New paintings and regular art updates.
Met a lady with this beautiful girl today. Its a shitzu crossed with another dog, but I’m afraid I can’t remember what that was. Such a nice natured dog, she was interested, intelligent, listened to her owner. Was friendly. Had no ‘snappiness’ even when the singer who was entertaining us had a crackling microphone which disturbed his own dog. I think she’s really pretty and asked permission to take a photo. This might turn into a painting.
We are just back from a day out to the Black lion at Consall forge near Cheddleton, Staffordshire. It was a singing social. A group from our choir decided to take a minibus and just enjoy the day. We saw the steam train that runs through the valley, people kayaking on the river next to the railway. Walked over the canal that also runs along the valley below the pub and lots of singing, under a gazebo at the pub and also in the minibus. More photos to follow, but I had a bad night’s sleep again, so I’m going to have a nap!
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt is laughter. Well I tried to channel laughter and came up with a rather evil looking clown! Doodled this late last night then coloured it in this morning when I could see what colours I was using… Eek!
My owl painting has a grey background like moving air. But today someone suggested adding a starry night sky. I decided to digitally change the background and I have to agree. The paints are coming out and I will change it. Its good to have someone else looking at your work. It can change your opinion. I think you have to be open to other ideas. But also you have to stick to your guns if you don’t feel it will better. I hope that makes sense.
At the three counties open. There was a small group of musicians playing gentle music. I think it was jazz. They were in a corner, just taking up a small space by one of the doors. Three hundred or so people milled past them, looking at pictures, photos, paintings. The band played on. I don’t think any of them were hit by out flung elbows, but it was a lucky escape! As the evening progressed more people arrived. The ‘one glass of wine’ policy seemed to be relaxed. Two hundred and more unmasked people mingled and breathed on each other… And I felt worried and anxious. I’d forgotten to take a mask. I was like a baby taking my first steps… Very nervous.
Staring into space
Staring over the sea
A lone figure, that is me.
I want silence,
or quiet waves lapping
A gentle breeze.
Not lonely, just bored.
Every Sunday was boring
In my youth
Shops shut
Nothing to see or do!
Now I feel the same
No-one is to blame!
But I’m bored,
So bored…
Bored
While we were down in Falmouth we called in a bar for a drink. The prices were rather expensive so we only had one drink each. We only went in because they were offering 10% off some drinks for Falmouth University students. But that turned out to be for bottles of champagne, rising from £36 a bottle to over £100! That was the cost of one ersin staying at the hotel. We couldn’t afford that so we had a ‘sangria’ at £5 a glass! Even that was pricey and we all agreed it didn’t look like the normal recipe but the drinks were refreshing after the long degree ceremony we had just come from.
Butterfly drawing. Done in an app called sketch. There is a symmetry section in the tools and rge main pen I used seems to make sparks like a firework sparkler. I could see something like this on a circular canvas, maybe as a statement piece in an apartment.
Our cat looked cute, but hubbies foot in a sandal was in the top right corner of the picture. I decided to try and hide it. I used my sketch app on my phone. Using the ‘chalk’ pen tool and the colour picker option. I carefully chose colours that corresponded with the parts of the mat that needed redrawing. I also drew over a metal tin that was in the bottom right of the picture. The chalk option was good because it gives a more mottled pattern to the mat. It’s not perfect but I’m reasonably happy.
‘and shall we have crumpets for tea ?’
I don’t remember where that quote comes from. But that’s what we had for our meal this afternoon. Toasted to a slightly brown colour and hot so that the crumpet is cooked through. I usually have butter or margarine on it but today I had butter and then as a treat a small amount of Greek honey.
The porous, sponge like consistency of the crumpet makes it good for absorbing melted butter. The top of a crumpet is full of a lattice of holes, whereas the base is solid, so these lacunae stay filled and only leak slightly. Yummy! I’ve also toasted crumpets, then grated cheese on them and then I gently microwave them for a savoury snack.
This bought back a memory of using a fork pierced through a crumpet and pushed onto the front bars of a gas fire. A tricky thing to do as the fire might burn your fingers as well as the crumpet! Cook the back first then the front, then take it off the fire and butter and eat. (Childhood memories of when life was more basic).
Mallaband-Brown