Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was cheap, so I did a sketch in felt pens of my hand and added cheap, cracking, nail polish. I added a digital filter to add to the effect.

New paintings and regular art updates.
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was cheap, so I did a sketch in felt pens of my hand and added cheap, cracking, nail polish. I added a digital filter to add to the effect.


We saw an airbase within 15 miles of the Polish border hit by cruise missiles today. Eighty one people were killed. Putin Russian madness continues.
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was connection so I drew our connection with family. I’ve created an imagined bracelet. The family at the bottom is connected too. Like a paper chain. I’ve used Ukraine flag colours. It’s meant to show a connection of countries supporting them.

For my final college report I’m looking at the history of the depictions of dragons (OK very niche). I’m trying to understand how they were illustrated and how they change across the world. I’ve found out Korean dragons have five toes, Chinese four or five and Japanese three toes. They have different shapes. They go from serpentine to with two or four legs. No wings or wings. Some are fire-breathing. They may be mythical but they seem to evolve.

Today Russia bombed towns and cities in Ukraine again. Even Russian speaking cities that were supposed to be safe. The Russians even bombed a shoe factory. My drawing is a poppy for remembering the dead and a shoe in Ukrainian colours. A single shoe, lost by its owner. What stupidity. How long will this violence, which is denied by the Russians, be allowed to go on. Give Peace a chance. Stop the war.

Normal life? Hubby watching the TV, we have a small LED light that saves money, the heating is on timed to save money so he’s wearing his body warmer. Curtains are closed to keep warmth in. We are not in trouble but we are being cautious. We haven’t lit the gas fire fir two years but have a small portable oil heater instead. Todays #bandofsketchers prompt was normal life.

#bandofsketchers prompt yesterday was hero’s and heroines. This is Heroine in PPE. From an image on the Internet. They are real hero’s of the awful pandemic. Hopefully no one will need their help now. X

There was a cat called Ginger
He was really fat
He went upstairs quite slowly
And at the top he sat
I called him for his breakfast
I called him for his tea.
But there he lay upon his mat
Until he rolled and jumped back down
Much slimmer now, not fat!

Sunflowers and blue leaves, abstract pattern. Waiting for a resolution, no sign of peace or compromise. Women and children, old men and women try to escape. But their routes are snared with artillery and arms. Meanwhile the world waits for what? Who can guess… Time flies, slowly. Only a few days feels like a month of Sundays. I’m starting to avoid the news. So bleak. So much pain but so much bravery. My country? Keeping refugees out! Talking about security breaches instead of desperate humanity. Bean counters. May they be told to help instead of hindering. Me.. I’m just sad and confused.

Fenton Cenotaph. Fallen soldier, from the 1914-1918 first world War. I was out with Stoke Urban sketchers today. We were outside Fenton Town Hall. A very cold wind was blowing so I just did a small sketch. I chose to use pale blue and yellow because of what is happening in Ukraine. The news continues to be terrible. The Russians had offered a ceasefire and escape corridor for civilians to get out of Mariapol but they haven’t stopped shelling the city.

Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was vintage. OK, so I looked up vintage dress on my phone then made up a pattern. I think I’ll call it ‘molecules’. I was aiming at one of those 50’s/60’s patterns I remember from my childhood. The background was just to try and make it stand out.