On the table….

Posted on July 12, 2020July 12, 2020 Posted in Cat, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Blogging, Books, Cat, Colours, Cotman paints, Fun, Paint, Sketching, Sphere, Stoke-on-Trent urban sketchers challenge, Table, WatercoloursLeave a comment

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Today’s Stoke-on-Trent urban sketchers challenge was what was on your table..

Luckily the cat got on the table as I approached it. Otherwise it’s just books and a box and a carved wooden sphere. The n gauge railway layout my hubby has is out of view. Too difficult to paint! Sketching with a Cotman watercolour set I treated myself to for my birthday last month.

I haven’t painted with watercolours for months. I liked the free flowing colours. Less restrictive than acrylics. Although I did let paint bleed into some parts I dabbed it off with a bit of tissue. I found drawing out with the brush instead of a pencil much easier. I hate having drawn lines in pictures. The other thing was leaving areas white. It’s good to leave negative space and not completely cover the paper. This is turning into an interesting sketchbook. The prompts really make me think.

Park tree

Posted on July 10, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Blogging, Drawing, Life, Nature, Park tree, Poem, Poetry, Sketching, Tree, Urban sketchLeave a comment

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Strong tree,

tall tree

Sycamore.

Standing proud in the park.

Green tree,

branches waving,

fluttering.

Never still.

Giving shade,

cooling air,

softening the edges.

Buildings round

have pleasant views.

Park trees,

pleasant days

sunshine and showers.

Light

Posted on July 5, 2020 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Colour, Drawing, Felt pens, Light, Permanent markers, Sequins, Sketching, Urban Sketchers, Usk Stoke-on-TrentLeave a comment

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Urban sketchers Stoke-on-Trent challenge today, Light. I had got some new permanent markers so decided to do something colourful. I did use a fine liner pen and a 6b pencil. Also used an almost dried up pale blue felt pen to add some shading to the window frame. The standard lamp has a lampshade covered in sequins. (speckles on the drawing). There will be another challenge in a couple of days. I wonder what it will be….

Drawing in April

Posted on July 4, 2020 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Drawing, Food, Life, Lockdown, Nerves, Nervous, Sketch, Tense, Thinking, Time, Two months later?2 Comments

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22.4.20, about a month into lockdown. I wonder what was going through my mind? I don’t think I was as nervous then as I am now. I was thinking about food. Now I’m thinking about not going out, despite the pubs opening up carefully and hairdressers and other non essential shops. Do I feel like going out? No, I think this is too early. Especially where alcohol is involved. I’ve seen groups of four or five men walking past the house, looking like they are off for a ‘good night out’.

What can I say. I understand people need to escape. I feel so tense I’m shaking. How do refugees and people in war torn areas survive? We are lucky. The problem might cause massive problems with wealth but I want people to be safe and survive this. Ah well, maybe I will do another drawing x.

Urban sketching, Square

Posted on July 2, 2020July 2, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Drawing, Fine line pen, Fun, Illustration, Life, Prompt, Sketching, Squares, Usk Stoke-on-TrentLeave a comment

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Quick sketch with pencil colours and fine line black ink.

Two square canvases and a square card. All sitting on my little easle and a paintbrush and plastic tub I use for a palette.

I lined around the coloured pencil to define the square shapes and subjects more, but I didn’t want to overdo things. I do like being challenged to draw different things. Been loving USK prompts.

USK challenge, contrast

Posted on June 30, 2020 Posted in Cat, Fine Art, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Acrylics on canvas, Art, Black and white cat, Cat, Contrast, Fun, Paint sketch, Painting, Urban sketchers Stoke on trentLeave a comment

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I’d got my paints out so I painted one of our cats on top of the washing pile. He was flat out for a few minutes. The theme is contrast, so I thought the bright colours, including the fluorescent jacket, would make a good contrast. I’m pleased with how it’s turned out.

Acrylic on cartridge paper. Its curled the paper a bit, but when the sketchbook is closed it should flatten out OK.

Bottles

Posted on June 28, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Blue, Bottles, Challenge, Drawing, Fern, Glass, Goldfish, Perfume, Sketching, Urban sketchers Stoke on trentLeave a comment

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Stoke-on-Trent urban sketchers challenge today. The prompt was bottles so I went and drew the ones I have on the windowsill in my bathroom. My favourite is dark blue. Then there is a ‘poison’ bottle of perfume a glass cat with a glass goldfish trapped in it. A square small gin bottle and an old chemistry bottle with a cork… I do like collecting stuff…

I used brush pens and permanent colour pens and a fine liner. On cartridge paper in my sketchbook…

Just enjoying the challenge of drawing the fern that has spread everywhere in the bathroom.

Catch up with urban sketchers

Posted on June 25, 2020 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Dots, Drawing, Dusk, Fun, Hanging baskets, Life, Night, Silhouette, Sketching, Sky, Spots and stripes, Urban sketchers Stoke on trentLeave a comment

Two for the price of one! The first was tonight’s sketch… Environment. It was going dark so I drew the fence with some hanging baskets, with our weather station above them. It measures wind rain, temperature and pressure. The dusky sky is visible above the silhouette of the buildings opposite.

The second drawing is spots and stripes. It was due on Tuesday 23.6.20, but I forgot. The first time through all these challenges that I missed doing one. The stripey thing is a cover on our settee. There are spotty and stripey cushions on it and a spotty lampshade. Neither drawing is articulately exciting. They are just about how and where I live..

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….

Drawings

Posted on June 19, 2020 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #uskstoke, Art, Calendar, Covid 19, Lock down, Memories, Sketching, Stoke-on-Trent Urban sketchers, Thoughts, Time2 Comments

17.4.20, after I had drawn for thirty days with Stoke Urban Sketchers, and I guess at that stage I thought we wouldn’t be in lockdown for long. Our government, and in particular our prime minister was giving out optimistic press conferences saying that we should be able to get over it pretty lightly. I think he even said it was like some sort of flu? Of course things didn’t go that well for us, and now over 42 thousand people have died from covid 19 in the UK. Its almost like the government thought we would be immune with our “stiff upper lips” and “gung-ho” mentality. Clearly they were wrong.

So here we are. How many more drawings will I do before it’s safe to go out properly and not just dash to the shops to get essentials. Who knows when that will be?

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: #uskstoke