Sketchbook

These are extracts from my travelling sketchbook. They are mostly done with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash, as I find that these two implements are compact and effective for quite sketches whilst out and about.

In June this year (2014) I went to Lyveden New Bield in Northamptonshire with a friend. I hadn't been to this National Trust building before - and luckily we had a gloriously sunny day - great for shadows on the building....

This Elizabethan structure (not a ruin, as it was never finished) is really complicated - the outside is difficult enough, but then you add in what you can see through the windows (it has no floors on the higher level or roof) - it adds a completely different dimension.

This sketch was done with a graphite pencil. Buildings aren't my forte, but it was fun doing it, all the same.

The history of the building is that it was being built as a hunting lodge in the grounds of a much larger estate. Unfortunately the owner was involved with the infamous gunpowder plot, was arrested and put in the tower. His son couldn't afford to finish it (I assume all their money was confiscated by the authorities) and so the builders downed tools and it was never left - never to return.

This sketch was again in graphite pencil, taken from the same position as the previous one, but turning right to see the other wing.

We then moved to the front - as you can see, they didn't get around to building the steps to the front door!

This was drawn with my Rotring Art Pen and a wash. 

Over the summer the local art club has got together a few times to paint and sketch en-plein air. Although some members bring easels, serious paints and brushes etc, I much prefer to flit around and sketch little pieces here and there.

This sketch of a wild flower was done at Houghton Mill - another National Trust property just up the road from me. I left everyone else attempting to do the mill - something I have tried before and struggled with. Beautiful building, but so many angles, windows etc..... I wandered off to the far side to the river - lovely and peaceful sitting in the meadow watching the bird life.

This was done with the Rotring Art Pen and also watercolour - was trying out my new paints - White Knight watercolour pans (Russian). Another member introduced me to these - halfway between had pans and tubes and so much easier to get the pigment on to the brush than my normal pans. These are also extremely vibrant - just up my street....

Another sketch with my pen and watercolour - hollyhocks this time. 

I don't know what these flowers are - wild, of course. However, they made a good splash of colour in amongst the tall grasses, so I popped my little stool in amongst them and got really close up to study them properly.

 I then turned around and found a swan's feather on the grass, so popped that on the book and quickly sketched it, before heading off to a member's house for a really pleasant lunch.

Near us are some old gravel pits that have been re-naturalised and are now open to the public called Fen Drayton Lakes - so obviously lots of lakes and wild life. This was a little Rotring sketch of a tiny island in the middle of one of the lakes.

Another trip was to Holywell, which is on the River Ouse near us.

There is a lovely row of cottages - some thatched - along from the pub where we parked. Now I know why I don't do buildings much - thatched cottages might be really quaint and pretty, but they are the devil to draw correctly. There are so many angles and, because it is old, not everything is where you expect it to be, so alignment isn't that easy. Oh well - good practice....

I then wandered down to opposite the pub and sat myself right next to the foliage by the river. Very peaceful with just the moorhens and swans for company. The pub landlord asked me later if I saw the seal. Didn't know we had one here - it must have got lost and come up river and then decided to stay!

Anyway, afterwards the club members re-grouped in the pub garden for some pots of tea and lovely cake!

Back in Morzine in the French Alps this March 2014. As usual, I let the family go off skiing while I donned some warm clothes and tough boots and set off with my camera and sketching equipment. Immediately came across a real problem with the new cartridges I bought from the art shop before leaving the UK - Rotring seem to have changed the ink. Whereas it was beautifully water soluble before, it hardly moves when I add water from the water brush. This is dreadful news for me, as I love the watery look I achieve with the Rotring Art Pen. Going to have to do some research when I get back and maybe see if another company's ink cartridges fit the Rotring one if I am unsuccessful in getting the ink I want from them. So I apologise - these aren't in the same style as previous entries.

The first drawing is of the River Dranse winding its way through the valley in the middle of the town.

On this day I only walked as far as Montriond, which is the next village. Having crossed over the bridge, one can look up across the snow-covered meadow towards the church with its wonderful spire. Conveniently there was a huge rock (not covered in snow) so for once I could actually sit down and not have to balance the book in my hand as I normally do.

 Turning back towards Morzine, the peak of Pointe du Nyon dominates the skyline. Love this view across the meadow, past the forrest of trees and the mountain in the distance.

Nearly back at the Palais du Sport there is an interesting knarled tree jutting out from the bank. I am fascinated by the way some of the roots cling on to the rocks.

