New paintings and regular art updates.
I decided to do a simple drawing and painting of one of my cats looking out the window. Then I thought I would use the bubble wrap I’d added black paint to. I stuck it on so it acts as a flap. Now it looks like net curtains. The black splodges also give the bare branched tree a few leaves!
I used monoprint black splodges for this. They were collaged onto a page I’d printed dots from bubble wrap covered in black paint. I realised I could make out two goldfish in the patterns. So I used watercolours and black ink to complete the picture. Slightly reminds me of Japanese woodblock images.
Press the button? Or not!
Hubby was being keen about helping with the house as I’m not feeling very well. This discussion happened when I asked him to put the washing machine on spin….
Set the dial to Spin and drain, number 15.
He did it fine.
Now press the on button.
I was watching from the living room and saw and heard the musical notes it plays when it’s switched on. Now press the start button….. Musical notes indicating he’d switched the washing machine off..
No, press the on switch again, then press the start button, it’s on this side of the dial…
He switched it on again, then pressed the little screen that shows you what program the machine is on… So I shouted, not that one, the button..
He switched the machine off again! No don’t do that! By then I was getting frustrated, but after forty years together he should be able to switch a Washing machine on.
Leave it switched on then press the button on this side of the dial!
Exasperated, I watched as he switched it on and went to move the dial…. This side I called… He went to press another button that allows you to change spin speeds or the temperature. NO! NOT THAT ONE! I really shouted this time. The one on this side of the dial BELOW the one you are pressing….
Clunk, whirrr…. SPIN!
HOORAY!
Sundays #bandofsketchers prompt.
Finally did a positive/negative self portrait after trying to think what I could do. I used the edge of a page cut off and added to the centre of this to make an interesting division.
Sometimes the challenges are really hard to do. I was going to draw a battery! Not exactly interesting. The negative side of the photo really lacked detail even when I tried changing the exposure.
At Trentham Gardens there are a collection of wire woven fairy sculptures. They are dotted here, there and everywhere. Each time we visit we see new ones. One was even dipping down into the lake for a drink. There seems to be a warrior queen on one plinth and lots of them are holding dandelion seed heads. I tried buying a kit and making my own.. I didn’t make the best one.
We are thinking of getting a tree stump carved in our garden. We had to get it cut down to about seven foot high as it was over growing a part of the garden and making it shady.
This sculpture was in Trentham gardens today. There were quite a few other ones but this was my favourite, especially since it is next to the river Trent which has got a lot cleaner over recent years.
It was a short but tiring walk. Trentham gardens is worth a visit for a day. There is also a retail village and a monkey forest on the site. But do check what is open before you visit.
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Seen on our walk round Trentham Gardens this afternoon. Two black swans with red beaks, they were gathering nesting material by the side of the lake. They were not bothered by us being close, probably be ause we were not threatening them and they won’t have seen many people over the last few months of lockdown. I’m not sue what species of Swan they are. They had a few white feathers and a white line on their beaks. I wouldn’t have said they looked and different, it was not obvious whether they were male or female. It was a pleasure to see them today.
Ten minute portrait studies with black paint splodges from bubble wrap. I used watercolour and black ink pens for the portraits. We did some minoprint a few weeks back but I found gluing down bits of paper then drawing over the top difficult so tried this instead. It also makes you consider where to paint the face!
We were using found items to add interest. My favourite is the pot of brushes obscuring the face of one of the sitters.
View from the kitchen window. This is the little plum tree ar the bottom of the garden. There is a cherry tree trunk in front of it and branches from that obscure the view. I decided to leave that out. I painted with watercolours. Palest first, then the pale greens and blues. It’s hard to fit the dark colours in without leaving white edges but I have never used masking fluid to hide the paler areas and I don’t want to start now.
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Theatrical mask made by a friend for 2019’s Penkhull Mystery play. Strange that sux months later we had to wear real masks! I painted this up with my hubbies features. He had to sit still at a potters wheel and pretend to be a mannequin until the cast were transported back in time. Then he took it off and became Thomas Doodey, Master Potter.
To be honest I really miss the fun we had on that day. Crowds of people watching the action. Molly dancers, a hurdy hurdy man, Punch and Judy, and a maypole. Lots of stalls.
This year we are going to do a virtual Mystery play. I’m hoping to do a copy of the Mona Lisa I an hour and a half. Numerous other ideas are being considered.
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Mallaband-Brown