S'Mockery SmArt Fridays

Sketchbook Challenge - March/April

2011-04-18T13:00:00.001+01:00

I do love this time of year. Everything bursts into flower and blossom spills over garden walls and fences everywhere. I was prompted to move out of my comfort zone and branch out to try painting blossoms on dark coloured canson paper with very soft coloured pencils instead of my usual fine, meticulous style on white paper.

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Apple Blossom Time
Dark green Canson paper. Koh-i-noor pencils. A little under A4 size.

Sketchbook Challenge February - Opposite

2011-02-08T23:22:00.001Z

Complementary colours, opposite on the colour wheel. A clementine drawn on blue card.

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Not one of my best. Coloured pencil. I should have used a better support, but instead I used card from the Pound Shop and it wouldn't take enough layers of pencil.

Having said that, it was a challenging subject to draw. Trying to keep the luminosity of the orange fruit, with all that white pith was very difficult. I'll probably try it again with harder pencils and a better support.

I'd had it in mind to draw this last year, but I didn't get around to it. The image was posted on an internet challenge, Virtual Sketch Date. A photograph was posted each month for people to draw and leave a link on the virtual sketch date blog. The challenge finished early last year, but the blog and the images are still available here.

The Sketchbook Challenge - Highly Prized

2011-01-11T13:33:00.002Z

Another word from my list for Highly Prized - family.

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Title: Saturday Afternoon.

The Boss settled down on the sofa to read the New Scientist but his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

Coloured pencil on textured pastel paper. 10 x 8"

I started this as a life drawing, but took a reference photo as well to work from later. I have to say, this portrait means more to me than a photograph ever could.

The Sketchbook Challenge - Highly Prized

2011-01-11T13:23:00.004Z

I've taken another word from my list - memento.

This poor dessicated bunch of flora is what remains of my corsage for my daughter's wedding almost eleven years ago and I'm not making a good job of reproducing it in coloured pencil. I didn't realise it would be such a difficult subject, even though I've simplified it a little!

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Lightly placing the various bits and pieces and starting with the dried flowers.

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Beginning to fill in the details.

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Strengthening the darks and adding some highlights. I think I'll leave it here. The cheap paper I used won't take any more pencil anyway!
Not one of my best efforts. Clearly I haven't been "keeping my hand in", but that's the reason I decided to follow the Sketchbook Challenge.

Sketchbook Challenge - Jan 2011

2011-01-05T20:29:00.001Z

Highly Prized - Gifts from Grandchildren! When they saw this china badger in the second hand shop, they KNEW that I would want it. It's funny how the things they REALLY LIKE always seem to be exactly the things that they KNOW granny would want! And of course granny treasures each and every one.

Here it is sketched in ordinary graphite pencil with touches of colour on plain white paper:

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not quite right, something wrong with his nose!

But badgers are nocturnal animals, so I tried it again on a sheet of cheap black card in coloured pencil:

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Ah! That's better!

Having studied and drawn this, I realised that for a cheap, mass produced china anima someone has gone to a bit of trouble with the pose. He's sleek, stealing along quietly, sniffing the air because he has scented something on the breeze.

The grandchildren were quite right, I do like him!

Affirmative Action for 2011

2011-01-02T17:42:00.000Z

Well, here we are in 2011. From my point of view: some tears for the year just gone by, a few fears and lots and lots of hope for the year to come. No New Year Resolutions, because I can't keep them! In any case, if what I would have resolved was good, then I should be doing it anyway!

First affirmative action this year, I've decided to participate in the Sketchbook Challenge.

Find out all about it here:

Virtual Sketch Date - October

2008-10-24T11:43:00.004+01:00

An Imperfect Pair

Here's my interpretation of this month's reference photo for Virtual Sketch Date, provided by Belinda Lindhardt.

I cropped the reference photo and experimented with it in coloured pencil on red paper:

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Then I got carried away because I liked the image so much and did it again on black paper, to see how that came out:

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and now I'm doing it on white paper, and then I shall probably try it again with pastel pencils on tinted pastel paper!

Evergreen Oak

2008-10-02T11:07:00.004+01:00

We have lots of these trees along the edge of the promenade here. They have acorn-like nuts and leaves that are bright green when they are first opened but darken to an almost black olive colour, shiny and hard, with a grey underside. These trees are sometimes called 'Evergreen Oak' and sometimes 'Holm Oak' but are, in fact, a holly, or Ilex. In a park or garden setting, these trees are nicely shaped atop a thick trunk, but here along the beach we have scrubby, straggly, gnarly specimens.