Walking back on one of the quiet residential roads, I saw another view of the Pointe du Nyon, across the chalets. Mind you - regretted starting this one - don't like all these buildings with their difficult angles, especially when one is standing at the side of the road balancing the book on a glove covered hand (it was getting quite cold!)

I then walked back in to town where the Dranse flows fast past the Catholic Church. Again looking towards Nyon.

Heading upstream towards Nyon there are some great waterfalls. This one I have done before - the Cascade du Nyon. The family have abseiled down this (along with others above here). This is the bottom of it - just out of sight there is a really long drop - I definitely wouldn't fancy going off that on a rope!

Just by the path going towards the Nyon cablecar there is another load of trees clinging precariously to the rocks. This was more of a study, done alongside some photos. I am drawn to paintings that have trees right at the top of the page and dramatic sweeping of colour and texture cascading down the bank. Hopefully I have got enough material to try this out. Will definitely be experimental - maybe with acrylic inks and Inktense or something like that on top. Possibly also using the technique taught to me by Sarah Bee at the course at West Dean in Sussex last year, with texture underneath and then acrylic and soft pastel on top. Who knows - watch this space....

Next a few sketches in the garden when I had a few moments to space.

The yews in the garden had produced a lot of berries -  thought it would be interesting to study them properly.

and another study of the same tree.

 Also decided to sketch the holly berries - before the birds ate all of them, which is what usually happens. There are never any left for displays in the house at Christmas!

The footpaths around the village have lots of blackberry bushes - so sometimes I take a bag with me on the dog walk, so I can pick them. This time I took my sketching gear instead - although the dogs weren't very appreciative, as it slowed us down a bit!

There are some great wild rose bushes alongside the path to the next village. I always stop to admire the flowers, but noticed this time they also had some great rose hips as well.

There seem to be berries everywhere - does this mean a hard winter? The birds are really going to enjoy the feast. Here I have sketched some hawthorn.

More rose hips further on.

taken from a few different angles.

I do think I should carry my sketchbook more often, but the trouble is one of the dogs has a tendency to disappear, so if I don't concentrate on where she is on a regular basis, I could end up standing around on the field for absolutely ages trying to find her.

The following few sketches were done in a friend's garden in Shropshire. They have a wonderful garden, that is an artists dream. Normally I don't have time to draw whilst staying with them, but one afternoon everyone was doing their own thing, so I popped out, accompanied by the dogs, to wander around and do my pen and wash quick sketches.

These were done in late August - so obviously there were numerous pots with geraniums in them.

She has a beautiful rose garden. Unfortunately a lot of them had gone over, but managed to find a simple flower and bud to do.





Lots of dahlia's










and then a plant that I didn't recognise, but had great petals to draw!







In the area with fruit trees, there are quite a few artichokes. I've tried growing these - sadly unsuccessfully. I love to eat them, but visually they are really wonderful.

Another unknown flower, which was bright yellow. I loved the way the petals folded over when the flower was fading....

There was a huge hibiscus - most of which I couldn't get close enough to sketch. The only bit I could stand near was this - a newly opening flower and buds.

Away from the rose garden, I found some other old roses with wonderful rose hips.

The next few sketches were done in a garden in our village. The art club had gone for a painting morning there. I decided that I didn't want to take all my watercolour equipment etc and end up doing possibly one picture. This was an opportunity to do some sketching to obtain reference material for later on.

I don't know what this flower is, but had lovely delicate white flowers.

Loved these yellow daisy-like flowers - wonderful shape to the petals.

I have hydrangas in my garden, but never sketched them. A lot going on with the cluster of tiny flowers - makes one concentrate!

A simple white cosmos ended my morning there.  Think I spent too much time chatting to other members of the group and didn't do enough drawing!

A quick sketch of a rose I was given at my cousin's wedding in Cambridge - the cake had beautiful pink roses on it and the ladies were given one when they were leaving. Roses aren't my strong point. There are so many petals winding round and it is difficult to achieve the proper 3-D effect.

The following sketches were done at West Dean College in Sussex, when I was on a watercolour course there.

Don't know what this flower is. Pen and watercolour on Bockingford NOT paper

Cosmos - pen and watercolour on Bockingford NOT paper. Another done at West Dean.

 Sweetpea - pen and watercolour on Bockingford NOT paper. Rather enjoyed doing these little sketches, rather than trying to do a large single stem as a final piece. One gets to really study the format of the flower.

Hills behind West Dean College. A rather stylised sketch in watercolour on Bockingford NOT paper, trying out different techniques of applying the paint.

Sweet Pea, done in my sketchbook with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash.

