Woods

This week we were painting trees. I managed to do four studies in a couple of hours; here is one of them. It was a fun evening!

I've started watercolour classes again. Here is a recent effort. The idea was to experiment with wet-on-wet techniques. Some work better than others!

Art news

For anyone living or visiting the UK, this site is great for listing what's showing in art galleries and museums. I'm very keen to get to the exhibition of drawings by Michaelangelo that's showing at the British Museum until 25 June.

Read more at www.artuk.com/art_news....

New Forest Oak

Here is a quick sketch I did on a recent trip to the New Forest. It's pen and ink, washed over with water. I like the way the colours separate out when you do this.

Magdalen Tower, Oxford

Here is another watercolour, this time showing a well-known scene in Oxford: the tower of Magdalen College. It's a lovely spot, especially on May Morning, when the college choiresters sing from the top of the tower at dawn. One year I might actually get out of bed in time to hear them!

Lake District watercolour

I've not posted anything for ages...I hope that's going to change, as there are at least a few weeks when I'm not expecting to be quite as busy with work as I have been.

Anyway, I've been continuing to try to get a bit better with watercolours. Here's a recent effort. The scene is in the English Lake District.

Eton College Chapel finished

Here's the finished painting. Lots wrong with it, but my best yet, so I'm quite pleased. Fiddled too much with some parts of it, but other bits work OK.

Eton College chapel WIP

I've started watercolour classes recently, and here is a beginning of an attempt to paint Eton College chapel. This watercolour malarky isn't easy!

InkFinger: Blind Contour Friday

I really like the drawings at InkFinger. The Blind Contour Friday is a great idea; here is a link to the latest one: InkFinger: Blind Contour FRIday 24.

Here's a simple blind contour drawing of my own.

I haven't been getting much artwork done recently, but I have started going to watercolour classes again. With any luck I'll have a painting to post on Monday!

Bushes study

I've not had much time for artistic endeavour over the last few days, but did do this study of bushes in pen and ink a couple of days ago. This is thanks to Dave Sullivan who is running a foliage tutorial in the Pen and Ink forum at WetCanvas.

Sarah

Here is a drawing I've done of my daughter, Sarah. It's graphite (2B mechanical pencil to be exact) on cartridge paper. It was based on a photograph that was taken a year or so ago; she's now got her front teeth back! I'm going to send this to my mother (who is just about to go off on a month's cruise around the Caribbean, lucky thing!) for her birthday. Now my wife wants me to do another one with teeth!

Flatford Mill

Flatford Mill
Originally uploaded by mothsailor.

This is my first attempt at a "proper" pen and ink drawing. It's a lot harder than the experts make it look! That's always the way, isn't it. :( Anyway, I was quite pleased with the foliage, but I need more practice (and patience!) with the bricks and tiles.

Emma

This is our cat, Emma. The photograph was taken just a few days before she died. Sadly, she contracted the FIP virus, and became very weak. Fortunately, our other cat, Pan, is still very happy and healthy.

Sketching

I've been trying to make myself do some regular sketching recently. Here are a couple of pencil sketches. OK, I admit it...I did them from photographs. I'm not quick enough to be able to sketch actual, moving people yet. But, maybe with enough practice, one day...

Pen and ink drawing

I've recently obtained some rapidograph pens, which I love. Here's what they are like: rotring international. My first attempt at a drawing with them was this lump of wood. Quite pleased with it, though I think they are going to take a bit of getting used to. You have to hold them pretty much vertical to the paper, and they don't seem to flow very smoothly if you do anything other than pull the pen toward you. But the lines are lovely and clear. I'm going to experiment a bit with stippling, too, though I'm not sure I've got the patience for that.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

lighthouse wde
Originally uploaded by mothsailor.

Here is a sketch of Pigeon Point lighthouse, which I saw while I was visiting California this summer. The main purpose of this blog is to show some of my art work. I'm just beginning to learn drawing and watercolour, so no doubt these will be a bit embarassing to start with, but what the hell!