I've chosen to take a small sprig here, with immature acorns.

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Polychromos and Koh-i-Noor Polycolour on white cartridge paper. 8 x 10 inches.

Virtual Sketch Date September

2008-09-26T15:50:00.008+01:00

This month's reference photo for Virtual Sketch Date was provided by Sharon.
As soon as I saw it I wanted to take part but knew I'd have trouble with it!

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I did this in Polychromos and Koh-i-noor Polycolour pencils on cartridge paper. It was HARD. At first sight, it's a beautiful photograph of a flower in a vase of water. But when I looked more closely - reflected in that vase of water are windows with drapes and what looks very much like a seascape outside! Quite a challenge Sharon!

I found if very difficult to get the colours as deep as I wanted in the background and the dark relection in the vase. There was a lot of colouring in!

Then while out shopping I picked up this month's Leisure Painter magazine, with an article on 'gadgets' for coloured pencil work by Bob Eldon of the UK Coloured Pencil Society. (Last month Bob did an article about experimenting with different and unusual kinds of paper - haven't tried these yet!). Yesterday I went to our local art shop and bought blending pencils and burnishing pencils to help even out and deepen the colour. I also bought a battery operated eraser. So I'll be wielding these new tools for the next VSD. Thanks Bob for the tips!

The Playground - WIP finished

2008-09-25T11:55:00.004+01:00

....I think!

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I've tried to suggest the different playground surfaces; a kind of dark tarmac, grass, pathways, foliage and the field, sky and the South Downs in the background. I'm not entirely satisfied with this end result. I'm pleased with the figures, but not so pleased with the 'portrait' likenesses. This is on A2 paper, so each of the faces is quite small - usually I draw portraits at least A4 size on A3 paper. I will have to work a lot harder on catching a likeness without drawing the features in detail.

Back to the sketchbook for more practice!

I've put this one in its frame, because if I keep trying to adjust it I will spoil it. It's possible that I will have it out again later, but for now its done.

Got the bird!.................

2008-09-07T15:05:00.003+01:00

I found the Wet Canvas Weekly Drawing Thread - this week it was a photograph of a Crowned Crane.

Here's my picture:

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Coloured pencil on cartridge paper. The photo came out a little blue-er than the original. Its about 8 x 5 ins.

What's on my easel? WIP -update

2008-09-01T19:47:00.006+01:00

Kids in the park................

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This is composed from several photos of my grandchildren in a local playground. I wanted to show the playground in the background without drawing any of it in detail. I've managed to chop off a head with the camera, but you get the idea....

and here it is with a little more work on it:

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I'm using Faber Castel Polychromos and Koh-i-noor Polycolour on Daler Rowney Heavyweight A2 cartridge paper.

Update, with a little more work:

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This is slightly different for me; heavier colour with a semi-abstract background. And because there are three figures in this, I'm finding it difficult to get a likeness on the smaller scale. Not quite in the comfort zone! But I do like the effect of putting more than one 'vignette' together on a single piece.

It's odd, but when I photograph it and bring it up on the monitor, I can see bits that I want to change that I don't see by just standing back and looking at it.

Still virtually dating the sketch!

2008-09-01T19:39:00.003+01:00

I decided to crop the image and try a close-up view of the leaves, with water droplets on them. It wasn't entirely successful- I started off with quite a realistic drawing at the top, but somehow it got more and more abstract towards the bottom! Quite often, whether it's sketching or stitching, what is in my head doesn't come out through my fingers....

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I did this in Faber Castell polychromos pencils on 8 x 5 cartridge paper. I'm learning to go smaller!!

Virtual Sketch Date - August

2008-08-29T18:18:00.006+01:00

Here are my submissions to this month's Virtual Sketch Date.

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I did both of these with Faber Castell erasable coloured pencils. These are graphite pencils with colour added. I don't normally use them for finished work but I like to use them for very light, under-drawing on a piece of coloured pencil work - if I want to work lightly, I can easily erase the line rather than cover it. They are very easy to rub and smudge, just like a graphite drawing pencil. They come in only 12 colours and one disadvantage is the black seems to be all graphite and therefore has a shiny, slightly metallic appearance.

For the first sketch I used just black and brown. For the second I used dark and light blue and green, and dark purple with touches of brown, black and yellow.

Building sandcastles - I think it's finished!

2008-08-27T10:58:00.006+01:00

I've been working on this, on and off, for quite a while. I think I have finally finished it..............

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This is a picture of my grandchildren on the beach in the summer. I put it together from several reference photos I took at the time.

