Movement

Posted on August 23, 2026August 23, 2026 Posted in Uncategorized, Sketching, MemoriesTagged Art, black pen and biro drawing on paper, Drawing, Horse, Horses, Life, Memory, School, sixpence, Sketching, TV programmes1 Comment

Movement was the prompt and it brought back memories of my childhood. I learnt to draw horses. They are such powerful and beautiful and intelligent creatures. I only occasionally saw them in real life as I lived in a town. But I had the book black beauty, and watched folly foot, a TV series about horses, and was always singing the theme tune to something else “on white horses”, plus champion the Wonder horse and the lone ranger.

It’s no wonder that I loved drawing horses from an early age. When I was a kid at school I used to draw horses over and over again. I even sold some to other kids in my class for sixpence. I loved drawing dappled greys. I was better at it then than now x

Eclipse drawing

Posted on August 17, 2026August 18, 2026 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged artistic, ArtRage app, Doodle, Eclipse drawing, Life, Moon, Sketching, Sun, Sunset1 Comment

Tried to do a sketch of the partial eclipse using Artrage app. It’s using digital pens and tools which replicate things like soft pastels or brush marks.

The image is not based on a real picture, but is more of a doodle. X

The copse on the hill

Posted on July 30, 2026 Posted in Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged biro sketch, Clouds, copse, Drought, Illustration, Life, Poem, Poetry, Rain, sleepy valley, Storm, Trees1 Comment

The copse on the hill.
High Trees
An ancient site.
Clouds scud – fly by
A Storm will blow,
And rouse the world.
Sleepy valleys,
Shaded by darkening clouds, ~
Let it rain, wind blow
Bring relief
From drought.

Pouring

Posted on July 29, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Abstract, Acrylic on canvas, Lion, Memories, Pareidolia, Pattern, poured paint, quick abstract1 Comment

Acrylic on canvas, abstract poured blue paint, I filled, then used a toothbrush to add wispy texture. As a matter of interest in this orientation I think it looks like a lions head?

Kaleidoscopic

Posted on July 22, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic paint, Colours, Dots, Fine Art, Iridescent, Kaleidoscope, Mandala, Painting, PatternLeave a comment

Another experimental piece. There were 6 bottles of new iridescent acrylic paint at art group. Each bottle had a little cap inside the lid to stop the paint leaking out. They all had paint adhering under the caps so I used them to create dots of colour. The central yellow circle was created first using all the paint under the cap swirled round in the surface of the canvas. Each other dot only used the paint under the caps and making an uneven surface. The extra patterns were brushed on afterwards.

I see a central sun serrounded by a white path, that in turn is circled by trees then flowers. Or a kaleidoscope.

Orange cat

Posted on July 8, 2026 Posted in Cat, Fine Art, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Cat, impressionistic, Life, line work, orange cat, Painting, Texture, toothbrush1 Comment

Playing with line, used a toothbrush for the black outlines. Acrylic on canvas. Done at art group today. I gave it to a friend as it reminded her of her cat Marmalade. X

Paint box

Posted on June 20, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic, Art supplies, Brushes, Fine Art, Illness, Paint, Painting, Pallette, Parkinsons, Sadness3 Comments

Over the years, when I had money, I would treat you to paint and brushes and canvases. The joy of buying a new colour or a metallic tint.

Now I’m retired I still have enough to keep going. I just hope I can maintain my manual dexterity. Parkinsons is a beast.

Choir sketch

Posted on June 7, 2026 Posted in Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, biro in notebook, Choir, Drawing, event, in harmony, Singing, Sketching, Village hall4 Comments

I was at the village hall finding out about what groups were doing there (woodcarving, yoga, slimming world, writers group, theatre, and more) when a flash mob of choir members came in singing the Spice girls song “if you want to be my lover” in a really choral way. All their voices were beautifully integrated. They were called ” In Harmony” and really were.

As they sang I sketched them, I did a biro drawing in my notebook. I could only draw their backs because of where I was sitting. I showed them the drawing and they were very pleased. I’m so glad I have this talent.

Painting waves.

Posted on June 1, 2026 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Fine Art, Flow, Landscape, Painting, Parkinsons, relearning, Seascape3 Comments

Close up of a rough sea I’m painting for a friend. The only time my Parkinsons shake reduces is when I concentrate on painting. It’s not as neat as I would like it to be but I get into “flow” and my movements mysteriously improve. I really should learn more about it but most of the time I’m exhausted.

Painting like this is a way of relearning old skills that I thought I’d forgotten. Onwards and upwards….

Penkhull Church built in 1842

Posted on May 22, 2026 Posted in Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged 1842, Acrylic on canvas, Art, banner, Church, Life, Memories, Painting, Penkhull Church, women's rights4 Comments

St Thomas church in Penkhull was built in 1842. I painted this banner in about 2017 or 18 I think. Only 175 years later.

Things have changed for women over that time. We got the vote. There is is now a woman Archbishop of Canterbury. We have more control over our bodies our health our education. We have even been around the far side of the moon! And we have had female prime ministers and Presidents. Some countries are trying to remove our rights. We will not give them up without a fight!

Mallaband-Brown

Category: Sketching