Sunday 30 December 2012

End of the Year....




It's that time when we reflect on the year that is coming to a close.   How was yours?
I feel as if I've just got off a roller coaster ride... the ups and downs have made this year one I won't forget.

The biggest event was being present at the birth of my first grandchild, a beautiful baby boy.



I was also thrilled to win 3rd runner up in the UKCPS Annual Open Exhibition.



















I treated myself to some special watercolours with the vouchers I received as my prize.





I'm still playing around with them, trying to get used to the colours.  It's like learning to paint again!
Here are two sketches, the first is painted with my usual Maimeri watercolours, the second with my new
Schmincke watercolours.








The blue skies and warm evening sun was on Christmas eve (aren't we lucky?)

There have been exhibitions and I've sold work so 2012 has been fairly successful, here's hoping that next year will be even better...without the roller coaster please!
Happy New Year to all. x


Monday 17 December 2012

Trying to Keep Up





























A couple of sketches from this week, although I have been working on some bigger paintings too.
At the moment it's difficult to even find time to post on my blog, I hope by the time next year comes around (not long now)  to be more productive and above all more organised.  Not sure how I will do that but I can try!
















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I was lucky enough to have two herons perform a fly past while I was hanging out the washing.  My house is on a hillside so often birds fly past at nose level so to speak, this time one of the herons landed on a water tank across the road.  I couldn't see his legs so I  had to use some imagination and I don't think they are quite right!

Monday 10 December 2012

Following the Path




























Sketch in watercolour and ink, Botanical Gardens, Palermo.

'Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail' 
Ralph Waldo Emerson





Wednesday 5 December 2012

Oranges and Lemons























I bought a few sheets of new watercolour paper this week,  a make of paper from Germany  that's new to me called Schoellershammer.   
Naturally I had to try it out so I cut up one sheet into small 'sketch' size pieces.  The paper has a raised cloud like texture  which could be good or bad depending on how much detail you like to paint.
I also tried out coloured pencils and pastel over the watercolour just to see what happened.



Neither worked particularly well on the raised surface but it was worth a go.



















The paper fits the bill for what I was looking for ...something reasonably priced to use for watercolour sketches instead of carrying round a heavy pad.  I had a look at the Schoellerschammer website and although I don't know exactly which one I've got, the paper is acid free.