 Cosmos, done in my sketchbook with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash.

 Sea Holly - this time a white one, as I normally manage to get hold of the purple one, done in my sketchbook with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash.

 A yellow rudbekia, done in my sketchbook with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash

Orange lilies, done in my sketchbook with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash.

 Purple flower - name unknown unfortunately, done in my sketchbook with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash.

Japanese anemone, done in my sketchbook with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash.

 A blue agapantha, done in my sketchbook with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash. This is quite a difficult plant to draw, as there are so many sections to it. I opted for doing less and getting the feel of the plant, rather than overloading the drawing with every flower.

Flox, done in my sketchbook with the Rotring Art Pen and a wash.

The following sketches were done as part of my drawing module with the Open College of the Arts.

A partly blown dandelion head, done in graphite pencil on cold pressed paper

A view of the waterfront at St Ives, Cambridgeshire. This was done with conte, charcoal and graphite.

 The top part of Oliver Cromwell - a statue in the middle of the shopping area in St Ives, Cambrigeshire. This was done with a graphite pencil.

A view taken whilst walking out with the dogs on the way to Conington, Cambridgeshire. This was done with the Rotring Art Pen.

Another drawing of Oliver Cromwell - this time the full statue. Done with the Rotring Art Pen.

A small shell in my collection - done with a graphite pencil.

 Up the drift - a walk we go on with the dogs just on the edge of the village. Done in graphite pencil.

A Thames barge at Pin Mill, Suffolk. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 A series of sketches of a little dinghy at Pin Mill, starting with this, when the tide was out.

 Then the water started to come in....

 And then it was afloat.

All done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 The Butt and Oyster, Pin Mill, Suffolk. Nice to go back here, as my parents had a boat on a mooring here when I was a child, so spent many a weekend pottering around this area. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

Drawing of the hotel roof garden in Marrakech, Morocco. Done with pen and watersoluble pencils.

 A corner of a room in the hotel in Marrakech, Morocco.

Near the dining room there was a courtyard - in the hotel in Marrakech, Morocco. Done with Rotring Art Pen and wash.

Plants in the courtyards of the hotel.

Sketching along the Dranse River in Morzine, French Alps. Rotring Art pen.

More on the Dranse walk.

Cow parsley, River Dranse, Morzine

A thistle, River Dranse, Morzine - Rotring Art Pen.

House just by the medieval bridge in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Exercise in perspective done in graphite pencil.

 The medieval bridge in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Done with a pen

"Rebecca" - done in graphite pencil.

Sketches done whilst visiting a Gaudia Brzeska exhibition at Kettle's Yard, Cambridge. Done in graphite pencil.

A different walk along the Dranse, Morzine. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 The bridge near Montriond, French Alps.

Pointe de Nyon looking from the Dranse. Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 There are a lot of interesting objects used as flower containers in alpine villages. This is a huge cauldron. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 There are also a lot of very ornate water troughs catching the mountain water. This was done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 A view from Morzine across the valley to Avoriaz. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 The top of the Catholic Church in Morzine. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 Another water trough, Morzine. Rotring Art Pen and wash.

A tiny church just down from the apartment in Morzine, with Avoriaz in the background. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

The waterfall as Nyon, Morzine. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash. This was down part-way up the waterfall.

 The bottom of the main waterfall, Cascade de Nyon, Morzine. Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 Here is a series of sketches done whilst in Cornwall. All of them were done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash and the descriptions are on the sketches.

Anthurium, done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

 Studies of my ancient teddy, a couple with hat boxes behind. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash. Done as preparatory drawing for a painting in acrylics.

Pencil sketch whilst on top of an office and shopping centre next to St Pauls, London. 

Another view from the same roof-top, done in pencil. This time of the Shard.

Sketches in the Roman room at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Done in pencil.

Copy of a Japanese painting at an exhibition in the Shiba Gallery in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. Done in pencil.

 

 A sketch in pencil of part of Renoir's "La Place Clichy". Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

 A sketch of a figure done by Rodin in the Fitzwilliam - done in pencil.

 Sketch in pencil of a print done by Gerhart Frankl - Fitzwilliam Museum Carrington Print Room.

The graveyard outside Peterborough Cathedral - done in pencil.

A factory along the waterfront in Peterborough. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

View from the lower lawn up the stone steps. Nigel and Sue's garden, south of the Loire, France. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

A view further back showing the original wall of the castle, together with the archway and steps. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.

The original castle entrance at the end of their house. Done with the Rotring Art Pen and wash.