I'm quite pleased with this and I'm happy to frame and hang it because I used good artists quality pencils and 'proper' paper!

Still going with the sunquats!

2008-08-26T08:59:00.004+01:00

More experimenting with coloured paper. This time I broke out the Canford. I used 'royal' blue as a near complementary to the yellow/orange fruits.

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Using a 'good' support did make a difference. It felt so much nicer to work on and took many more layers of colour. Choosing blue though, made it very had to get a bright orange, and the colours in this are much more subdued. I did this with polychromos and koh-i-noor pencils and I added a little chalk to the white highlights.

Don't sit under the apple tree........

2008-08-05T16:24:00.004+01:00

................with anyone else but me! What a virtual carry on!

After the sunquats, I decided to try some of the little apples on my tree.

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Coloured pencil on green paper. Quite pleased with this, but I need to work harder on natural looking leaves and I think it's time I broke out the Canford paper!

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And here they are again, this time in coloured pencil on heavy white cartridge paper. Right back in the comfort zone here! But still not satisfied with those leaves...............

Virtual Sketch Date - July - still going

2008-08-03T18:18:00.005+01:00

I'm certainly getting some mileage out of the reference photo for July!

This is my first try at using coloured pencil on coloured paper.

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I used red 'craft board' from a multicolour pack that I bought in the 'Pound Shop'. I think I have to buy something a bit 'better' if I want to carry on using coloured backgrounds. This paper took only a couple of layers before it started to rub away, but it's fine for me to practice on!

Now that I've tried this, I realise that you have to think carefully about the relationship of the colours you are using before you start! No matter how I tried, I couldn't get the fruits yellow enough. I used a mixture of warm dark brown, indigo, warm grey and purple for the foreground and I tried to lighten the background by using a light blue/mauve and cool grey.

Virtual Sketch Date - July

2008-07-29T16:34:00.007+01:00

I'm still working on th July Virtual Sketch Date
challenge.

This time I first of all drew the image with Derwent Graphitint pencils (they are graphite with a touch of colour) because first of all I wanted to try a drawing with them, and secondly I wanted to have an underpaining - the plan was a kind of 'en grisaille'.

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Then I lightly wet the background to give a light cover.

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I am really having trouble with washing these graphitints - next time I will have to use heavier paper and try a proper watercolour brush. Frankly, this looks a mess, but it does give an underpainting.
Then, back into the comfort zone, I finished off with coloured pencils.

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I did get an 'en grisaille' effect on the fruits and some of the leaves. Now that leaf shadow looks like a damage fruit!

Virtual Sketch Date - July

2008-07-26T11:01:00.010+01:00

Here's my submission for July's Virtual Sketch Date.

I liked the reference photograph so much I decided to draw the complete image.

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This is coloured pencil over a watercolour underpainting, something I've wanted to try. I used Derwent Graphitint for the underpainting - (I still haven't got the hang of using these) - on heavyweight cartridge paper. Then I went over it with a mixture of Polychromos and Koh-i-noor pencils.

I tend to draw whatever is in front of me but looking my effort, I realised that cropping it might make a more interesting composition. So I tried cropping my interpretation in PaintShopPro. (This also had the advantage of removing some of the dodgy bits!)

Crop One:

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Crop Two:

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At first sight, this month's 'assignment' looked easy - just fruit and leaves - but I had real trouble with those leaf shadows on the fruits and the foliage at the top was difficult too. I did take one leaf out, because I just couldn't get it right at all!

I could still do a bit of work on this - but I ran out of time!

It was a good challenge - thank's for the excellent photo Leslie!

WIP - Building Sandcastles

2008-07-07T20:32:00.005+01:00

A bit more progress. I've laid down some more colour on the figure in the foreground and started to try and render the sand. On our 'home' beach the sand is coarse and crumbly, not at all powdery - perfect for making sandcastles.

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I'm pleased with the way this is going. I think I have captured the differences in personality, even while they are both absorbed in the task. Grandson Number One is all business, totally focussed on the job in hand. His sister has a more laid back 'Yeah, I'm doing this, but it's easy and there's no rush OK?' attitude.

What's on my easel? Work in progress...

2008-07-03T08:41:00.001+01:00

I'm starting to try out my new Polychromos pencils. This is Building Sandcastles, from sketches and photographic reference.

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On heavyweight A2 size cartridge paper. The finished picture size will be about A3. I started by sketching in the main lines with a Faber-Castell erasable colour pencil in mid brown and lightly shaded in a basic flesh tone to give me a colour reference. Then I started to work lightly on the figure at the top. I'm still very slow. All this took about an hour, while I was talking to my daughter on the phone!

