Today in the garden

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I drew this today, sitting in the garden, looking at a jumble of narcissi and other plants ( I’m not sure of their names).

Another of the USK Stoke thirty day challenge. I’m really enjoying this series of sketches. Every day a different way of stretching our practice. So many different sketches by different artists. I hope you like this.

Day 18,urban sketchers challenge

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This one is ‘hanging on the wall’ as you can see I’ve got a lot of stuff on the mantelpiece and on the wall. I haven’t drawn the dust! I don’t move stuff around much. I think it would all fall off if I did. I’ve also missed out the crack in the chimney breast.

I’m really enjoying this 30day challenge and hope we continue to do more once this month if work is over. It’s interesting having prompts. I might not like some if them, but it gives me ideas for things to sketch. And also the opportunity to translate them into what fits in around my life.

I’ve reconnected with drawing more over the last couple of weeks than I had done for years. My only sadness is that my eyes are not as acute as they were. I have presbyopia, which means the lens in your eyes doesn’t change shape as well, so it’s harder to focus in on close stuff. I have reading glasses, but when I want to look close, then at distance it’s a bit annoying. Anyway I just peer over the top of my glasses. Plus my lines are wobbly.. But you can’t have everything. It’s just a sketch xxx

Feathered or Furred

#uskstoke challenge. Today’s was to draw something furry or feathered. My cats were my subject. I used a 5b pencil on cartridge paper in a Daler Rowney, soft white, A4 sketchbook. One cat was on the cat tree which has several trays to sleep on. The other moggie was on the pile of washing that needs folding up. I’m going to do it when he gets off! He’s been asleep there most of the day.

So yeah, I could have done the birds outside. But apart from the odd wood pigeon, they don’t stay still long enough to draw.

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Playing

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Grab a stylus and doodle your cat. I used ArtRage oils to draw this. I didn’t have enough memory on my phone so I deleted it, but I’ve uploaded it onto another device. So maybe I can get on and do a few more digital drawings.

Lockdown, I hope it means I will be doing more art, if I can get my mojo back.

Does being shut for the duration mean you’ve lost yours too or are you being brilliantly creative?

Stay indoors, stay safe…. X

Today I’m taking stock

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Mid way through our thirty day challenge in Urban Sketchers Stoke-on-Trent. The subject was ‘taking stock’.

In front of me on the floor is a lovely carrier my friend sent me for Christmas. Its covered in decoupage pictures of me and my friend from years ago, and little cartoons drawn on top of the photos. The box contains all by little bottles of metallic acrylic paints, gold, silver, copper and bronze, but also metallic red, blue, green and brown. There is something nice about adding a bit of sparkle. In it too are packets of brushes, cheap but strong. Finally I have four or five tiny canvases on easle. They were going to be the centerpiece of my craft stall this spring. Instead they lie their forlorn, still wrapped in plastic, waiting for me to find inspiration in these bleak times.

I must paint and keep busy. But all my time is taken up by social media!

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Today’s sky

The day the urban sketchers challenge was to draw the sky, it was grey and cloudy! Instead of swirling or feathery clouds we got a grey duvet closing in the light. At one second while I was drawing the sun shone through, but while I tried to catch the orange colour on the edges of the clouds the gap had closed and all was grey again! I tried to make the best of the view by drawing the outbuilding next door and a bit of vegetation (privet bush).DSC_2463

So hopefully a bit more sun will shine tomorrow.

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Fish

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I’m in another Art group called Etruria Artists. We usually meet on a Thursday but because we are in lockdown we are trying to keep going by doing weekly projects. I was interested in drawing a fish or fishes and this drawing was the result. I tried to show the way water moves and ripples. The fish is a bit weird I’m afraid. Let me know if you have any projects on the go…

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Alphabet

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Late night doodling over a couple of nights. Staying up late, listening to the news and drawing at the same time. Used contrasting colours to try and bring out the letters, plus outlining things in black. It’s a pleasure to draw things.

I think this looks like an old fashioned sampler and could imagine it in embroidery on canvas or linen. One way of relaxing in these stressful times. Why not create your own?

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Pigeon drawing

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I think this was from 2016, its a drawing usin th ArtRage oils app. I’m trying to find out about an illustration course I can do on line. It is probably too late for me to do it, I don’t know if there is any funding available, but I need to use my brain! Once this corona virus has gone I want to free my mind. I love drawing and experimenting, so why not?

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Rainbows

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From Facebook :

A friend who works for the NHS said ” I haven’t seen any as yet but a friend has seen a picture of a rainbow in someone’s window, so, how about we all draw, paint, print one off and put them in our windows?? Something to do if nothing else then as We’re bombing around”….. “in our Ambo we can start counting how many we see!!!
There’s always a rainbow at the end of a Storm and it could show that we are all standing together (2 metres apart lol) to ride this storm out!!!
Then when this IS all over, and it will be, we can all have rainbow parties (any excuse for a knees up!) to celebrate “….

I though what a wonderful idea. I did one of my own which is in my front window now. It may not be much, but it made me feel more positive.

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