Releasing my mind

Posted on June 28, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Doodle, Drawing, Environment, Illustration, Learning, Memory, Playing, Shibui, Sketch, Thinking, Time2 Comments

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I tried to draw a ‘real’ shibui. I’m not sure I’ve actually got the right idea, but anyway I started with an ink pen held lightly between thumb and forefinger. As I breathed I let the lines wander across the page. These are the purple marks. I even rested he pen on my hand and let it slide down in a wide, slightly jerky, motion…. Then I found ideas coming into my mind, faces, eyes, animals, a skull. Icecream, figures standing and crouching. I decided to add colour. I hope the drawing expresses emotion, and thought. I realised this morning that I had drawn environmental themes. These include a polar bear on cracking ice and a tree dying in the heat. A possible wolf skull and a blazing sun setting fire to the world… Its called Releasing my mind.
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Sketch in courtyard

Posted on June 22, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Cafe, Day out, Drawing, Farmers market, Fun, Gardens, Near Stoke-on-Trent, Places to visit, Plants, Rode hall, Rode heath, Sketch, Staffordshire/Cheshire borderLeave a comment

This was a quick sketch I did in September 2017. We often visit places and instead of taking photos I sometimes just sit and sketch, it’s relaxing.

This was at Rode Hall in a courtyard by the barns. The main barn has been converted into a cafe and coffee shop, with lovely hot food too. I hope that once the lockdown is over we will be able to visit again. The gardens that surround the hall are beautifully set out. There is a snowdrop walk down to the lake and pathways through wooded areas as well as more classically arranged bedding areas. There is also a walled garden that is full of colourful beds of perrenials.

They also run a farmers market on the first Saturday of the month (not sure when that will be on again).

So, when you finally get to go out why not think about visiting. On the A34 North of Stoke-on-Trent. You turn left in Rode Heath at the sign.

Note limited opening. Check first. There are details on the Internet. Also note that there is a one way system in the grounds so you come out on the same road but further along it when you exit.

Vintage

Posted on June 21, 2020June 21, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Bicycle, Bike, Drawing, Ellipses, Fun, Mixtie frame, Red, Sketch, Ten speed, Urban sketchers Stoke on trent, Viking QueenLeave a comment

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This was today’s Urban sketchers challenge. Vintage.

My vintage Viking Queen mixtie bike.

Drawing this quickly it makes me realise how hard it is to draw accurate ellipses. This was the bike I bought a few pounds a week from Swinnerton cycles in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, forty years ago. I used it till I was knocked off and fractured my skull. I carried on riding it for a year, but it collapsed because the headset had been damaged in the crash. I took it to be mended and the shop lost the frame. I bought a new bike, but it was the wrong size for me. (my legs are slightly short). I ended up giving the new bike to a friend and learnt to drive. Big mistake. I got my old bike back rebraised about a year after I took it in to the shop. From then on I put on weight. I carried on cycling occasionally, but mainly used the car. The last time I rode my bike was about ten years ago. I’m scared to get back on it as my balance is not good. But I keep it, thinking one day I will have another go….

Pattern

Posted on June 20, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Duplicating pattern, Fun, Life, Lines, Pattern, Sketch, Surface pattern, Tee shirt, Textile design2 Comments

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I drew this a few weeks ago. Now I’m thinking it would make a good design for some cotton material, maybe a panel on a tee shirt or a pair of trousers. I actually have a pair in black and white that is similar to this. It’s amazing what you can do with a black ink pen and a bit of technology. I just need to find someone to work with.

If you know any innovative art sites that do printing let me know. I did think about joining somewhere called spoonflower but I wasn’t certain about it.

My mona

Posted on June 18, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Digital drawing, Drawing, Fun, Leonardo, Life, Mona Lisa, Painting, Sketch, SketchfuLeave a comment

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I drew this at sketchfu about eight years ago. It is simply drawn with vasious circular brushes. Different sizes, a palette of colours, different opacity and transparency and an eraser.

I was looking at a post on Facebook by portrait artists. They thought digital art was just taking a picture in Photoshop and using filters to make it look like a drawing. I don’t think they understood the hours it takes to do something like this. It’s not brilliant, but it was difficult.

Time moves on…

Posted on June 8, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Blogging, Drawing, Garden, Life, Plants, Sketch, Spring, Trees, Urban sketchers Stoke on trent2 Comments

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About six weeks ago the buds were just bursting in the garden. Now they have emerged and the garden is clothed in green. The Walnut tree looks like it’s gained another five or six foot. It towers over the garden. Water seeps out from underneath it. We have had it checked to see if its a split pipe but the workers who looked at it said no, it’s a spring. Whatever it is, we seem to be growing a pond or a lake now. We have put a bird bath in its way, a shallow bowl, so that the birds and animals that frequent the garden can get a drink in the warm weather. I’m now thinking of planting some hostas or iris or bog plants in that area. I would like to pipe it away into a drain if I can.

We have had a bit of heavy rain over the last few days. Dark clouds fly past overhead, dumping rain and hail over us. I’m waiting for the next downpour.

Koi

Posted on June 5, 2020June 5, 2020 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Fish, Fun, Garden, Green, Koi, Life, No challenge, Sketch, Sparkle, WaterliliesLeave a comment

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Since there wasn’t a sketching challenge today I thought I would draw a couple of koi carp and some water lilies.

I sprayed green ink onto the paper first, then outlined the lily pads, fish and flowers with black ink. I coloured in the fish and lilies, and added some blue curves to enhance the water. Then I added some sparkly purple with a brush pen. Finally I put some black contours around each of the elements.

I enjoy Koi!

Usk challenge Thursday

Posted on June 4, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Black and white, Cherries, Cherry tree, Colour, Drawing, Fun, Garden, Illustration, Life, sanctuary, Sketch, Urban sketchers Stoke on trent, Usk challenge4 Comments

Black and white and then coloured in sketch. View from my kitchen window out over the cherry tree in the garden. A few cherries are starting to ripen, but most are still green. The plants on the windowsill have grown up so they seem to merge into the garden. I’ve limited the palette of the pots and ornaments so that it is not overpowering the bottom of the drawing. My sanctuary away from the rain…

Mandala?

Posted on May 31, 2020May 31, 2020 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Black and white, Calming, Design, Doodle, Drawing, Fun, Layout app, Line drawing, Mandala, Relaxing, SketchLeave a comment

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Drawing really helps keep me calm. This is another doodle I started this morning. I’ve mirrored it to make it more symmetrical and to create a new pattern.

I like drawing in black ink, and by mirroring, it makes a simple act of putting pen to paper more complex.

I may cover the whole page. Might take a few more hours…..

Usk day 35, digital close up

Posted on May 23, 2020 Posted in SketchingTagged #uskstoke, Art, Design, Digital drawing, Drawing, Fun, Life, pencil sharpener, ring, SketchLeave a comment

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Day 35 and the challenge was to draw a close up. Someone drew a necklace so I decided to draw one of my rings. The green tub is meant to be a plastic pencil sharpener. It was quite reflective and you could see the ring mirrored in it. I actually drew both objects on top of the tablet, so the light was shining up . Its a different method to what I normally do, but I want to try and get some skill back doing this kind of thing.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Sketch