Barn in Snow

An imaginery little skctch on the iPad exploring a watercolour style of working.

Witney

Today I visited Witney in Oxfordshire for work purposes and had quite a bit of time hang8ng around. Three iPad sketches from the day: a group of fictitious people - I sketched these then rubbed out their noses, redrew all the noses and then filled in detail; then two sketches drawn in Cafe Nero. The one of an old man reading a newspaper was drawn very quickly and I wasn’t bothered about detail. The more pencil-like sketch was again drawn loosely without me worrying about accuracy.

Stotfold Mill Working Steam Weekend

Pen and ink sketch of a threshing machine at the Stotfold Mill Working Steam Weekend, Bedfordshire, a couple of weeks ago. I had a very enjoyable day there on a warm, sunny autumn day surrounded by lots of people and vintage machinery. The sketch below is of a man cleaning out a stationary steam engine powering a large steam saw.

Man with Dog

This sketch appeared at lunchtime whilst I was wondering whether to write or draw people and I wasn't expecting a picture to appear. I am trying to make some of my characters more contemporary looking for when I go out sketching in towns. I was going to post some sketches this evening I scanned from my sketchbook. Unfortunately I deleted the files off my memeory stick so will try again another night.

Tulips

Yellow

Tea for Two

Just an experiment, from my imagination. I am trying to change my characters and exploring a few ideas.

Mother’s Day

The table arrangement I set up at home for my wife on Mother’s Day.

Gardener

I am quite enjoying illustrating this way. Some bits need tweaking and I am trying to get a consistent style working.

Walking in the fields

This is interesting. It started off as an experiment but quickly developed into something that worked rather well. I have always had a vague interest in folk art though never really found a comfortable way of working that way. In trying to find an illustration style to accompany my writing I immediately knew that this was a style I wanted and so have been looking around the internet for inspiration. Getting characters right will be the hardest thing as I am trying to get away from my more cartoony style to something more illustrative. This was drawn on the iPad and I would like to try and translate this to canvas and again try to get the hang of acrylic paints. 

Debenhams Cafe

Sketch made in the cafe in Debenhams, Luton, today.

Sketches

Two sketches drawn today whilst visiting the Old Skool Pantry, Luton.

Large Earrings

Lunchtime sketch today.

Portrait

A lunchtime doodle.

Dog Walking, Hitchin

Sketch made in Hitchin today of a man walking a dog. Unfortunately he walked off before I could draw his large dog so I did the buildings instead. 

Landscape Drawing

An illustration made whilst playing around with pencil-like brushes on the iPad - it is just an imaginary place. I have always liked the work of the Shropshire artist Brigid Wright (1939-2000) and this is influenced by her drawings. I will try and develop this style for illustrating the stories I am writing. Doing people is the difficult part!

Cotehele, Cornwall

Two sketches made a couple of days ago at the National Trust property of Cotehele in Cornwall. The first is The Edgcumbe tea room on Cotehele Quay and the second is a view of some garden trees, crocuses and snowdrops. 

Shopping Trip and News

A little sketch.

I have now, hopefully, re-labelled all my poems on this blog to appear under the 'Poem' tag. Further housekeeping will occur over the next week or so and some old posts may disappear. I may also consolidate some things into a separate web page.

A new story series will be posted imminently!