Here's an update, with a bit more colour layered on:

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I'm enjoying this, and I really like these pencils - they sharpen up to a really good point and blend well. Nice and soft to use, no scratching at all.

No idea how I'm going to deal with all that sand!

I got these too.......!

2008-07-02T10:12:00.005+01:00

Derwent Graphitint pencils. Graphite pencils with a touch of watercolour. And a neat brush with a water holder in the handle, also from Derwent. It's good for using with watercolour pencils. You just wipe the synthetic bristles on your hand (OK, I'm messy! You cold use a cloth!) to clean it between colours and the water stays clean. Great for going out and about.

I did this quick sketch of people on the beach, to try them out.

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Derwent Graphitint on watercolour paper. I think I'm going to use this as an underpainting for a coloured pencil piece as an experiment!

Update: I found that after being wet, this cheap watercolour wouldn't take coloured pencils very well. So instead of working it up the way I intended, I just added a bit more colour with watercolour pencils. These pencils are great for quick sketches, but on balance I prefer fine, detailed coloured pencil work.

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Self-portrait

2008-06-30T11:47:00.006+01:00

The Boss wouldn't let me use him, (gosh, some people can be touchy about photographs and portraits!) so I tried a self-portrait. It was very tempting to make it a lot more flattering! Especially the teeth! The Boss has told the grandchildren that I smoke cuban cigars. He said they can tell by the colour of my teeth. I could tell by the way they kept giving me sideways glances and looking at one another that they didn't know whether or not to believe him!

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The usual mixture of kids colouring pencils on coloured pastel paper. I finished it off with a layer of nice soft own brand 'artist's quality' coloured pencils I bought at W H Smith.

I plan to try this again on good cartridge paper with my brand new pencils, hoping to get a more 'photographic' realism result for comparison. I think I get more life and expression with the 'looser' strokes when I use pastel paper, but a better likeness when I use a smooth support.

After a lot of reading reviews and comparing prices, I finally bit the bullet and ordered some PROPER artists' pencils. For starters, I have a bought a set of 60 Faber-Castell Polychromos, plus a set of 30 Koh-i-Noor Polycolour. After I've tried these for a bit, I think I may also want to get some that sharpen up for fine detail, like Berol Verithin or Derwent Studio, and then maybe some really soft ones too. I've also found that I like to use Faber-Castell erasable colour pencils for sketching out the initial drawing - they either cover up nicely or are easily removed for the lighter areas. I also now have some Daler Rowney Heavyweight Cartridge and some nice Ingres pastel paper. I'm really looking forward to trying it all out!

Virtual Sketch Date - June

2008-06-20T17:36:00.007+01:00

I've joined a group called Virtual Sketch Date.

Each month a photograph is posted and participants interpret it.

Here is this month's photograph:

and here is my interpretation:

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I've used coloured pencil on cartridge paper. I tried to suggest the foliage and flowers in the background without showing too much detail but giving a feeling of depth.

(Update: I posted this in a hurry last night, because of the time difference. Now I can add a bit...)

It felt very odd working from someone else's photograph. Not quite like using someone else's toothbrush, but close! I've been watching sketches from others in the group coming through, and I could have been much more adventurous in cropping and rearranging the image. I tend to draw exactly what is in front of me. Food for thought there! It's great fun seeing all the different treatments and interpretations, I'm really going to enjoy this group!

Johnson's Blue - A true geranium

2008-06-13T18:24:00.004+01:00

Often called 'Cranesbill' because of the shape of the seed heads. Not related to the brightly coloured 'geraniums' grown for floral display, those are actually pelargoniums. Johnson's Blue is my favourite geranium, but it's still not a true blue, there's a lot of pink in it.

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I was trying to get the effect of light from behind the flowers, and depth in the foliage (these plants have a lot of leaves) without showing too much detail.

Coloured pencil on cartridge paper.

Mischief amongst the windflowers

2008-05-19T15:39:00.003+01:00

We went with the grandchildren to 'Heaven Farm' to see the bluebells. The place is aptly named. I have never seen so many bluebells and the smell was just amazing. We walked through beech woods with lovely dappled sunshine and crunchy leaves and in some places, instead of bluebells, the ground was carpeted with wood anemones. The children, of course, managed to find something 'dangerous' to do................

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Coloured pencil on cartridge paper. I tried out some coloured pencils I just bought at W H Smith. Labelled 'Artists Quality' with no information on lightfastness, but lovely and soft.

