.

I knew I wanted to work on this drawing slowly, over time, and without frequent breaks away from it. Knowing what a crazy month December is, I decided not to touch it until the new year. Thankfully Ingrid was happy for me to do it in my own time and that helped a lot.

About two weeks ago I picked up the reference photo, sharpened my pencil and laid out a blank sheet of paper. As I progressed I took many Work In Progress photo's so that I could show the various stages to my forum members. I won't bore all of my fellow bloggers with them but if anyone would like to see them, and their accompanying explanations, they can be seen here. Work-In-Progress

Although not everything went as well as I would have liked, as you'll see in the WIP, I can't remember the last time I was so content with my art. Sitting at my desk with my favourite music playing and my mind totally absorbed in the movement of my pencil, I was in seventh heaven. The frustrations of trying to control watercolours often drive me to despair but a few minutes with my pencils and those frustrations just melted away.

I have been struggling with my art for some time, especially watercolours, and my confidence has been taking a few knocks, but this project was just what the doctor ordered.

Cupola's

Wandering around with my camera, I often find myself pointing it at something I think is attractive without necessarily knowing what it is that I'm looking at. Such is the case with Cupola's. In fact, I didn't even know what they were called until I decided to do some research.

Cupola's are small dome-like structures on top of buildings. It would seem that they serve many purposes, some to provide light or ventilation and some to be used as lookouts. Some Cupola's have been built as small buildings in their own right, but those I've recently seen are fairly small sitting atop a modest, but old, building. 

Today I was suddenly taken by the urge to throw out a quick sketch or two. Nothing that needed too much preparation, thought or concentration, if you know what I mean. Opening my photo folders for inspiration I  came across a Cupola I photographed only a week or two ago, and it didn't take long to find a couple more. Square, round, enclosed, open, glazed, slatted ... all different, each serving it's own purpose but all attractive in their own right.

One other piece of news is that I have just launched a new "Artist Showcase" on my web site. This is something I do in connection with my art forum and consequently I don't always mention it here. However, this time I have succeeded in roping in one of my favourite artists, Sandra Busby, and since many of you are familiar with her work I thought you might enjoy looking at the Showcase on this occasion.

Though the prime objective of my forum is to provide a non-intimidating environment for beginners to show and discuss their work, through the blogs I follow I have come to appreciate that there is also much to learn in looking at the work of more accomplished artists. The "Showcase" is a way I can introduce them to the work of other artists. To this end, if any of my followers would like to be featured in a Showcase, please let me know. 

Trial run!

During one of my plein air walks in early summer, I took a photograph of this fabulous house. I was taken by the manicured lawns, the perfectly planted flower beds and borders, and the structural framework of the surrounding trees, especially the large Copper Beech tree.

It has been quite a while since I last used my brushes and I felt the need for a bit of a practice before painting anything proper, and when I flicked through my library of reference photo's this one jumped out at me. As a 'refresher' practice piece I wasn't too fussy about lines and colours but I really like the way it's come out and wish I'd made a greater effort. So, I will be doing this one again and hopefully benefiting from the trial-run.

Merry Christmas!

Whenever I venture out into my garden, the true owner of this plot of land follows me around as if checking that I'm not going to do anything that will upset or violate his tiny kingdom. Sometimes from high in a tree, and sometimes on the ground and dangerously under-foot, my friend the Robin is ever present. But annoyingly he seems to have an uncanny knack of knowing when I am armed with my camera and what it is for because he teases me no end by posing and then hopping away just as I'm about to release the shutter. This shot is one I took some time ago as he rewarded me by posing nicely on the upper branches of one of my tall conifers. Had this shot included some snow I would have used it for a seasonal digital card, but instead I decided to use a photo I took of 'Dick the Wick', one of over a dozen loyal Gnomes who tend the mountainous regions of my large rockery.

I thank all of you, my blogging friends, for the support and encouragement you have given me throughout 2012. It means more to me than you can know. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, peaceful New Year.

Blind Snowdrops

Some weeks ago I received a message through my web site's contact page that took me aback. A lady wrote to tell me that her mother was so in love with one of my photographs that she was seeking permission to use it as the subject for a window blind in her newly decorated bathroom.

The photograph in question is my favourite of all the Snowdrop photographs I've ever taken. I am blessed with a garden that has more than it's fair share of Snowdrops and they come up in abundance every January. It is an annual ritual for me to get out there with my camera trying to find new ways of capturing the beauty of these wonderful little flowers.

Anyway, I was happy to grant permission for my photograph to be used in this way and promptly sent off a high resolution version. I also asked if I could be sent a photo of the finished blind, just out of interest. A couple of days ago I received an email telling me the blind had been made and fitted and attached to it was a photo. I post it here for you to see. I would never, in a million years, have expected that one of my photo's could be used in such a way, and I can't tell you how flattered I feel.

Talking of photography, I have finally treated myself to a new DSLR. I chose a Nikon D5100 but bought the camera body only and added to it a Tamron 18-270mm Zoom Lens. The lens cost as much as the camera. LOL. I know the Nikon lenses are a better quality but I want to do a lot more walking and I don't want to carry lenses and get involved with changing them often. A one-lens-for-all-purposes suits me better even though there is a slight compromise in image quality. Can't wait for the Snowdrops now.

Finally, I have decided what to do with my miniature pencil drawing. I've mounted it in a clear plastic Coaster.

I took an unused coaster that had some promotional material inside it and carefully prised it open. I then made a 'surround' in Paint Shop Pro, printed it out and then cut out a centre rectangle for the drawing. The finished Coaster now lays on my desk where I can place my hot cups on it. It's nice to have finally found something useful to do with my art. LOL.

I'll take this opportunity to wish all of my fellow bloggers the very best of the seasons greetings. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas. ;)

Sheepish looks.

Like so many of us this time of year, I'm afraid I just haven't had the amount of time for blogging that I would like. I've attempted to get round a few of the blogs I follow but I'm doing very well. If I haven't visited YOUR blog recently, please bear with me ... I'll catch up soon.

I've also had no time whatsoever for my art. I haven't touched a brush or a pencil for weeks. Actually, that's not quite true. I did find myself with a little time last week to do something so picked up a small 9" x 6" pad and selected a photo from one of my recent walks. Some of you will remember my encounter with the flock of sheep and this is taken from one of those photos. I don't usually try and paint animals so this was quite different for me. It was fairly quick and 'wet' (by my usual standards) and I enjoyed watching the colours blend. I must do more of this sort of thing.

One small matter I'd appreciate some help with is the 'miniature' pencil drawing shown in my last post. I am completely stunned by the wonderful comments from you all. When I knocked out that small sketch I had no intention of producing a keepable drawing. It was just a few minutes sketching and as such I gave no thought to paper or placement. As you will see from the attached photo, the sketch is stuck at the top of a scribbles page in an A5 sketchpad. In view of the good comments it has received I've decided to keep it but think it may get lost (thrown away) if I leave it where it is. The only idea I've had so far is to cut it out and mount it into a very small photo frame. If anyone has a better and more original idea, I'd love to hear it.