Blog Archives

Experiments

28/2/2016

Stencil on Gelli plate on old damaged book leaf.

Earlier this week I visited a printmaker friend, Jean Edwards, her work is here, who introduced me to Gelli plates. I really enjoyed it and produced the background above. Once home, I added the stencilled swan. Stencilling is something I have rarely done, but was inspired by Penenlope Dullaghan's homework in Sketchbook Skool.

Ink on watercolour wash.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram ( @suepownallartist15 ) have seen the work in progress on the above piece before. I finished it yesterday, I think, and would appreciate your thoughts on it. Please leave them in a comment below.

On another matter, yesterday I got to give a pen & ink demo at Tindalls,a local art suppliers. I got to meet some lovely people and look forward to running a workshop for them in March.

Secrets

21/2/2016

My assistant playing in the mud whist I sketch.

I'm finding it hard to write a post, here's why:

I have a personal project, which is going well, but it is currently a secret except for those involved;
I have an illustration commission, which involves me traveling a little over the next couple of days, but I can't say anything about that at the moment = Another secret;
I am trying to set up a small arty business venture, but it's in the planning stages, so that's all I can say about that; and
On Wednesday, I was part of a group artist/poets meeting, as I am involved with an Ekphrasis project. Although it's not a secret, there is nothing to share yet;

so what to post is a dilemma.

I guess it's a good time to dip into the sketchbook and share a few recent sketches.

East Mersea, where, despite a cold, blustery wind, I managed a quick sketch.

A perfect excuse for a piece of cake, a new sketchbook to start.

Whilst waiting for Degas to have her check up at QVSH, I sketched this spaniel in the waiting room.

Have you any secrets to share? What have you been up to recently? Why not leave me a comment below, I love to read them!

Backstage at the Mercury Theatre

14/2/2016

Mercury Theatre foyer (colour added at home). ©Sue Pownall 2016

Sketch in progress.

Yesterday, I managed to get a ticket for a backstage tour of the Mercury Theatre in Colchester. Arriving early, I sketched the foyer as I keep avoiding complex subjects. Before I finished it was time to start the tour, so I added colour at home. The foyer has very clever blue lighting highlighting different planes as well as blue carpet.

We started the tour in the Studio Theatre where audience service manager Carol gave us some background info on the theartre (for example designed by Norman Downie and opened in 1972).

Pencil in A5 Daler Ebony sketchbook ©Sue Pownall 2016

Next we were taken into the main theatre and up on to the stage, where the understudy was rehearsing End of the Rainbow, which had opened the night before. We were very lucky to have the artistic director, Daniel Buckroyd, tell us about and show us some of the creative things about the show and the stage set (260 lightbulbs in the set, for example).

©Sue Pownall 2016

Exiting stage left, or was it right?, we went through the wings pass the prompter's chair, spotting props - lots of pill bottles for this glimpse of the later life of Judy Garland - and into the workshop.

The workshop was the most interesting area for me, although the paintshop was interesting, and you could spot scenery parts from old pantos and shows, such as a HUGE beanstalk.

On a bench was the White Model, the technical term for the set design model, for the upcoming performance of Clybourne Park, which I hope to see.

Fe fi fo fum, beanstalk in workshop.

Dodging the rain, we went to the costume department, which was so visually engaging I didn't sketch anything, how ironic is that?

Stunning costume designs and the understudy's costumes.

Dressmaker's work table.

We walked back into the main building and pass the actors resting prior to the Saturday matinée, saying hello to actor Gary Wilmot (remember him? - he was on UK tv way-back-when), we couldn't see the dressing rooms as it was so close to curtain up, and then, all too soon, the tour was over.

Have you ever done a tour like this?
Please leave a comment and tell me about it.

New work

7/2/2016

It's been a busy few weeks! What have you been doing?

Experiments

Secrets

Backstage at the Mercury Theatre

Have you ever done a tour like this?
Please leave a comment and tell me about it.

New work

About me

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Archives

Experiments

Secrets

Backstage at the Mercury Theatre

Have you ever done a tour like this? Please leave a comment and tell me about it.

New work

About me

Tags

Archives

Have you ever done a tour like this?
Please leave a comment and tell me about it.