Button Doll, my friend Nicola Hayek makes these and I hung this on our Christmas tree… Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was buttons.
Metallic watercolours and a limited amount of felt pens….
And we’re walking…
So this week I started a #100daywalkingchallenge with friends. Given that I don’t walk far normally I think doing an average of about three miles a day isn’t bad. Particularly since I have been doing a lot of uphill bits to exercise my heart more. I just think if I hadn’t been pushed by a friend to do it I never would have. The point is I was scared. I’d walked with friends before, but in the countryside, and they would leave me plodding on behind and laugh when I struggled to get over stiles because of my bad balance and short legs. My hubby carried on, but I gave up on it. I’m glad now that I have realised I can do it after all!
Digital finger painting
Digital drawing in ArtRage oils. Using my finger to draw as I don’t have a stylus on my phone. The colours aren’t bad, but with just four brush tools it can end up a bit streaky. There is a metallic option but I only used it a bit….
Digital drawing
Thought I would do an observational drawing of my walking shoes. I’d been looking for them and when I found them stored in a plastic box they were covered in grey mould! I must have stored them when they were damp last year.
My hubby treated them with dilute bleach and they seem fine now. I’ve been walking in these and some dark red ones with higher ankle sides and whirr fluffy linings. I might draw them next.
I’m doing a series of observational drawings, at least one a day, do this seemed appropriate as I have been walking in them today.
Digital drawing as you can see….
Trees at sundown
I went for a damp walk this evening. I like walking near trees, down little lanes, watching the sky change as the sun set behind the clouds. Walking past evergreen Holly it’s branches laden with dark spikey leaves. Past old Ash trees with their festoon of Ash key seedlings. Using an umbrella as a walking stick as I walked down our steep hill. My toes are throbbing and I only did just over 6000 steps today but I’m on 6/100 days so just 6% done so far!
Horses loose
I was looking out of our window and I saw two grey horses, unaccompanied walk past. They were walking in traffic and towards the main road. I pointed it out to hubby who went out to try and direct them while I watched and rang the police. He managed to get them across the road to the local vets, where some of the nurses came out to help. In the meantime I was explaining where it was happening to the police when the owner of the horses arrived. She explained that the farrier who had been shoeing the horses had left the gate open and they had got out. I went to get my phone to take a picture but they were halfway up the hill when I got back out. It was great that neither of them was injured.
Wall
Damp old farm wall, just down the road. Ideal for a housing development apparently. I really want it to be restored. To keep the building. To keep the heritage of the little village it is in.
Most of all though, I love the patina of it. How wet must it be on the other side to create this tide mark of water and lichen, moss and salts. I love it, I might paint it!
Walking again
Up the hill round the corner, down the other side, urban jungle, walking through terraced houses and past the church. Over into a housing estate… It might be good to go further, but I’m not allowed.
I still want to walk along a beach, water lapping the shore. The sound of water trickling through pebbles, sand and shells.
Buying sticks of rock, fish and chips, a drink of bitter shandy. Seagulls trying to steal your ice-cream.
I can dream!
Drawings
A group of us are holding video drawing meetings where we draw each other. Tonight was the first one. Remind me to use pencils next time, the pens I used were a bit harsh…
Resting
Sleeping, resting
Eyes tight shut
Gentle snoring
Dreaming but
Soon the first
Dream twitching starts..
His eyebrows furl
His nostrils flare
What thoughts are running
Through his nightmare.
And then
And then
A single sigh
And peace and calm
Take over again.
Sleep
Rest
Relax…
Morphius returns.