Grandson number 2

2008-05-14T12:59:00.003+01:00

I'm still trying to decide which technique and paper I like best.

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Coloured pencil on cartridge paper.

I'm really pleased with this one!

Naughty face

2008-05-08T00:02:00.004+01:00

Watch out Granny. Any minute now, I'm going to do something really naughty!

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'En grisaille'. Graphite pencil and coloured pencil on cartridge paper.

It was hard to catch that fleeting expression!

I tried this portrait twice before was I happy with it. Here's my first attempt using a different technique and a different type of paper.

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Coloured pencil on light tinted pastel paper.

Blue Robe

2008-04-30T11:57:00.003+01:00

The super art blog Gurney Journey hosts 'Art by Committee' where participants illustrate a weekly quote taken from a SciFi novel.

This week's quote was:

"An odd-looking being sat cross-legged on the floor of the the room they were in, oblivious to them, apparently in some sort of trance. He wore a blue robe, tied at the waist, that covered his knees. He was barefoot."

I've lurked there, fascinated, for a while and this quote was just too tempting. I don't know how to send it, so I just put it here.

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If you get a chance, check out Gurney Journey, it's a superb blog, filled with all sorts of information for aspiring artists like me. I've started right at the beginning and I'm working my way forward to today!

Number Two Grandson

2008-04-22T13:36:00.003+01:00

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Coloured pencil on pastel paper.

He is such a sweetie! This was before his first haircut.

Improving

2008-04-01T12:57:00.004+01:00

Did some more work from my picture of Boston Public Gardens.

This is a replacement for the last picture. I think I got a much better composition by leaving out the detail in the background and its a much better likeness. He was only three at the time and he was clinging to that duck for dear life. I think I managed to capture that, there is some nice 'tension' in the arms.

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and here is a portrait.

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He is a rough, mischevious, cheeky boy but he has a deceptive vulnerability that is quite difficult to capture, especially when you know the real 'just william' character!

Illustration Friday - Garden

2008-03-16T00:28:00.004Z

This week's word was Garden.

Here's a picture of my grandson in Boston Public Gardens. We were there in 2004.

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It's a scan, rather than a digital photo, and it's come out a bit grainy.

Coloured pencil on cartridge paper with a bit of scraffito.

I think I will have to buy some proper artist's pencils and some better quality paper. This won't take enough layers.

Illo Friday - Leap

2008-03-06T11:27:00.001Z

Quick coloured pencil sketch:

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Leap Into Spring!

Autumn

2006-10-31T17:53:00.000Z

The leaves are just starting to change colour

Watercolour.

Calm

2006-10-31T17:39:00.000Z

There's nothing more calming than chamomile tea!

Felt tip pens.

Illustration Friday - Play

2006-08-13T20:15:00.000+01:00

Maisie and Joe played in the sea all day, on their new plastic inflatable surfboards.

Instead of using the inflatables as surfboards, they lay across them and kicked with their legs. They got up quite a speed. We made them wear their armbands, because although they were quite safe in the sea, with a ring of rocks around the beach, the water was cold and they were in it for a long time.

With their coloured armbands and plastic inflatables they looked like brightly coloured insects whizzing across the surface of the water. Maisie was busy kicking away, and when she looked up, she found herself face to face with a seagull! She looked around, discovered she could no longer touch the bottom and realised she had gone too far out. She started shouting but that quickly turned to crying and Joe immediately launched himself out on a rescue mission. His little legs went really fast and he soon reached his sister and began to push her back in with his own inflatable.

I made two fabric postcodes, to remember the occasion. Here they are, with the original sketch.

Illustration Friday - Beneath the sea

2006-05-07T22:14:00.000+01:00

They came from beneath the sea a long, long time ago. Fossils from my sketchbook:

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Here's part of my 'wall' showing some design work based on a study of fossils. Its not a great photo, but you get the idea.............

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I haven't made any items based on these yet, but there's loads of mileage in it!

I did make a box lid with some beach bits on it though...........

Illustration Friday - Spotted

2006-04-21T08:28:00.000+01:00

Back to the bugs again! A spotted ladybird.
Here is my sketch ....................

fine point and felt tip pen.

And here's what I did with it, a work in progress ..

a padded fabric box lid. Silk paint on silk with gutta resist.

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Illustration Friday - Spring

2006-03-31T19:38:00.000+01:00

The daffodils are late this spring - here are some I prepared earlier! A mixed bunch from my garden.

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Watercolour and coloured and graphite pencil

........but the celandines have just started to flower in the damp grass under my apple tree

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Pastel on coloured sugar paper.

