Category: Degas

Drinking and drawing

1/5/2016

Pencil sketch of Natasha Robertson at The Black Buoy's April/May Beer Festival 2016

I have just returned from the Black Buoy in Wivenhoe's May bank holiday real ale festival. My assistant and I sat outside sketching and listening to the music, although my assistant was more interested in the fish and chips.

Earlier this week, I arranged for the Colchester Sketchers to drink/draw at the Bricklayers. My first sketch of my Aspell's cider was the most successful and is shared below.

Direct watercolour sketch.

Finally, something different, I currently have my experimental piece hung at the Art Exchange where it was selected for the Celebrate Landscape exhibition. If you are in the area, pop in before it closes next Saturday.

Monthly challenges.

3/4/2016

Across the Road. ©Sue Pownall 2016

WIP: Bourne Mill in winter.

There's a new challenge over on twitter led by Anthony Greentree (@antsgreentree) called #buildapril, which is is all about buildings and structures in any media.

Above is my 1st April sketch of my across-th-road neighbours drawn with a Super5 pen with DeAtramentis ink and painted with Winsor & Newton watercolours in A Daler Ebony A5 sketchbook. Whilst right is a work in progress started yesterday of Bourne Mill.

Last month's challenge was #animalmarch, and I started well with daily sketches of my assistant, but then life got in the way. Here are a selection of them:

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Hello Spring!

20/3/2016

The gates are open for 2016 at the National Trust's Bourne Mill. ©SuePownall

Sitting in the gateway

Today is the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere, and spring is one of my favourite seasons. I also like autumn ... and summer ... oh and winter if I'm inside and warm and it's snowing outside.

On Wednesday, I was sketching outside in order to record the 2016 opening of the National Trust property, Bourne Mill. I'm working with the property this year, so rather than sketch the building, other than the outline, I chose to focus on the open gates.

I used a Monologue sketchbook and as the photo (left) shows, I Inked on site. However, I added the watercolour added at home due to icy wind.

St. Patrick's Day. ©SuePownall

St Patrick's Day sketching with my assistant.

On Thursday, Saint Patrick's Day provided the opportunity to get some green paint out as I sketched with some friends in a local pub.

The above sketch was completed on site, Winsor & Newton watercolour with Staedtlar pen in A5 Daler sketchbook.

More green featured this morning, which is why I'm blogging this evening, as I experimented monoprinting using a Gelli plate. Some of these prints I am thinking of working up, maybe with stencils, or watercolour, or.... not sure. Some as collage backgrounds, maybe. Whilst one will become an Easter card to send to my mum.

Now, I'm looking forward to lots of garden drawing, flower sketching, and more spring printing.

Spring monoprint experiments. ©SuePownall

What about you? Is spring your favourite season? What are you working on?

Sketching poolside

6/3/2016

Week 1.

My assistant's left leg is giving her a lot of problems, so she is currently undergoing hydrotherapy. As she only paddles and doesn't swim, I was a little anxious, but after her second proper session, she is doing well... and the yellow head float has been removed.

The first week, I took some photos, but this week, as she was calmer I sketched a little. It was difficult as I couldn't wear my glasses due to the humidity. I think I managed to capture the idea, don't you?

Inktense pencils

A Minibook

31/1/2016

pages 2 and 3 ©Sue Pownall

This year, as part of my personal development, I am taking Sketchbook Skool's Expressing class. Last week's lessons were with illustrator Jill Weber and our homework was to write and illustrate a min-book, which we had to make. Our books had to share something about ourselves, so I chose to tell Degas' story.

My book is still unfinished, the final drawing to complete and the type to ink in, as I've had to work on a couple of other things. This is something very different from what I would normally do, hence the reason to do the course. I enjoyed the whole process but it's frustrating to have life interfere with getting it finished.

What do you think? Have you done anything similar? Why not share the link to your work below so I can see it?

Merry Christmas

20/12/2015

©Sue Pownall 2015

It's been a busy week: apart from the normal seasonal things - shopping, Christmas lunch with my mum, decorating my new studio, etc. - I've done a few new sketches, started a seasonal drawing, and been playing with my new SLR camera. The first photo was of my assistant, of course, then I tried some still life setups with my Christmas cards, one is above.

Next Sunday will be my annual review. I wonder how I've done?

To everyone who celebrates I wish you a very
Merry Christmas.
Sue

A Perfect Day?!

13/9/2015

Spindle Drilling Machine in The 'Simpson' Belt Driven Workshop.

In-situ sketching.

This weekend is Heritage Weekend in UK with many interesting places open for free. Yesterday, taking advantage of the lack of entrance fee, I went to the Museum of Power, Langford.

