Joined

Posted on June 14, 2021June 14, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Fun, Gardening, Joined, Life, Plants, Stroll, Time, Trentham Gardens, Visit, WalkingLeave a comment

Another visit to Trentham Gardens today for a gentle stroll after a few too many Gin and Tonics last night. It was far cooler today although the sun did shine. My sunburn kept me warm. We had a meal and enjoyed exploring the show gardens over in a far corner of the site.

I still managed a reasonable 6000 steps although I never really raised me heart rate.

When I looked into joining there were various factors that helped me decide to join. I hope we go frequently enough to make it worthwhile and its pleasant to walk in grounds designed by Capability Brown although urban streets are OK too.

Glass pieces done

Posted on June 12, 2021June 12, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, art glass lounge, Brooch, Fun, Glass, Glass workshop, necklace, pieces, ringLeave a comment

One and eight are my hubbies pieces, the rest are mine. Out of the kiln at Art Glass Lounge. I did them at a workshop. Some are being turned into necklaces, some brooches and a couple will be attached to rings. I’m collecting them tomorrow. I’ve really enjoyed learning such a simple technique of layering glass to get a sparkling result. Can’t wait to collect the finished pieces. I will take a photo of them when I get them.

The tools of my trade

Posted on June 11, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Black and white, Drawing, Fun, mug of water, paintbrush, Sketching, WatercolourLeave a comment

I’m learning more about what I can do. I create using anything from post-it notes and collage to the simplest calligraphy pen and paper to the extreme using nail varnish! This is a quick drawing of the watercolours I use together with a mug of water and paint brushes.

Walking today

Posted on June 10, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Aching feet, Bee, Cat, Exercise, Fun, Hill, kilometers, Miles, Time, Tired, WalkingLeave a comment

Three walks around and about today totalling 11.97km (almost 7.5 miles)

Two were around the university then a late walk once things had cooled down this evening. I walked up our steep hill and saw the sunset, I didn’t get a good photo of it, then on and around the top of our hill before descending again. I know I’ve gone far enough because my feet and ankles are aching.

I came home to an errant bumble bee. We tried to put it outside but it must have flown back through an open window because I caught one of my cats looking like it was about to pounce on it. In the end I used the mug and envelope technique and it was transported safely out of the back door and flew off onto the night.

Fine art shows.

Posted on June 9, 2021 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Art, Degree shows, Fine Art, Fun, Life, Painting, printmaking, Sculpture, Staffordshire University, Video?Leave a comment

This years fine art degree shows at Staffordshire University are on this week. Thirty nine years after I got my degree. I’ve visited almost every year except 2020. This year it’s on but you have to book a time slot and have a lateral flow test before you can go…. So I had to frantically find somewhere to have one done with enough time to spare to get to the shows afterwards. Anyway I’m looking forward to it. Great to be able to go and see real art in a real gallery space.

Just sat down

Posted on June 8, 2021June 8, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged flag irises, Fun, Gardening, Life, Plants, Pond, Stream, Walking, YogaLeave a comment

It’s been a long day. I went out this morning and I’ve just sat down at 11.30pm. In that time I’ve been out and then later went and collected some flag irises that someone was giving away. They are now in our pond. We got stuck in traffic on the way to the place, so six miles took about forty minutes to drive there. Then later after doing work around the house I went to a yoga class, came home, went on a zoom meeting about college, then a choir practice. We went out for a walk, then I went shopping and finally cooked our evening meal. So that’s why I haven’t been online much today. The odd thing is my step counter doesn’t seem to have included the walk this evening. I know I’ve walked further than it is showing? Perhaps it’s a glitch. I must get a rest. Sorry for the boring post!

Panels in illustration

Posted on June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Black and white, Drawing, Fun, Icecream, Life, Sketching, speech bubbles, thought bubbleLeave a comment

Now we are learning narrative art at college. Learning how to lay out panels. I think you are meant to have an idea and base the shapes of the panels on what we are drawing, but as usual I did it back to front, drawing the panels first, adding the speech and thought bubbles, then adding the people. The ideas for the story came last! My mind is strange. Anyway it worked quite well. I would try and make it neater if I were to do it again and perhaps import it into photoshop to tidy it up? Overall it was relatively painless to do. Note to self, why has the mother’s dress changed?

Twisted

Posted on June 7, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, Digital art, Digital drawing, Fun, Pattern, thorny, TwistedLeave a comment

Playing with my old photoshop app. It’s a few years old but I can’t afford a new version. The first corner was the drawing, then I used different filters and rotated the images to make this pattern. It could be a vine or a thorny rose. This was for the #bandofsketchers prompt ‘twisted’ for Sunday.

Horse

Posted on June 6, 2021June 6, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Animal, bay horse, Day out, Fun, Horse, Life, Photo, Staffordshire, Visit2 Comments

When we were out yesterday we saw this lovely horse in a field. There wasn’t much grass so we pulled some up from our side of the fence and the horse came over and tugged it out of my hand… It soon wandered off in search of some more. I think the colour was Bay, its coat was very shiny and well groomed. It was good to see a different living creature. We usually only see cats, dogs and people.

If we go back we might take an apple, although I’m not sure if you can get in trouble for feeding it?

drawing of a profile

Posted on June 6, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, College, Colour, Design, Fun, Illustration, illustration MA, pastel, Portrait, portrait sessions, Profile, Sketching, studentLeave a comment

drawing with an ink roller

This was one of the portraits I did in a student led portrait group at college during the last few months.

The face was mostly drawn with one of those ink rollers you can use to blank out your address on letters so that you can throw them away without anyone seeing your details and stealing your data. Its quite hard to use because you have to sort of turn and twist your hand and press firmly to sketch curves. AfterId done that I added colour using pastels and the thick black lines were done with black calligraphy pen (most of these have run out so I need some more).

I quite like the strong feel to this. I am trying to find my illustrational voice. I have been told to look for illustrators that my work resembles, but I think mine is different? Is this a good or bad thing? I’m definitley developing my analogue skills. Digital work is more difficult for me.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Fun