Illustration Friday - monster

2006-03-30T23:08:00.000+01:00

I think they are cute, but my sister says they are scary - monsters from the pond

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Horror goldfish! Handmade felt with fabric inclusions, tassell fins, button eyes and great big mouths!

Cheating, because no time to draw this week........

Illustration Friday - Insect

2006-03-03T18:53:00.000Z

This is a sketch of a fly.....................

and this is what I used it for...

Simplify........... design................

make....................................

(As usual, click on pics for bigger image - the final product is about 8 inches long)

Those of you interested in this kind of thing can see more, in a similar vein, at:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/79266642@N00/

although this is by far the most elaborate

Illustration Friday - Song

2006-02-23T16:05:00.000Z

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Graphite pencil sketch

Illustration Friday - Simple

2006-02-14T16:29:00.000Z

A simple textile illustration of trees, worked almost entirely in a single couching stitch. Nothing complicated at all!

Illustration Friday - Chair

2006-02-10T17:05:00.000Z

Just a very quick pencil sketch..................

Its my typing chair, its red, it swivels and they are always fighting over it!

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Still trying......................

2006-02-07T21:49:00.000Z

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to draw a good cat! Pastel pencil on cheap kids play paper.

Illlustration Friday - Cats

2006-01-21T00:35:00.000Z

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Here's a page from my sketchbook. I need to practice some more CATS!!

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and here are a couple of repeat pattern designs for fabric printing based on cats that were part of my design work for Doris.

Illustration Friday - E is For.............

2006-01-16T21:59:00.000Z

E numbers, of course........... and excitement, which is what happens to Maisie and Joe when they eat them!

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Graphite pencil on ordinary photocopying paper.

Illustration Friday - E is For....

2006-01-14T19:26:00.000Z

Entymologist. Well, this is my version:

I made this during my City & Guilds embroidery course. For Part II we looked at Surrealism - we attended a Lee Miller (photographer) exhibition and looked at other artists, including Joseph Cornell who put things into boxes and was an obsessive collector. Our 'homework' was to make a 'memory box'. I didn't really feel that this was in the spirit of the surrealists, the essence of which I thought was to do something odd with an everyday object, convey some kind of message and, in the case of Jospeh Cornell, make an 'assemblage'. (Somehow a modern day 'memory box' didn't really cut it). This was all completely at odds with the way I view the things that I make - purely for enjoyment, but as ever I was prepared to have a go. So, here is my 'Collector' an insect - and in his box, little people of slightly differing colour.

(Click on photo for bigger image)

My inspiration, apart from the surrealists, came from the seaside. At the old town hall in Aldburgh on the Suffolk coast is a room full of wide shallow drawers. Each drawer is full of moths and butterflies. I went there just after we had looked at Cornell, when the idea of collections was fresh in my mind. When I showed this in class, one or two people were offended. I hope I haven't offended anyone here. It was a lighthearted joke at the expense of the surrealists and our very serious tutor.

The collector's body is made from odds and ends of beads (I made the long paper ones) and bits of wire; his wings from a fragment of sheer sari silk. His little people are just wrapped wool tassels. He sits on the edge of his box (I made that too - from picture framers board covered in faux suede), adding his latest acquisition to his collection. This is his prize, the blue colour and the gold crown show that he has at long last managed to find a specimen of royal blood.

There is tenuous connection to last week's topic SEA, with the insect collection at Aldburgh, and there is a sea and an insect connection to both posts here too, with this box:

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4568/1104/1600/scorpion2.jpg

The pebbles, shells and seeds came from the beach. And yes, I know the creature only has four legs!

And another sea link with these fish made from felt:

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4568/1104/1600/fishes.jpg

Illustration Friday - Sea 2

2006-01-08T17:55:00.000Z

I felt I cheated a bit with my earlier submission, so here are some REAL sea pictures.

This is a photo of the beach at Eastbourne on a lovely October day.

Below are some manipulations:

Here's the photo with a Brush Stroke filter

And here it is with a Twirl!

and here's a view of the lighthouse from the top of Beachy Head.

Illustration Friday - Sea

2006-01-07T23:33:00.000Z

I'm not sure if this is in the right spirit, but here goes...................

(click on photo for bigger image)

Susie was ALL AT SEA without her dummy (comforter). She was so cross we had to give it back!

Coloured pencil on plain photocopying paper, enhanced in PaintShop Pro with a coloured edge filter.

Here's the sketch before enhancement.....I think I prefer this version.

