Schminke and Unison Soft Pastels with Charcoal Pencil

on Dark Grey Sennelier PastelCard, 13" x 19.5"

This is yesterday's sketch with colour added - it's interesting to me to see what came out of my head (apart from the teacup, as mentioned) and I'd like to try more of this (hopefully, without the anger prompt!). I'll post this in Leslie's '30-in-30 Challenge' and see if I can get another piece of artwork done before the challenge is over! 

Happy creating everyone!

Charcoal Pencil on Dark Grey Sennelier PastelCard, 13" x 19.5"

To be honest?! I was really cross about something and decided, rather than lose it, I'd do some artwork to get it out of my system so I made myself a lovely lime infusion, chose a large piece of Pastelcard and sketched out the image above - it worked! I felt better having drawn something.  

I do have a vase that shape so drew it from memory but the only element in the drawing that was 'live' was the teacup with my infusion. The rest was all out of my head.

Sketch of Wardown

Pen and Ink and Watercolour Sketch of Wardown

in Handmade Sketchbook

A friend and I went on our own little sketchcrawl and did a few sketches before having a cuppa in the tea rooms. After she left to collect her children, I gave myself a little artist's date by sketching and painting this.

It's hard to believe I've been unable to post in Leslie Saeta's '30-in-30 Challenge' before now when I've made it a high point in my calendar in previous years. I'll have to make a determined effort for Inktober!

279. Simple Pastel Sketch of Cumbria

Charcoal and Schmincke and Unison soft pastels on 

Clairefontaine Pastelmat, 12" x 12"

Done in a rush!

Ambleside in Pastel - Commission

Schmincke and Unison soft pastels on 

Clairefontaine Pastelmat, 12" x 12"

Here is a painting I handed over a week ago. I was happy enough when I was asked to do a landscape but absolutely thrilled when I learned it was to be a place that we know and love - Ambleside, Cumbria. I was asked to do an image of a place where this couple stay each year.  Thank you people, I really enjoyed doing it!

278. Collage for '30 in 30' Challenge - September 2016

Collage for '30 in 30' Challenge,

September 2016

Well done everyone who took part! Some managed to do 30 paintings; some of us only did a few - I managed 17 but well done one and all as it may be 17 pieces of artwork that may not have happened otherwise. My thanks to everyone who has supported me along the way and, ultimately, huge thanks to Leslie Saeta for putting on another great challenge - thank you!!!

(End of Leslie Saeta's '30 in 30' September 2016 Challenge.)

277. Drive to the LHS

Pilot G-Tec and C4 pen in
re-cased Seawhite sketchbook, 7.5" x 7.5" (x2)

This scene has to be seen to be appreciated - I can't do it justice! This is part of left hand side of the gorgeous view that meets anyone driving up to my cousin's home.  Actually, the plants at the base of the tree trunk should be larger as they grow around the tree, surrounded by the rocks. (I did this in one 'sitting' during the night as I couldn't sleep.)

That's it folks! Challenge over! Thank you everyone for your support, encouragement and friendliness. Now for Inktober!

(Day 30 of Leslie Saeta's '30 in 30'.)

276. And Finally...

Pilot G-Tec and C4 pen and white Derwent Coloursoft pencil in
re-cased Seawhite sketchbook, 7.5" x 7.5" (x2)

The lower half (foreground) of the picture has now been finished and I've decided to leave it as it is and not add any colour but who knows...

(Day 29 of Leslie Saeta's '30 in 30'.)

275. Tone Added At the Side of the House

Pilot G-Tec and C4 pen and white Derwent Coloursoft pencil in
re-cased Seawhite sketchbook, 7.5" x 7.5" (x2)

Gosh! Look at the difference the addition of tonal values makes to the entire image and I haven't even finished the lower half! I always advocate the use of tone yet am still pleasantly surprised every time I compare the before and after images.

(Day 26 image)

My cousin (who owns this house and land) has told me to add colour but we've had a very busy couple of days so the challenge had to take a temporary back seat.

Thank you Leslie Saeta; I'm far from 30 pieces but I've done many more than I would have made time for had there not been a challenge this month! Added to that, and no less importantly, the encouragement from my fellow '30 in 30' artists has been wonderful. Thank you very much everyone!

(Day 29 of Leslie Saeta's '30 in 30'.)

274. At the Side of the House

Pilot G-Tec and C4 pen and white Derwent Coloursoft pencil in
re-cased Seawhite sketchbook, 7.5" x 7.5" (x2)

I thought I'd just knock out a very quick sketch while my husband was out at band practice. Three hours later…..

(Day 26 of Leslie Saeta's '30 in 30'.)

273. Road Back from the Supermarket

Pilot G-Tec and C4 pen,  Hybrid Gel Grip pen and Winsor & Newton

watercolours in re-cased Seawhite sketchbook, 7.5" x 7.5" (x2)

Can't get enough of this super view. My cousin's house is only one minute on from that bend on the horizon and my late parents' house is a further two minutes. Bliss!

I get my new glasses today - yippee!!

(Day 24 of Leslie Saeta's '30 in 30'.)

272. Dotty and Scratchy

Pilot G-Tec and C4 pen in re-cased Seawhite sketchbook, 7.5" x 7.5" (x2)

I thought you might like to see my first marks on the page when I'm sketching. I learned many years from a video by Charles Reid to put little dots on the page in order to  map out the image and recently heard Marc Taro Holmes (Urban Sketchers) say exactly the same thing. If you look closely, you'll be able to see where I changed my mind a few times about the placement of the sea edge, wall, etc, before actually settling on the final shape of it. To dot out a straightish line for the horizon, I anchor my little finger under the sketchbook and run the pen from left to right. (I do the same up and down for my street poles - see post 273.)

It's helpful that the pen is water-soluble so a little of it dissolves into the paint. If it starts to look muddy, I just lift it out with kitchen towel but most times I actually like to see those marks on the page, as in the clouds.

(Day 23 of Leslie Saeta's '30 in 30'.)