Copper in watercolour.

Every year I paint my paintbrushes intheir copper containers and every year I say the same thing: that I want to replace the copper bowls with stoneware containers, simply because the copper is too high maintenance.But once the copper is cleaned and buffed, I succumb before their splendour and so the paintbrushes stay in copper containes yet another year.

This second sketch was done in 2016, also of my copper containers.

Hydrangeas in watercolor.

There is a whole pathway in Beaulieu where the hydrangeas spill majestically over the lawn by the river. I will have another go at it, because the challenge lies in capturing the burst of pinks and blues and not add too much other detail, like I have done in this sketch.

Street in Beaulieu.

I have been in a deep and long rut art wise, struggling to find my mojo. I started slowly back with some fruit sketches and today I took on a street in Bealieu. I am still far too tight and high strung in my brush strokes but at least I completed the sketch. I think I can start thinking about finding my form again.

Four flat peaches, watercolour in Stillman and birn sketchbook

Street in Beaulieu, watercolour in Stillman and Birn sketchbook

Fruit in watercolour

four apples, watercolour in Stillman and Birn sketchbook

Cherries, watercolour in Stillman and birn sketchbook

Inktober 1,2,3.

I have decided to join Inktober this year. A whole month of using mainly ink. I haven’t sketched in such a long time and I can feel the stiffness of my arm, the laziness in my observation and even my artistic interpretation is rusty. So this Inktober will be a good challenge to get back into the groove.

Inktober 1: Ring. “Keyrings” Lamy fountain pen and watercolor in stillman and birn sketchbook.

Oct 1 ring

Inktober 2: Mindless. “Skull”. Pigment liner and wash  in Stillman and birn sketchbook.

Oct 2 mindless

Inktober 3: Bait. “Rouget barbet”. Lamy fountain pen and watercolor in Stillman and birn sketchbook.

Oct 3 Bait

Hyacinths in oil.

I don’t have hyacinths in the garden, but I bought some forced bulbs and they ere just beautiful at their peak.I sketched them in watercolor, but struggled. So I left it for a while. Slowly but surely the blooms began to topple over, like hyacinths do and they started turning brownish in their color. no waiting anymore, I had to paint or lose them.

hyacinths-2017-001

White hyacinth in watercolor

hyacinths-2017

white hyacitnths

oil on board, 33X40 cm

white-hyacinths-in-oil