(click on photo for bigger image)

Illustration Friday - Flavour

2006-01-03T20:33:00.000Z

Poppy seeds add an interesting flavour and texture to a plain white bloomer loaf. These poppies grow in my garden. The flowers can be up to a handspan across and make lovely big seedheads. They are prolific and seed all over the garden, so I never know where they are going to come up next. The colours range from lilac through pink to peach.

The photo enhanced in Paintshop Pro with a coloured pencil filter.

The same photo with a coloured pencil filter, then further enhanced with coloured edges with mid-range luminescence.

(Click on photos for enlargement)

Illustration Friday - imagine

2005-12-20T13:54:00.000Z

(Click on photo for enlargement)

It was right at the top of Toby's Christmas List, but he didn't imagine he would get the deluxe version.

I was planning to do this for 'Surprise', but I ran out of time before I had started it. So here it is with a new caption, for 'Imagine'.

Coloured pencil on ordinary white photocopier paper.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Illustration Friday - Surprise 2

2005-12-15T11:51:00.000Z

I'm always surprised that a bumble bee can actually get off the ground! They just don't seem designed for flight.

(click on photo for enlargement)

Pastel pencil and soft pastel on kids coloured drawing paper.

Illustration Friday - surprise

2005-12-14T21:21:00.000Z

Here's a quick pencil sketch of a very surprised hare:

I don't know if I will have time to complete it in pastel pencils, so here is one not so surprised hare!

(click on photo for enlargement)

I was trying the effects of different papers. The hare on the sand coloured paper is on Fabriano Tiziano, the red is just kids coloured drawing paper. The Fabriano has just the right amount of tooth, but you get a lovely soft effect on the cheap paper that can sometimes be good.

Illustration Friday - Blue

2005-12-02T14:47:00.000Z

One sad bug, feeling blue in the night-time.

(click on photo for bigger image)

Bit of a cheat really. Last week's image with a Paintshop Pro wax coating filter.

Illustration Friday - small

2005-12-02T14:34:00.000Z

When you are just a little bug, the big wild wood can make you feel very small.
(Sometimes I feel just like that when something big and important happens).

(Click on photo for bigger image)

Bit of a quickie. Drawn in coloured pencil and felt tip. Cut out and placed on a background of vintage liberty print fabric. Enhanced with Paintshop Pro coloured edges filter.

Below, the original sketch without the coloured edges.

This started out as the germ of an idea for an embellished fabric covered box. The toadstool would be the lid, with a round stalk for the box. I guess now I've mentioned it, I'll have to think about doing it!

Illustration Friday - strength

2005-11-17T11:09:00.000Z

Joe always likes to show us how strong he is:

Graphite pencil sketch

Coloured pencil.

Illustration Friday - Night

2005-11-10T12:42:00.000Z

Scary things can happen at night!

Three versions:

Collage

Ink and coloured pencil

And finally, silk paint and machine quilting. (Click on photo for bigger image).

Illustration Friday - remote

2005-10-25T12:58:00.000+01:00

It can be lovely to live a long way from everything in the daytime. Rural, peaceful, picturesque.

But at night, when it gets dark and everything closes in, it can get more than a bit creepy!

Coloured pencil and felt tip pen, with a bit of frottage on my well used wooden breadboard.

(Click on photos for bigger image)

Illustration Friday - cold

2005-10-21T10:38:00.000+01:00

Weather forecasters have predicted the coldest winter for a decade this year in the UK. (I know that for a lot of you, that's nothing, not even a goosepimple!). The country folk say that if you have a lot of holly berries, its a sign of a cold winter to come. They say that nature knows in advance and ensures a good supply of food for the birds. Well, the holly bush in my garden is just loaded this year, and everywhere the ivy is fruiting, so maybe they are right!

I took a photo of the holly berries against a bleak grey sky, then I put it in paintshop pro and added a coloured pencil effect.

(Click on photo for bigger image)

and then I tried a few more effects:

On the left, coloured edges. On the right, coloured foil, I think this one looks really cold! And below, curly qs.

Pencil portrait

2005-10-07T11:20:00.000+01:00

Pencil portrait.

(Click for bigger image)

Age 4. Its very hard to put in enough detail and yet keep that baby-soft quality that small children have.

Soft graphite pencil on cartridge paper.

Illustration Friday - Escape

2005-10-07T11:19:00.001+01:00

Come on Joe, you can do it!

(Click on photo for bigger image)

Coloured pencil on cartridge paper.

Illustration Friday - Escaping

2005-10-07T11:10:00.000+01:00

(Click on photo for bigger image)

I'm coming, help me up!

