242. Gift Sketchbook for RM

Hardbound, hand-made Sketchbook bound with

various types of paper for drawing and painting, A5

Got this stitched, cased and pressed in the nick of time! I made the bookcloth as I'd seen and liked this fabric quite a few months ago.

(Posted later.)

241. Calm Challenge

Schmincke and Unison soft pastels on Clairefontaine Pastelmat, 7" x 9.5"

This was my submission to our 'CALM' challenge amidst 'Brexit' fever!!

(Posted later.)

240. Drawing James Drawing Florencia

Schmincke and Unison soft pastels with charcoal on

Clairefontaine Pastelmat, 12" x 15.5"

So happy to have attended a demo with James Bland and to have been able to draw him painting Florencia.

(Posted later.)

239. Kitty on Pavement

Pilot G-Tec C4 pen in hand-stitched sketchbook

I shared the County Durham sketch with three of my artist friends and commented that the cars were all over the pavement. I noticed that they were commenting that they couldn't see the "cats" and realised I'd made a 'typo'. I felt I owed them a quick cat sketch after that!

(Posted later.)

238. County Durham Sketch

Pilot G-Tec C4 in hand-stitched sketchbook

We made a trip up to County Durham and back in a day to see the godchildren (nine hours total driving) but it was well worth it for the memories.

(Posted later.)

237. The Sandwich

Pilot G-Tec C4 pen in hand-stitched sketchbook

This pair seemed to be completely oblivious to me sketching them.

(Posted later.)

236. Happy - Tulips on 'Pastelbord'

Schmincke and Unison soft pastels on Ampersand 'Pastelbord', 5" x 7"

Drew this for our "What makes you happy?" challenge - colour makes me happy!

(Posted later.)

235. Pink Tulips

Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Pilot G-tec C4 pen

on Fabriano watercolour paper 

in a Sketchbook that I stitched and bound 5.5" x 5.5" (x2)

This sketchbook is covered with bookcloth I made from the same blue fabric I used for my tote/sketching bag (post number 127, April 2015). It started as a pen and ink doodle and grew from there. (Glad I started it sideways!)

234. Scaredycat Owl Mug

Various Pilot G-tec C4 pens, Staedtler 0.05 fine liner and

Unipin 0.5 pen (plus Tombow brush pen) in

Stillman & Birn Epsilon sketchbook, 8.5"x5.5"

Mug sketching with my friend Rachel; she has the loveliest mugs! The owls on the actual mug don't look anywhere near as scared as this one; oh dear!  I learned something though: there was more intricate decoration underneath each owl but the design was finished in a very limited colour palette and narrow tonal values which totally calmed down the busy-ness of the design - very clever!

233. Goodbye Gelato Heaven!

Derwent Coloursoft Pencils and Pilot G-tec C4 pen in

Stillman & Birn Epsilon sketchbook, 8.5" x 5.5"

Gelato Heaven will be closing for good tomorrow :((  Where else would you be given a container of water by the staff each week so that you can sketch and use your watercolours?! Thank you lovely Gelato staff! Very sad!

232. Hampstead Heath Sketch

Lamy Safari fountain pen and Tombow brush pen

in Stillman & Birn Epsilon (lovely smooth) sketchbook, 8.5" x 5.5" (x2)

Hampstead Heath is right around the corner to the Royal Free Hospital where I had a treatment on Wednesday. Decided to have a rest in front of the river and pulled out my sketchbook before going home.  (I made a B&W copy and added colour to it yesterday; will post later.)

231. A Little Chamber Music at the NPG

Staedtler 0.05 pigment liner and Unipin 0.05 fine line pen

in Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook, 8.5" x 5.5" (x2)

Last Friday evening, I popped into the 'Drop in Drawing' session at the National Portrait Gallery. The subject was supposed to be 'Striking a Pose' but a few of us followed the sound of music to another room and sketched some young and gifted musicians who had put on a little chamber music. We had a great point of view; due to the openings on either side of each gallery, we were able to congregate right behind the musicians and face the audience which (unless you are in a choir or at a bandstand) is an unusual viewpoint.

I love diving straight in with ink as you're then committed to each stroke yet I find that, if I use a fine pen, it's easy to go over it lightly again to correct/straighten if necessary.

I was fascinated by the feet of the people on the front row so started sketching them from the floor upwards but the music came to an end and, after a brief chat with a couple of the musicians, we dispersed, hence the disembodied figures in the audience. A great evening.