My Hand

Drawn with a Pitt Artist Pen. I never realised how many lines hands have. I think I could spend the next 50 years tracing every single line on my hand. There are so many, some shallow, some broken, some deep, some crossing over one another, some arch-like. Proportions aren't exactly the best on this drawing but I was trying to emphasise that palms, well my palms anyway, are bigger than they appear. Next project: a series of teapots in pastels I think.

Shores of the grey lake

Painting of the shore of the Grey Lake in Loughrea, Ireland using a painting knife and brush with acrylics. This is the first time I've used a painting knife. It's a bit difficult to see in the picture, but it enabled clear, smaller lines and a build up of texture, particularly with the grass and fence posts.

Goomalling Geranium

I bought myself a Christmas present from amazon.com this year, titled The Art of Travel With A Sketchbook by Mari Le Glatin Keis. Mari points out that sketching is not about doing "good" drawings or paintings but about being in the moment and putting aside expectations and judgement. This was encouraging!! I've decided from now on to try to sketch and collage when I'm on the scene to try to really see what I'm looking at when I'm there and so record my travels. This is the first of my look and see phase, with a Geranium in Goomalling sketched in grey pastel with colour pencils filling in the background.

The cherry the banana

I was inspired to draw fruit (in graphite pencil) the other night by a scene in the film Across the Universe. In the scene, one of the main characters pins rows of strawberries to a canvas and the juice from each strawberry flows down the canvas like blood. It was a very romantic and passionate scene, and whilst I was tempted to do this at home, I was stopped by the thought that strawberries pinned to a canvas may perhaps not be so romantic after a sitting there a week or two. Anyway, I may try it yet. Just need to get into a fit of passionate frustration first...

County Kerry Pass

Pass in County Kerry in Ireland in oil pastels. And yes, not "ripped-off" someone else's photo this time :). he he. Unfortunately, the camera doesn't show up the texture as in the real thing, which I'm quite excited about because I'm working out how to use the pastels better in that way. Well maybe it does, but being a techno-phobe I haven't bothered to read the instructions and as usual am using the camera at its basic level!

Baby portrait

Portrait of my niece as baby with ink, graphite pencil and white chalk (based on Kathleen's photo - see Tiny Purple Fish June). The likeness isn't really there, however, after watching Star Portraits with Rolf Harris I think from now on I need to do a number of sketches to get the face likeness first and then get serious. I don't think getting serious up front works, particularly with ink as once ink is on paper, the damage is done! (Except white chalk does help to cover it up).