Tag: artist sketchbook

7×5 inch sketchbook

I was looking for a Thesaurus dictionary the other day and found this old watercolour sketchbook amongst the books. I didn’t think much of these pictures when I painted them, but now, 15 years later (was it really so long ago??) they brought back some sweet memories. Most of them were painted in St Ives, Cornwall (around my husband’s favourite beach, Porthmeor, where he spent all his childhood and youth). This was my first ever summer break there. We’ve been visiting every year since then.

Last couple of pictures were done in Winchester, where we live now.

Porthmeor beach, St Ives
View over the Island and St `Nicholas Chapel, St Ives
Ben
Staring to rain. St Ives Harbour
Right side of `Porthmeor beach.
The twilight hour. Porthmeor, St Ives.
The Island, Porthmeor, St Ives
The Island from Man’s Head, ST Ives.
View from my window in 111, Colebrook street, Winchester.
Beginning of spring. Winchester Cathedral close.

Trip to London

Our oldest daughter (Yr. 7) had an inset day at school today, so impromptu we decided to have a day out in London. It was quiet in the centre – not so many tourists, or traffic.. perhaps, following yesterday’s events, or maybe that’s normal for a Thursday afternoon during term time?

Our main destination was the National Gallery. I wanted her to see some of my favourite artists, and I limited them to 4: Van Gogh, Holbein, Velasquez and Vermeer. These artists chose to be represented only by 1 (Vermeer) to 3-4 pictures at the Gallery, so our visit was a concentrated and a fairly short one. But I enjoyed saying Hello to my ‘old friends’, Sofia seemed interested too. Her favourite was Holbein.

A browse in Japan Centre supermarket followed, and then we both got lost in Piccadilly Waterstones bookshop until it was time to head back.

On the train to London we both drew. Sofia did a good one of me. We used SpectrumAqua pens, each colour has dual ends – a very thin and a brushy one.

Gymnastics hour – sketches

On Monday evenings my girls do gymnastics, so I have an hour of waiting, when I can do (on not do) whatever. It’s like waiting at the airport – an ‘in-between’ time. There’s a whole row of us, parents, like me, who are hung in this waiting suspense for an hour at the viewing gallery, and some of them make good still models, thanks to the modern technology devices. These are A6 size.

St Ives holidays – sketchbook

Following yesterday’s post about St Ives holidays in Postcards I’ll complete it with the rest of the drawings made then. These should have made it onto my fine art site, but I find that one somehow cumbersome to update..