Coloured pencil on cartridge paper.

Illustration Friday - Depth

2005-09-10T17:14:00.000+01:00

Maisie - 2 yrs (Click on photo for bigger image)

This is a sketch of Maisie at about 2 years old. She's deep in concentration as she examines some poor worm or leatherjacket that she has found in the flowerbed. I was interested in her face and hands, and the stillness that children have when they are looking at something very hard.

Pastel pencil on coloured children's play paper. This paper was not really strong enough, and did not have enough tooth, but I'm out of practice so I was being really cheap!

Illustration Friday - Reflection

2005-08-19T20:15:00.000+01:00

Here's Maisie thinking really hard about something.
(Possibly the consequences of cutting her own fringe!)

Coloured pencil.

Maisie. (Click on photo for bigger image.)

Illustration Friday - wisdom

2005-08-16T15:08:00.000+01:00

In the language of flowers, iris means faith and wisdom.

Something different for me. Here are two versions of my photo of iris flowers in my garden enhanced with artistic effects in Paintshop Pro.

The first is in coloured pencil.

The second is coloured edges.

Illustration Friday - Empty2

2005-08-10T12:11:00.000+01:00

empty2

The boss was quite rude about my Ruby & Em empty illustration - so here he is in all his glory with his empty pockets - the ones he holds me responsible for!

Illustration Friday - Empty

2005-08-10T08:53:00.000+01:00

empty. (Click on photo for bigger image.)

Ruby and Em nipped quietly outside to empty the last couple of glasses out of the final winebox, leaving the men to do the washing up.

Felt tip pen and coloured pencil.

Illustration Friday - Ageing 2

2005-08-04T09:39:00.000+01:00

My old bulldog

Danielle over at :

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/mahlu002/oneday/

posted a lovely picture of her old dog. I thought I would share my pastel pencil sketch of mine. He was more than 12 years old when I did this. He was, as usual, sitting enjoying a shaft of rare sunshine!

If I compare this with the picture I posted for IF - tranquillity, I can see the difference. His coat has faded, his features have dropped and his muzzle is peppered with grey hairs.

I did love that old dog!

Illustration Friday - Ageing

2005-07-29T19:43:00.000+01:00

ageing . Click on photo for bigger image.

Maybe not a strict interpretation of the theme, but she is an old witch!

This is an embroidered portrait. I drew it first in pencil, then traced and transferred it to fabric and coloured it in with stitches. Some of it is padded, and the hat brim is added separately.

(I didn't have a model, I made her up!)

Here's a 'zoom out' view....

It was part of the design work building up to Doris, who can be found here:

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/235/5718/640/Doris%201.jpg

and here, in closeup:

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/235/5718/640/Doris%202.jpg

Illustration Friday - Tranquil

2005-07-22T16:52:00.000+01:00

Click on photo for bigger image.

This is a pastel pencil painting of my old bulldog. You can't get the 'full flavour' of him without the snoring and the smell. You had to own him to love him!

You can't get much more tranquil than a sleeping dog on a warm day!

Illustration Friday - Karma

2005-07-19T12:13:00.000+01:00

Here comes Maisie with something important to tell.......................................

......looks like Joe's weighing up the consequences of getting his own back!

What goes around comes around?

(Click on photos for larger image)

Illustration Friday - Metropolitan

2005-07-11T16:58:00.000+01:00

Two for One

Here's Ruby and Em, all shopped out at the Metro Centre, enjoying a good natter and a glass of pink lemonade.

pink lemonade

This is the working design for my entry to this month's Tie One On, over at Angry Chicken.

(http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken)
(Sorry, it seems that insert hyperlink doesn't work here anymore!?)

The challenge is to make an apron using the theme Pink Lemonade as inspiration. I'm planning to paint the design onto my fabric, so it needs to be very simple and flat. The glass of lemonade is to be added in relief after the paint is dry and outlined with stitching.

(Click on photo for bigger image)

Illustration Friday - Metropolitan

2005-07-11T12:49:00.000+01:00

"Joe always has chocolate, and I would like metropolitan please"

maisie 'n joe

(Maisie is very girly and always wears a skirt or dress. When the weather is chilly, she just pops on a pair of trousers underneath!)

(Click on photo for larger image)

Illustration Friday - Sport - Have a Go Joe!

2005-07-07T11:55:00.000+01:00

This is a quick colour pencil sketch of my grandson Joe.

And here's his sister Maisie, aiming for the finish line.

(Click on photos for bigger image)