Sketching, sketching, sketching

Hello,

Last week I took myself for a midweek museum visit.  I picked one of my favourite museums which I've been to countless times, the V&A.  I always feel so lucky to have such a fantastic museum within easy reach of me, and since I moved to London many years ago it's been a staple place to visit for me.  I always come away so inspired by what I've seen, and it really seems to fire up the creative juices!

I intended to sketch on site a lot more than I actually did, but in the end I did a lot more looking, wandering, and took a lot more photos that I could use as reference later.  The plan then was just to sketch freely, drawing from what I'd seen, and seeing what ideas would come along as I did.  Once I got home I picked a long random piece of paper that was a wonky end from a roll of paper I have, and just began drawing.  It was so much fun.  I was completely absorbed in that drawing, it didn't matter how it turned out or what came about to draw next, I was just letting it flow very naturally and it felt wonderful.  I wanted to just sketch with pencil and without colour, as this is something I've only been using recently to do very quick drawings, so I really wanted to explore using just that one medium.  I was so happy with how it turned out and it has produced seeds of new ideas which may or may not be taken further (more scribbling is due to commence)!  It's also definitely taken my mind off into new subject matter which is always a bonus, and was something that I really hoped would happen.  To top it all off the whole process has given me an enormous amount of pleasure which has been an amazing gift to me.  I could have just carried on drawing and drawing if the paper hadn't run out!

This is the full drawing.

I'm now working up some ideas inspired by these drawings, and continuing to sketch :).

Enjoy your weekend.  

Museum doodling

Hello,

I hope you've had a good week.  It's pouring with rain here at the moment which is actually making me feel really nice and cosy, until I have to go out in it.
Last week I visited the Museum of London to sketch.  This is something I would love to do more of so I'm definitely going to find the time to make Museum drawing something I do more often.  It always gives me new ideas and colour combinations and just a fresh approach to my work.  I didn't go with a plan of what to draw I just decided to go with what attracted my attention whilst I was there.  Also, sometimes Museums can be so busy in certain areas it's simply impossible to draw in a relaxed way.  I became obsessed with a cabinet of Mediterranean pots, vases and tiles, they were a joy to draw.  Such beautiful patterns that looked so contemporary.

I only had pencils and pens with me.  I took a selection of colours and then hoped for the best colourwise!  I like working like this, having to make the best of limited supplies.  Then when I came home I worked up the initial sketches with inks, pens and more pencil.  I really enjoyed this process and definitely want to do more.  I've also added these to my website in a new sketchbook section of my portfolio.

I hope you've got a good weekend planned.  I need to do some Christmas shopping and I'm hoping to squeeze in a gallery visit too.  Enjoy your week, and get cosy!

Springy things

Hello there,

So it's the easter weekend and although it doesn't feel very spring-like I wanted to share some spring influenced illustrations.  I've been drawing lots of daffodils this week.  Just having a bit of an experiment with some techniques and colours and having a good old play around.
I did loads of colour sketches here's three below

I decided in the end to go with the yellow/blue tones.  I enjoy experimenting like this so much and it really helps sort my ideas out in my head.

The image above is my final finished version.  I'm really happy with the colours because for me they really remind me of spring.  Unfortunately I was working on this whilst it was a very grey and rainy day outside, (I was pretending there was sunshine!) but we have got lighter evenings here now so things are looking up! 

I hope you have a lovely break if you're having one over this weekend, so far I have only eaten one hot cross bun :).

Drawing out and about

Hello,

This week I've been busy working on my latest promotional mail out.  That means lots of envelope writing and stuffing, sorting and organising.  This always is a time consuming job, so besides drinking lots of coffee and tea (always essential for such tasks,)  I also took some time to go out drawing.  I've been wanting to go Museum drawing again for ages.  It's something I'd love to do more of but struggle to find the time to do at the moment.  This time I went to the British Museum.  I had hoped to make it to the V&A also, but in the end ran out of time.  I really enjoy wandering around the collections and then picking out what I feel like drawing.  My plan was to do as much as possible at the Museum and then finish off at home.  What I like about this is I'm limited in just how much I can lug around with me, and what is practical, so I take a selection of pencils and pens and then when I arrive I have to work with what I've got.  Obviously there's so much to draw it's hard to know what to pick first but I knew I wanted to draw in the Mexico room where the wonderful pottery vessel was.  There's so much I wanted to draw there so I'm definitely going back.  The image at the bottom is from the Clock gallery.  Again there were lots of beautiful objects in there.  Both of these I then worked into when I got home.

I have more sketches that I still want to work up and lots more I'd like to draw so I will be going back!  

Ok I'm getting back to it, there's still some more envelopes to stuff.  Have a lovely week and I'll be back soon :)

Hello,

So I've had a lovely week and a bit.  I spent a weekend in Norfolk, whilst I was there visiting Norwich which was lovely, (so was some delicious spiced orange cake I had sitting in a gorgeous outdoor garden!) and I also took a trip to Gressenhall Museum and farm which is a former old workhouse.  I have been before many years ago and it was great to go back.  I especially loved the recreated general store pictured below.

I also visited Wimpole hall on my way back to London.  They have a lovely walled garden which is huge.  I loved the view through the railings.

Once I was back in London I spent a long afternoon in the V&A something I've been wanting to do for ages.  In the past I used to spend a lot of time there but I haven't been for a long time and it was so good to go back and wander around.  I did a bit of sketching and just soaked it all up, such wonderful things are displayed there.  Some of my sketches and finds are below.

I also got to the British museum to see the Sicily culture and conquest exhibition and also wander round just enjoying all it has to offer.  I visited Sicily several years ago now and loved it.  The history of the island is so fascinating and there's so much to see.  So I was very keen not to miss this exhibition.  It was pretty busy but I managed to sketch a little of what I saw.  This is part of a capital, it wasn't the easiest place to draw!

So that was part of my week, It was so enjoyable to get out and about and see things.  I think it's so important and definitely something I now need to make time to do more regularly.

That's it for now.  I'll be back shortly with the new work I've been making, all summery.  Summer finally arrived in London and tomorrow is due to be a very hot day!

Bye for now :).