The sound and sight of The 'Simpson' Belt Driven Workshop attracted my attention, so I decided to sketch there. With so many machines, belts, and interesting things I chose a small section to focus on and the above sketch is the result. Here is the in-situ photo. This sketch was done with a sepia Derwent pencil in A4 Monologue sketchbook. Whilst the afternoon sketch was Winsor & newton watercolours, Staedtlar Pigment liner in Daler A5 sketchbook.

After lunch, Degas and I went to Goldhanger for their Gala Weekend. With a karate demo going on in the churchyard, I took Degas down the road and walked her around the sea wall before heading into the village. As musicians were setting up in the Salty Dogs Tea Room, we headed there. It was the perfect afternoon: What's better than drinking tea (and eating carrot cake), in a beautiful garden, listening to live music, with your dog lying at your feet as you sketch?

Music, tea & cakes in a beautiful garden.

It was a lovely day. What would make your perfect day?

Drawing August

9/8/2015

Degas sunbathing in the garden.

Still struggling with a missing drawing mojo, amongst other things, I started #DrawAugust which is a twitter hashtag challenge.

Back in January, for Liz Steel's Sketching Foundation course, I sketched the fence which divides the house from the neighbours. Now, in summer I resketched it as part of a changing story and as a record of my parents' garden.

A very quick sketch of the birdbath on the 3rd.

Following that, I did another sketch from the garden. This time the ripening apples on the neighbour's overhanging apple tree.

A very quick sketch of the birdbath was done on the 3rd.

Whilst today I have sketched Degas sunbathing in it. I aim to do more garden drawings over the month, which I'll share here. What are you doing this week?

Ripening Apples.

A Sketcher at Tavistock Edge

26/7/2015

A small section of the Tavistock Edge flash choir.

MY assistant & I.

As mentioned in my previous post, we were down in Devon to sketch the new Tavistock Edge event. My assistant was an absolute star, so we spent virtually all day at the event.

First up was a flash choir in the Pannier Market. Naturally, I knew where and when this was occurring and found a bench to sit on, although hadn't planned on the huge crowd blocking my view. The sound was lovely and Degas was happy as long as she had her pig's ear and no-one stood on her paws or tail.

Next up, we wandered to the Buskstop, and sketched The Diggurz, who list the genre as roots/redneck/celtic. Degas was fantastic even having a little dance at one point.

From the Buskstop, we wandered down the road to see the Lodestone Border Morris group. Degas found the stick bashing a problem, yet still stayed for a couple of dances. I'm really pleased with the sketch as I tried to focus on the colour and movement. What do you think?

Lodestone Border Morris.

Sketching moving morris men.

Finally, we wandered to St Eustachius' churchyard where there was a whole afternoon of entertainment. My favourite was Miss Von Trapp who describes herself as "Murderously Quirky Dark Cello Cabaret: Morbidly Vaudeville Songs, Cabaret Numb...ers and Performance Poetry to revolt and entertain..." and I thought she was brilliant.

I certainly hope the festival will continue next year as we had a great time. What do you think of my sketches? Please leave a comment as I love to receive them.

EDiM

7/6/2015

One of my favourites, a sprig of rosemary.

The prompts

May brings the Everyday in May challenge and yet again I participated. The first time I tied this challenge was in 2010, and you can see the results spread over the May posts here. I then participated again in 2013 and 2014, and you can the see the results by clicking the EDiM tag in the side panel here.

In 2010, I was living in Sudan and finished 30/31 but the peaceful life I led there helped. This year I finished just 22/31. Why? I found some prompts very uninspiring and some I just didn't get time for due to attending a print course, sketching events, my mother's health, and Degas. Furthermore, I have learnt that I still don't put my art before everything else and I do not have the self discipline to sketch daily (especially when uninspired). Right now, as I type this post, I have 2 illustrations that need finishing, so I shall write no more and let a selection of the drawings speak for themselves.

Please let me know which are your favourites. If you participated, why not leave a link to your posts, so I can check them out.

<<Previous

Drinking and drawing

Monthly challenges.

It's almost time to send my spring newsletter.
Will you get your copy?

Hello Spring!

Sketching poolside

A Minibook

Merry Christmas

To everyone who celebrates I wish you a very
Merry Christmas.
Sue

A Perfect Day?!

Drawing August

A Sketcher at Tavistock Edge

EDiM

About me

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Archives

It's almost time to send my spring newsletter. Will you get your copy?

To everyone who celebrates I wish you a veryMerry Christmas. Sue

About me

Tags

Archives

It's almost time to send my spring newsletter.
Will you get your copy?

To everyone who celebrates I wish you a very
Merry Christmas.
Sue