Betws y Coed

Posted on October 2, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Betws y Coed, Blogging, Landscape, Photos, Station, Train station, Village, WalesLeave a comment

We stopped off at the village of Betws y Coed on our trip through the hills and mountains of Wales. It’s at the junction of the A470 and the A5. The village has numerous shops and is always busy with tourists. There is an environmental feel to the shops that line the front of the train station, with images of gorillas encouraging visitors to the village to support and donate to charities that are working to stop them being hunted to extinction.

After lunch in a cafe with recycled lampshades made from discarded plastic, we had a look at the station. My hubby went off to the model shop and museum over the railway bridge on the other side of the train track. My sister and I went to browse the shops.

Finally back on the road. More photos to follow.

Welsh mountains (1)

Posted on October 2, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Driving, Holiday, Holiday snaps, Landscape, Life, North Wales, Photos, Snowdonia, Sunshine1 Comment

Driving towards Betws y Coed from Llanrwst on the A470 in North Wales. The mountains of Snowdonia in the background. We were travelling South West after coming off the A55 at Abergele and driving along a senic route because of traffic jams and roadworks on the A55.

I woukd have taken more photos but it was too beautiful to remember to take my phone out. I wasn’t driving for once so I had a proper opportunity to look at the world. These are cropped to cut out the windscreen and stickers because they just add clutter. Some of the details at the sides may be missing but at least they look picturesque.

Wall at Spode

Posted on September 30, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Bricks, China Halls, Colour, History, Photos, Spode, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

This is a wall in the China halls in Spode. Water has got in and damp is creeping up the wall. The fire extinguisher and bracket is long gone but the signs remain. I love the red and green contrasting colours, and it’s clear where the wall has been rebuilt or pointed and the scars of its life, like scars on a face. The dereliction is like an aging body, cracking and damaged.

I love flaking paint, brickwork and seeing the history written in the structure. I love taking photos of it and trying to paint it.

Wet

Posted on September 27, 2019September 27, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged BCB, British ceramic biennial, Design, Photos, Rain, Water, WeatherLeave a comment

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We went to the British Ceramic Biennial today, at the Spode Site in Stoke, to glaze a piece of pottery I made last week. The weather was very bad and we got soaked on the way into the exhibition. When we came out the rain had cleared up and the sun was out. I took some photos of the wet surfaces. It’s always good to notice changes caused by weather conditions and variations in lighting.

Rainbow

Posted on September 26, 2019September 26, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Clouds, Photos, Rain, Rainbow, Town, Washed, WritingLeave a comment

Saw a bright rainbow after a sharp rain shower today. Colours in the sky, split into a spectrum. Broken down town illuminated. Life watered / world renewed.

Details

Posted on September 19, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Colours, cracks, Design, Photos, Poem, Poetry, Rust, Sky, Stark, StoneLeave a comment

Cracked paint

Algae on Stone

Rusty metal,

Details of life,

Details of colour.

Bright white,

Blue sky,

Grey stone.

Angles and Shadows……

Curves and lines.

Stark images

Contrast

Beauty.

Classic cars

Posted on September 15, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged 2018, Austin cars, Blogging, Classic cars, Etruria, Photos, Sketching, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

Since I didn’t get any photos if the classic cars this year I thought I would post photos from a year ago. I think they are all Austin cars? The drawings aren’t too bad. Just quick sketches of them……

Ice

Posted on September 15, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Crop, Depth of field, Focus, Ideas, Photos, Picture, TipsLeave a comment

I just took this photo, you can photograph anything and get an interesting result. In this case I like the way the cartoon cats surround the block of ice and almost seem to glow.

My tips for photos?

Look first. Even if you are seeing something through a lens look at it to see if you are including things you don’t want.

Don’t be scared to crop your photo. Got a streetlamp sticking up in the sky? Crop it if you don’t want it.

Don’t filter too much if you can help it. Once you start adjusting colours it’s hard to find the right balance. Sometimes you have to, but don’t over do it.

Use your on screen focus if you have it. If you can see something interesting you can us the focus option to just select that area. It also changes the depth of field.

Canal views

Posted on September 14, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Canal, Etruria locks, Inspiration, Photos, Pictures, Sunlight, Swans, Trent and mersey canal2 Comments

Seeing a family of swans preceding a canal boat this afternoon had me feeling so happy this afternoon. They were a bit like some sort of honour guard flotilla.

Then seeing the shadows on the bridge, it’s a really nice shape. I also admired the sign writing on Echo, so we’ll done.

The willow tree on the bank is still green, not tinged by cold air yet. In fact today was as warm as mid summer.

I must take a sketch book with me tomorrow.

Metal working tools…

Posted on September 14, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blacksmith, Blacksmithing, Day out, Etruria, Etruria Industrial museum, Forge, Heat, Light, Open day, Photos, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

And other images from the Forge at Etruria. I was there today and took a few photos in the beautiful mid September sunshine we had today.

When the sun is bright and low it casts deep shadows and picks out intricate details that you might otherwise miss.

The glow from the flames of the Forge added to the atmosphere, you can almost feel the heat coming off those flames.

The Forge is the domain of Sculpted Steel. You can see demonstrations of the blacksmiths work on open days at Etruria Industrial museum.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Photos